Tom Izzo Ten Quotations

If we don't get better in the Big Ten tournament it's going to be hard to get better in the NCAA Tournament.

I think we all realize that we're all pretty even (in the conference), and whoever comes to play, there could be monstrous swings, whether you're home or away. There aren't many teams right now in the Big Ten that aren't in must-win situations.

I said that there could be eight teams vie for the championship. I think scheduling (the Big Ten doesn't play a round robin, so some teams play others just once) is gonna play a part in everything. I still think our conference could fight to be the strongest in the country. When you look top to bottom at the conference race this year, four losses could win it, maybe more.

I was hoping to have him back Saturday, and it didn't work out. It's kind of out of my hands and kind of out of his hands, to be honest with you. That puts pressure on the doctors. For the most part, they've been consistent saying that maybe he could do something Big Ten tournament-time. We were hoping, because everything was moving along a little faster, that it would be faster than that.

We have a long way to go but we are still in the race. I'm not giving up on the Big Ten, but we just aren't in control so we just have to let it play out and focus on getting better every day until the Big Ten tournament and the NCAA tournament. We have lots of big games we need to focus on, but it feels good to be home.

We have an opportunity of a lifetime, ... to be home and playing for at least a share of the Big Ten championship.

As far as my confidence in the team, as crazy as it sounds, I still think we have a chance to win our last two games. If we do that, I think we go into the Big Ten Tournament on a high and have every bit a chance to win as anybody else.

This is still a very good Indiana team. They can do well in the Big Ten tournament and be a NCAA tourney team.

They're playing for a Big Ten championship. They haven't done that for a few years now, and they're playing a team that beat them handily. The schedule is somewhat in their favor, somewhat in Ohio State's favor.

It's not the end of the world when you're 0-2, but who's kidding who? Everybody was down. It wasn't a monstrous step, but we beat a good team. That's the fifth Top Ten team we've played, and the third we've beaten.

It's great to have our league being talked about. Every team in the league is making some strides. I still think eight teams can win the Big Ten championship and in the long run that's going to help our recruiting, our exposure and the respect for our league.

This is just as much a must-win for them. They've got to be hungry. They've never been in this position in quite a few years now, this late in the season playing for a Big Ten championship. I'm sure that's going to be motivating for them.

I'm excited about the Big Ten. It's great to have our league being talked about. I think every team in the league is making some strides, and I still think there are eight teams in the league that could win the Big Ten championship.

Iowa's good enough to win the Big Ten title. They've helped themselves this week by beating Indiana (Saturday) and us.