One thing is clear, Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo and Oakland head coach Greg Kampe both have tremendous respect for each other.

“You know, it's difficult for me, I'm a huge Greg Kampe fan,” Izzo told the media following the 79-62 win over Oakland on Monday night. “I pull for him hard all the time, except when they play us.”

Before Izzo addressed the media, Kampe expressed his disappointment in his team, primarily for allowing MSU graduate senior guard Tyson Walker to take over the game early in the second half.

As his opening statement concluded, members of the media were left speechless when prompted to begin their questions.

Kampe responded, “That was that good of an opening statement?"

Kampe is a basketball marvel.

Michigan State’s offense sputtered early against Oakland’s stingy zone defense, as the Spartans clung to a 21-19 lead with four minutes left in the half. Izzo anticipated this game to be a tight one.

“Yeah, the slow start,” Izzo recalled. “It was slow because we weren’t getting shots up, because that zone … in one-day prep. Its not an easy thing to dissect. I thought we did a pretty good job with our staff, but then you have to turn that over to the team, and get your scout team to play like that, on one-day (prep). That's asking a lot.”

Much of Oakland’s early success was limiting Walker, MSU’s leading scorer this season at 20.1 points per game, to a season-low two points at the half.

Izzo recounted his on-court conversation with Walker late in the first half.

“He (Tyson Walker) says to me, 'Coach, I come off those pin-downs and two guys are on me,' Izzo explained. "And I looked at him and said, 'Well, how do you think we’d play you? We'd have three (guarding you), I’d be out there on you, and he laughed.”

Eventually, water found its level, as Walker fired off nine points in the first six minutes of the second half. He finished the game with a team-high 14 points.

It was the stick-to-itiveness that led to Walker eclipsing 1,000 career points as a Spartan, a threshold he crossed on Monday.

“Hats off to Tyson, proud of him, happy for him," Izzo said about Walker hitting 1,000 points at MSU. "And I think all the players were. He was pretty humble in the locker room …a little over two years. I mean, that's getting there pretty quick."

Izzo’s tenor in regard to the play of his two centers senior Mady Sissoko and sophomore Carson Cooper was upbeat, encouraged, and dare I say, optimistic?

“I mean, you gotta have some kind of inside threat and, and Mady (Sissoko) has been getting some of his because he's getting three and four offensive rebounds a game now," Izzo said. "I mean, he's been a horse in there and deserves a lot of credit for it. Because, I mean, it was just two weeks ago, (I) wasn’t very pleased with him. And, the great thing about college, I guess, is you can challenge people, somewhat, and they responded, and nobody's happier for that than I am.”

Izzo commended his teams defensive prowess tonight, and noted the evolution on the defensive end for Walker.

“He has been everything and more,” Izzo said about Walker. “He's been a lot better defensively. I mean, we put him on (Jack) Gohlke, and when you do that, you're putting your best offensive player and making them be the best defensive player. And not a peep out of him. So, special guy in our minds”

Izzo also added praise for his other graduate senior leader, forward Malik Hall.

“Malik Hall did a hell of a job on (Trey) Townsend," Izzo said. "He got 17 points, but a lot of them weren’t on him, and I thought Malik did an unbelievable job on him.”

Izzo pointed to a return to MSUs style of past for recent success.

“Our defense gets our running game going," Izzo said. "For 28 years, it's been defend, rebound, run “U” … we were starting to defend, not rebound and not run. And then we defended, rebounded, and started running last couple games. We're starting to put it together.”

This game always scared Izzo. It was fresh on his mind almost immediately after the win over No. 6 Baylor. When asked about Oakland’s graduate senior guard Blake Lampman, a local product out of Haslett, Michigan, Izzo recalled his own experience.

“When Michigan State came to Northern Michigan University, my third or fourth game of my sophomore year, still a highlight of my life," Izzo said. "Especially that first half when we were in the game. Second half, it wasn't as good. But I just know what it's like, you know, to be home.”

Izzo and Kampe both had a lot praise for Lampman.

Izzo doesn't plan on resting on his laurels, and is well aware of the continued progression required for this team to get where they want to go.

“Stony Brook is next, and (we'll) find out not only how to win a game, but how to keep getting better, because after Christmas, things get a little more difficult," Izzo said.

Speaking of Christmas, the return of sophomore forward/center Jaxon Kohler is a topic of interest, as he had foot surgery in October, and has been seen both Saturday and Monday back in a walking boot.

Regarding Kohler's status, Izzo had this to say:

“I'm hoping (Kohler's) timeline hasn't changed … he came back, started working out, got a little sore, they X-rayed him and everything seems to be no problem. And we just said, you know what, we're shutting him down until after Christmas. I mean, we think he's too valuable.”

Izzo also noted that freshman guard Gehrig Normand, who is expected to redshirt this season, is also currently in a walking boot as well, but only for precautionary reasons.

Izzo closed the press conference with a PSA to Oakland's team and fan base.

“They've got a good team and in their league, they're going to do well," Izzo said about the Golden Grizzlies.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Join the discussion on this article in our premium forums by clicking here.

You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Threads, TikTok, and Instagram.

For video content, including our Red Cedar Radar podcast, find us on YouTube and consider subscribing.