Tom Izzo said that some of what plagued the Spartans in their Saturday loss against USC was again part of their undoing Tuesday night as they lost 63-61 at UCLA on a late bucket by Eric Dailey Jr.

“I said at USC we didn't compete as hard as we normally do,” Izzo said “ Here I thought – we competed, we made our free throws, but (again) we turned the ball over -- 16 times to their three. That was the difference in the game. To beat good teams on the road, you got to play hard enough, and smart enough.”

Izzo felt his team played well enough, but - in the moments that decided this game - had several lapses in judgment.

The Spartans shooting woes continued Tuesday night, as MSU shot 37.7% from the field, which was actually slightly higher than UCLA (35%).

“We both shot average because both teams went at each other,” Izzo said when asked about the physicality and low shooting percentages overall. “That was one of the more physical games in the Big Ten in a while, and give Mick (Cronin) credit, doesn't surprise me him coming from Cincinnati and brought that out here and he's done a hell of a job.”

Izzo, while giving his trademark criticism first, was also impressed with Carson Cooper's handling of UCLA big man Aday Mara.

“Cooper did a hell of a job defensively, because (Mara) is gonna be really good,” said Izzo.

The Spartans did control the glass, also anchored by Carson Cooper's nine boards, which Izzo pointed out was lacking in their game against USC.

“45 to 27 (rebounding), I think that speaks a little bit to our character and toughness," he said.

If this team proved anything to him in their ability to identify and correct, their night on the glass got his attention.

“That was something I needed to find out,” Izzo stated. “So for me, I'm gonna leave here with a better basketball team.”

Izzo emphasized how impressed he is with the job UCLA head coach Mick Cronin has done this season.

"UCLA is a very good team,” Izzo stated. "They lost four in a row and were pronounced dead. I talked to Mick (Cronin) during that time; they all know he went off, sometimes teams need certain things."

"Sometimes you need a jolt," Izzo said in reference to Mick Cronin's now infamous press conference earlier this season. “And what, they've won six in a row now ... you better hope he keeps yelling”

With 29 seconds left, Jaxon Kohler missed a jumper, got his rebound, and then turned over what would be MSU's 16th and final turnover of the night.

"Honestly, mistakes happen," Kohler said afterwards. "The best thing you can do is learn from it; I'm not trying to hang my head and feel sorry for myself. Coach is always on us to not feel sorry for ourselves, that's the worst thing you can do.”

Like Izzo, Kohler is confident that his team can handle a hiccup like this trip out west.

“It's all how we handle adversity, that's the characteristics we're going for at Michigan State, the staff, players, coaches when adversity hits, we got to bounce back," said Kohler.