Scoring Distribution Huge Factor in Spartans' Win over Northwestern

The Michigan State Spartans earned their ninth-straight victory on Sunday afternoon, taking down the Northwestern Wildcats on the road. Every player that logged minutes scored as the Spartans prove that they have an unlimited amount of weapons.

Jan 9, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Jaden Akins (3) reacts after scoring against the Washington Huskies at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images | Dale Young-Imagn Images

The No. 16 Michigan State Spartans (14-2) picked up another key Big Ten win on the road, defeating the Northwestern Wildcats (10-6) by a score of 78-68. There were 10 different scorers in the win, showing that the Spartans distribute the ball better than anyone in the conference.

Every Spartan that checked into the game on Sunday scored at least 2 points. Senior guard Jaden Akins led the way with 14 points while sophomore guard Jeremy Fears Jr. added 12 of his own and true freshman guard Jase Richardson came off the bench with 13 points.

Besides the three scorers in double figures, every Spartan contributed in some way to help take down a skilled Wildcats team on the road. Nobody played less than 14 minutes as every player was heavily involved in the victory. These are signs of a complete team that has championship potential.

Junior forward Jaxon Kohler and junior guard Tre Holloman posted 8 points apiece while senior center Szymon Zapala rounded out the starting five with 7 points, five rebounds and two blocks. 49 of the 78 points came from the starting group while a large chunk was scored off the bench.

The Spartans finished the game with 18 assists on 27 total shots, proving that their ball rotation and ability to efficiently move the ball around the offense on each possession is some of the best in the country. It is very tough to find a team that distributes scoring like the Spartans did on Sunday.

Good teams have a few key players that will help win them games with standout performances on a consistent basis. But great teams have eight to 10 different players that can take over a game at any time. Having a multitude of options is the winning recipe for an extremely talented Spartan team.

Michigan State will take its nine-game winning streak and 5-0 record in Big Ten play back home to battle the Penn State Nittany Lions (12-4) on Wednesday night. Expect more of the same and for almost every Spartan to log meaningful minutes and make a winning impact on the game.

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