EAST LANSING — When Tom Izzo looks back on last season, he remains careful to put the blame on himself while trying not to single out any of Michigan State's basketball players — current or departed.
There wasn’t enough toughness.
There wasn’t enough defense and rebounding.
There wasn’t enough offense and tempo.
It always comes back to trying to “put round pegs in square holes last year.” Particularly at point guard. And it led to unprecedented attrition from Izzo’s program.
What returns and what he added, Izzo believes, will make the Spartans more well-rounded.