Coen Carr Provides Spark in MSU's First-Round Win
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Michigan State found itself in a dog fight to begin the opening round of the NCAA Tournament against 15-seeded Bryant.
Getting out to an early 5-0 lead, the Bulldogs were playing with confidence and tenacity. The Spartans did not gain the lead until nearly 6 minutes into the game.
Coen Carr began to find his stride within the game and was able to spark a run with a post-up inside that led to a bucket and then wound up with a finger roll in transition to swing the momentum in the direction of the Spartans.
Carr went into the half just 2 points shy of his previous season high of 17 that he set against Florida Atlantic back in December. His stat line at the break was a solid 15 points, scored on an efficient 6-7 shooting performance, and five rebounds.
Carr's energy was enough to start to get the crowd involved, and the momentum really shifted. Carr finished the day with a career-high in points and rebounds with 18 points and nine boards while shooting 70% from the field.
Carr spoke after the game about his career day and what it meant to provide this kind of performance on the big stage.
"It means a lot," he said. "We've been saying all well that this first game is the hardest, and I just made it up in my mind that I wasn't going to let my team lose today. I just tried to play as hard as I can, tried to get every rebound I can and just make the most of my opportunities out there."
It's safe to say Carr definitely made the most of his opportunities. He was high energy and high effort, running the floor all night long and leading the way in the rebounding category for quite a while. He talked a bit about the intensity he played with from the jump.
"I mean, I was just trying to run the floor, be aggressive," Carr said. "I know they're a tough team, so I wasn't trying to -- you can't be soft when you go down there with them. So, I was just trying to be aggressive and run my lane."
Carr has settled into his role with this Michigan State team and has embraced it.
"I just felt like I get to make those plays and my teammates feed off them every time," he said. "So, I just try to keep doing that and I feel like that's kind of my job on this team."
Tom Izzo's and the Spartans will play their second-round game on Sunday at 8:40 p.m. against the Richard Pitino-led New Mexico Lobos.
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Graham, the founder of High School Football Frenzy, covers high school football, hockey, and basketball across the Big Ten. He provides in-depth reports on prospects at all levels and builds strong relationships with coaches and players. Joining the On SI team as a Big Ten Recruiting Beat Writer, Graham brings extensive knowledge of the Big Ten region, recruiting prospects, and high schools.