MSU's Kohler Continues to Prove Why He is Top 10 Defender

The Michigan State Spartans concluded their 2023-24 season ranked second among the Big Ten in points allowed all season long. So far into the 2024-25 campaign, not much has changed, thanks in large part to junior forward Jaxon Kohler's efforts on defense.

The Spartans as a team currently sit in fourth in average points allowed per game in the Big Ten, allowing their opponents to score 67.1 points per game. When looking at the top-10 individual defenders this season, Kohler's name shouldn't be left off of that list.

Sitting seventh in the Big Ten in average rebounds per game with 8.1 per game, Kohler has been atop of the reasons for MSU's success on defense this season. Highly touted as a defender first in his first two seasons, Kohler has stepped up his game from how he played when he first arrived in East Lansing.

In his freshman season, Kohler averaged 2.9 rebounds per game and saw much of the same in his sophomore season, taking a step back and averaging two rebounds per game all season. Since flipping the calendar to 2025, Kohler has found major success coming to start off the new year.

In January, Kohler has averaged seven rebounds per game, 28 in total in four games in the young month of January. Surprisingly, Kohler has dropped 29 points on offense, one number higher than his rebounding total in the first month of the new year.

Something must have clicked for Kohler coming into his junior season; no one would have been able to predict he would be having the season he is. Holding collegiate career highs in seemingly every category this season, Kohler has succeeded in the starting opportunities he has been given this season.

On MSU's 10 game winning streak, Kohler has led the Spartans in rebounds in seven of those games and has averaged 8.2 rebounds per game, which is higher than what he has averaged all season.

Lucky for the Spartans, obtaining a guy on defense such as Kohler gives their offensive players more chances to extend their lead or focus on draining their shots. Kohler has been the unsung hero thus far this season and could be remembered at MSU for years beyond his playing days if he can find a way to help the chase down a Big Ten Championship.

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