McCaffery previews Michigan State

It will be a little bit of a different looking Michigan State team that the Hawkeyes will face on Saturday afternoon. The players will be the same, but the starting lineup will look different. Fran McCaffery discusses the Spartans match-up, playing without fans on the road, and managing C.J. Fredrick and his injury.

Q: Anything different with Michigan State since the first meeting? They did change their starting lineup a little bit, right?

McCAFFERY: Yeah, they are bringing Joey Hauser in off the bench. He’s one of those good players, so regardless of if he starts, he’s going to play a lot. They have started Malik Hall, who I think is a really underrated player. He’s tough and physical and sort of typifies that program. But, it’s Langford and Henry to start off with. We know that. I think Bingham is trending upwards and Marble is playing well. I think Rocket Watts is playing well. They have a lot of players performing well in different roles and Tom Izzo is going to play 12 guys. Who starts is irrelevant to me because he’s going to play all those guys.

Q: You have talked about road games with no fans. This is a tough place, but no fans, so it will be different. What has it been like on the road?

McCAFFERY: No different than what you see at home. There are other factors that favor the home team. You don’t have to travel and you are used to the surroundings, so there are inherent advantages to being at home. What I have been impressed with is that the games have been really good. I think we all wondered when the NBA came back with no fans what that would game be like. They were good. I think our games have been good. I think teams are competing and the benches are way more involved than they used to and I don’t that’s a bad thing either.

Q: What do you see from Aaron Henry his rise this year?

McCAFFERY: I think they sort of expected that from him this year and he sort of expected that from himself. Cassius and Tilliman went pro, ok, well it’s going to be his team and Langford’s team and that’s what it has become. He has a good game. He has an in-between game. He can shoot the ball and drive the ball. He defends and he gives it up easy. You are seeing a guy who is playing with a lot of confidence and I think Tom (Izzo) is encouraging him to be that guy as well.

Q: You lead the nation in fewest turnovers per play. What do you attribute that too?

McCAFFERY: I think a couple of things. I think the guys know and understand the importance of that. I think they have the ability to move it to where they want to. I think it’s also the character of the roster. Sharing and moving the ball and at the same time we are playing fast. Some sometimes when you play fast, you have a tendency to hurry and drive into areas where there’s no space and throw a crazy pass. We are not playing that way. We are playing fast, but under control. We will shoot it three seconds into the shot clock or 29 seconds into the shot clock and having a group that understands the difference and the importance of it is critical, especially as it relates to getting shots for our shooters and getting the ball into Luka. I think we have an understanding that we have to do both and we have done that. The other thing is all of our guys can handle the ball and pass the ball and they are willing passers. Sometimes your turnovers come from your bench guys. Sometimes they come from a particular player, but all of our guys can dribble and pass and enjoy that part of the game.

Q: Joe Wieskamp has always been unselfish to a fault. The past few games we are seeing a more aggressive version of him. Is that what you are seeing as well?

McCAFFERY: We have always encouraged him to go when he wants to and not to be worried about it. He shouldn’t be worried about coach getting on him about making the extra pass or anything like that. I don’t want him thinking that way. I want him to go and attack. Give it up when he has to, but he has the freedom to shoot the ball. I don’t think I have said one time to him in three years, hey that was a bad shot. I want him to have the mentality that it was a good shot because I took it and to be aggressive putting it on the deck. I think you are seeing a guy who is consistently improved in that area. I would like to see him drive it even more and get to the foul line even more. He is in a good place right now and we will keep going to him.

Q: Has Joe becoming stronger helped him this year?

McCAFFERY: Yeah, I think he’s worked on his body. I think it’s a combination of being through this for two years and now he’s in year three. He worked on his body, but he also worked on his game. The fact that he is stronger is important, but he’s worked on his game. He hasn’t had many off games and when he has had one, he bounce right back and it doesn’t linger at all. He knows that I am going to be 100% behind him and he can shoot the ball 15-20 times if he wants to. I’ve told him I was going to run stuff for him, which we have been doing. I think that helps him too.

Q: We are working after games all basically all year there has been a steady stream of guys coming out to get up extra shots after the game. Is that something you are encouraging them to do or is that something they are doing on their own? What do you think of guys who are going that to work on their game to get over a rough patch or something like that?

McCAFFERY: it makes me proud as a coach. I am not saying a word. It’s not like I am saying, hey get some shots up. As far as I am concerned, they can leave the building. If they want to stay, that’s why we have a practice facility. Sometimes they go out to the court and other times they go to the practice facility. Over the years we have had guys do that. I remember I left here a couple of years ago and it had to be close to 1 a.m. and Tyler Cook was still in the practice gym. I heard a ball bouncing and I went in and it was him. It goes back to what I said earlier, it speaks to the character of the guys. Sometimes maybe you had an off night or you didn’t get as many minutes or it’s a decision you make because you feel a little off and if I get a few hundred more shots up or another 100 free throws I will feel better than I leave the building tonight.

Q: We talked to Fredrick after the game and he said he was frustrated sitting having to sit out. Did you have any conversations with him to not get too down on himself?

McCAFFERY: I did and I think it was important. I wanted him to know he had my support and that he didn’t have to hurry back. He has to work directly with our medical staff, starting with Brad Floy. I know he is a tough kid. I love him. He knows we need him and how critical he is. But, if he’s out there limping, he doesn’t go anyone any good. I wanted to make sure he didn’t feel any pressure to come back to help the team, especially after a couple of losses. You have to come back when you are ready to come back. For example, he felt like maybe he could go a few minutes against Indiana, but maybe he didn’t feel like he was in a good place. You have to be in a good place physically and from a basketball perspective. He hadn’t been practicing or playing so he as just going to show up at Assembly Hall and go out there and see what happens. So instead he worked out down there, practiced Monday, did a little bit on Tuesday and then played Wednesday. So we will probably manage him like that the rest of this year and hopefully he will be able to play in all the games, but he might not. If he can’t then next man up. We will get him right for the next one after that. That’s pretty much how it’s going to be.