Well, in the first half, as you guys got a chance to witness, it was two teams battling it out. Defensively we did a really good job of protecting the basket, not allowing too many paint touches, also, from a transition standpoint, I thought our guys did a fantastic job of getting back in transition, not allowing too many fast break points, knowing that Michigan State does a great job of getting out in transition — makes and misses. They'll make you pay when you don't do that, as far as sprinting back. Also, as far as keeping them off the offensive glass, I think we did a good job in the first half on the offensive glass.

But then in the second half, the difference was everything I just mentioned that we did well in the first half that we had breakdowns in the second half. It first started with the transition defense. In the first half we gave up one point in transition, second half we gave up 17. 3-point shooting, not guarding the 3-point line, and not just with Jaden [Akins], but Jaden hit some backbreakers that really hurt us and also gave the crowd the energy and also ignited their team.

And then the offensive rebounding. They made adjustments of being the most physical team in the second half. I thought we were one of the most physical teams in the first half.

And then the last part I would say is defensively, give them credit, they really got out and got into the gaps and when we put the ball down on the floor as we tried to drive: turnover. Or post-entry pass: turnover. And those type of possessions, every time, no matter what sport you play in, it's a possession game, you give up the ball and teams make you pay off the transition and off turnovers, then you put yourself in a tough spot, and we got into a hole that we couldn't get out of.

I would say that we will continue to keep working on it. It's a mindset. It's a mindset. You have to really want to be dialed into wanting to play defense. It's not gonna show up in a box score, it's not going to, of course, show up in highlight moments, but you've gotta have those moments where a guy's driving in, contesting at the rim, and then even if he dunks it, you challenged it and it's part of games. Okay, he dunked it. We can't have blow-bys, we can't have uncontested shots to give to open shooters for 3s.

And I take full blame as the coach. I take full blame. It's on me. So, we're gonna work on it and we'll be better with it. I'm not gonna give up on it. This is what's been successful for us. I know it's gotta be a staple of who we are. And that's what's gonna keep it competitive in our league, because our league is very tough, just like a lot of other conferences in college basketball.

But in the Big Ten... it's really hard. Because of the level of talent. The level of coaching that you have in this league.

Well, Jaden got some free looks because of miscommunication and mental breakdowns. Tyson Walker, he didn't have his night but let's call it what it is — he's one of the best players not only in our conference, but in college basketball. And it was a big emphasis in our game plan, and making sure he has to work for every bucket, and at times, we got creative defensively on things we worked on that helped us, but we can't allow the other guys to get ignited with confidence and making everything. And those shots that Jaden made were mental breakdowns.

He is a hall of fame coach. He's an example of what a lot of us coaches aspire to become, and the success he's had in college basketball, the work is just right there glaring at you. But the man grinded, and he learned from one of the greatest coaches in college basketball: coach Jud Heathcote. And with that, he's created his own staple and identity to his program, and the program has had success.

I really admire coach in a lot of ways. Yes, it's a rivalry, it's always gonna be a rivalry, but at the same time you just gotta give respect when respect is due. And with coach being able to reach that many wins, it's an example of where I'm trying to get to that level.

It takes time and it takes a lot of years. I don't know if I have that many years of coaching left as he, but we'll see.

As coaching, it's been a challenge getting wins here, and this is a tough place to play. And we always try and duplicate the same thing when they come to Ann Arbor. We've had success with that as well.

It's those droughts. It's those droughts where it's like, mentally, we lose it. And it's a confidence where it's the basics. I think it's a little bit of both. We've gotta get down to the basics. Boxing out. When guys are flying in and we watch film and we also scout. And our staff, and our managers, and our support staff, they do a fantastic job in identifying those areas of what we have to of course prepare for and work on in practice.

And then the miscommunication on defensive assignments. And the guys will tell you in the locker room, you always hear about "my bad"s and I'm like, "what the hell is 'my bad'?" like, we're past that.

Take ownership of it, and fix it. And we gotta fix it.

No. I don't think it's that. No. It's not that at all whatsoever.

Yeah, Jaelin has to log a lot of minutes when you don't have Dug and it's 35 minutes and the guy is just grinding, and I respect him in how he's conducting himself to go throughout the process of while he's healing and then to every time you step on the floor no matter what minutes, he's gonna give it his all. I know I'm not the only one. I know his teammates admire and respect how he's handled himself. He's a very smart young man. Extremely competitive. We just gonna need everyone. All hands on deck.

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