Nebraska vs. Michigan State: Postgame Notes and Quotes

Nebraska Postgame Notes

• The loss to No. 6 Michigan State was Nebraska’s first home loss since a one-point defeat to No. 3 Kansas on Dec. 10, 2016. The loss snapped Nebraska’s 20-game home winning streak, which tied for the longest streak in program history, and was the nation’s third-longest active home win streak.
• The loss marked Nebraska’s first home conference loss since March 5, 2017 against Michigan. The Huskers had won 11 consecutive conference home games, the third-longest streak in program history.
• Nebraska lost its ninth straight game against a top-10 opponent.
• The Huskers trailed at halftime for the first time at home this season.
• Nebraska was held below 40 percent from the field for just the second time this season. The Huskers shot a season-low 32.8 percent from the field (previous low was 35.4 percent against Texas Tech on Nov. 20).
• Isaac Copeland made his 100th career start against Michigan State and finished with 13 points and five rebounds.
• James Palmer Jr. scored 24 points and was 11-of-11 from the free-throw line. The 24 points was his ninth 20-point game this season
• Michigan State won its 11th straight game and extended a pair of school records with its 19th consecutive Big Ten Conference victory and 11th consecutive Big Ten road win.
• Nebraska held Michigan State to 70 points, its second-lowest total of the season.

Nebraska Coach Tim Miles
On tonight’s offensive performance
“I wasn’t good with our shot selection overall. I thought that Michigan State did a good job, and they are long and athletic and strong. But, like I said, when I quoted the numbers at the rim and stuff like that, we just couldn’t operate the way we needed to operate successfully to win the game. I thought defensively, when you look and there’s 1:13 left and they’re still at 60, you shouldn’t be at home down 10 when they’re at 60. I wasn’t very pleased with our offense in any way shape or form.”

On tonight’s defensive performance
“I thought we were solid. I didn’t think we were great. I thought (Cassius) Winston got away from us and they got us in some transition, which is their MO. We were okay on the glass, not great. I thought we were solid. And they got some breaks, so Cassius (Winston) banks one in and (Nick) Ward hits a shot clock three, he’s attempted two in his career. And they both go in. And you have to credit them. Those guys we're helping off of were 3-for-8. (Kenny) Goins I think hit one. He was involved in that. I think when we got down seven, we lost heart a little bit for a few positions to allow it to go to 11 or 12. You just can’t. Especially when time is of the essence. There is 3, 4, 5 minutes left. You just gotta stay in there and stay with the plan.”

On trying to limit Michigan State’s weapons
“I thought Thomas Allen did a pretty good job on (Cassius) Winston the second half. The choices you make are going to get you. I just thought we had to help to (Isaiah) Roby to keep him in the game and even Tanner (Borchardt) or Brady (Heiman) or whoever. (Isaiah) Roby's second foul after that you know it was tied or we might've even been ahead and then they go up five (at halftime). That was critical because we had both centers in foul trouble, and then we kind of let first half get away from us. Then we battled back and take the lead again (early in the second half). You need to build and play from the front with these teams. You have to credit Michigan State. They're a very strong, athletic team that defends. There's a reason they're one of the top teams in the country defensively. This is their sixth true road win and they're primed for this moment. It's not like they're an upstart. And coach (Tom) Izzo is as good as there is in the game of basketball. College or pro. And they did a good job, they did a really good job. And I think you have to credit them. They made the plays. We turned them over a little bit, but not enough and we didn't finish in transition and at the rim.”

Glynn Watson Jr.
On guarding Cassius Winston
“I think they just did a lot of things to get us off balance. So, to pay attention to their big [players] and to get off a screen and stuff like that. We got it going early, and I think that just got them in a rhythm to make easy shots, bank one in and stuff like that. In the second half, we did a better job on them, but you just got to learn from it.”

 Isaac Copeland Jr.
On what they can take from this game
“We know we’re a good team. We just have to eliminate some of the early easy baskets Winston made. We missed some plays down the stretch, and then I missed two free throws,  stuff like that. So, we just got to move on to the next one.” 

James Palmer Jr.
On playing the No. 6 team in the country
“We just try to go out and show we can compete with anybody in the country. Shout-out to them (Michigan State), they’re a really a good team, but I think we were right there with them a little, but we just couldn’t get over the hump.”

Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo
On Nebraska's team
“This is a class place. I have a lot of respect for Tim. I think his team is really good, I don’t think they played as good tonight. Maybe we had something to do with it, they missed some shots that I think they’ve been making. It was probably one of the bigger wins on the road under the circumstances of those three freshmen having to play minutes in a tough environment. That place was rocking as loud as I’ve ever heard a place lately, and we found a way to win.”

On the game as a whole
“Nick Ward came through a little bit. Cassius Winston I thought was unbelievable from the start. He did it offensively and defensively. He did a pretty good job on Watson, who is another guy that I really have a lot of respect for. We couldn’t guard Palmer, McQuaid tried. We fouled him a little bit too much, but to hold him to 6-21, I guess that means Matt won it even though Matt was 0-6 and really didn’t do much on offense. He did an unbelievable job on defense. With those circumstances, I’ll take that as a big win. A great place, a great environment, against a very good team. Nebraska is going to win a lot of games, that’s a very good team. 

On Cassius Winston bouncing back after a tough game against Penn State on Sunday
“It’s impressive. I told him that before the game. I said ‘you’re going to get measured on how you bounce back.’ DJ  (Dwayne Stephens) told me when they warmed up, he said that he was as focused as I’ve seen him.  He doesn’t show the emotions that some people do, but he played a lot of minutes. I told him he was going to play a lot of minutes with our injuries.”