"AJ Hoggard I will fill out the job application for you": Tom Izzo's Michigan State falling behind by double digits at HT leaves Spartans' fans fuming
College basketball fans were disappointed with Tom Izzo's Michigan State team, which lost to Iowa, 71-78, on Tuesday night at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan.
The loss pushed the Spartans to fifth place in the Big Ten Conference standings, with a 9-7 win-loss record and an overall record of 17-10. Michigan State struggled from the start, trailing 45-33 at halftime.
The weak play caused the Spartans' fans to vent their frustrations on social media, with one user wishing Spartans' guard A.J. Hoggard to "go home."
Another fan held the whole team accountable for the miserable opening half that led to the loss.
An exasperated fan cited Michigan State's mentality against lower-seeded teams. The fan seemed to be running out of reasons to blame for the loss and even asked Izzo to hold the people accountable this time.
Some users poked fun at Hoggard's below-par performance and urged him to go elsewhere.
One user said that he expects the Spartans to play poorly in the crucial part of the tournament.
Another fan even described the team as the laziest squad that Izzo coached. And Izzo did not escape his fury, saying that this is maybe one of his worst coaching stints ever.
Another X user pointed to the unpredictable nature of a collegiate game where outstanding favorites get upset by an unheralded foe.
Another fan saw how badly the team played against the Hawkeyes in the first half and urged the team to wake up and pull off a comeback that never happened.
What's next for Michigan State?
Despite the defeat to Iowa, the Spartans still have a chance to make it to the NCAA Tournament. However, it all boils down to their next four games against Ohio State, No. 3 Purdue, Northwestern and Indiana.
The four-game stretch begins on Sunday, February 25, against Ohio State, which is coming off a 73-69 shocker over Zach Edey and the Purdue Boilermakers. A win would boost their chances of making it to the knockout phase of the NCAA tournament.
Michigan State's offense will once again be led by Tyson Walker (18.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.9 steals), Malik Hall (12.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists), and Hoggard (11.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists). The team must find its swagger and winning mentality before it is too late.
Also read: Magic Johnson, Draymond Green and more: 6 NBA stars who played for the Michigan State Spartans