Izzo Praises Michigan State Forward for Providing Momentum
“It’s funny a dunk is worth 2 points, a three is worth 3 points, but [Carr’s] dunks are worth 6 points, I think," said Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo after Michigan State's win over Wisconsin on Sunday. "Because not only are they usually incredible plays … but for the most part, it got us going.”
Looking at the stat sheet for the 71-62 Spartans victory, nothing about sophomore forward Coen Carr’s stat line jumps off the page.
Carr finished the game with 4 points, making his two-shot attempts from the field in 13 minutes of action when he came off the bench.
However, the momentum gained from Carr’s explosive finishes at the rim gave the Spartans the spark they needed to overcome a slow start on their home court.
Once Carr checked into the game, Michigan State junior guard Tre Holloman found the sophomore forward in transition with an outstanding alley-oop pass that Carr caught and finished with a reverse dunk.
Izzo credited Carr for igniting the Breslin crowd, who were immediately on their feet after the dunk.
“Coen got that dunk and it got the crowd into the game,” Izzo said.
After the dunk, Michigan State found its groove, going on a 15-3 scoring run to take the lead with 11:49 in the first half.
Carr didn’t have much impact on the rest of the game until he provided one last spark for the Spartans.
With five minutes to go in the second half, Michigan State held a one-point lead until Carr converted a steal into 2 points on the other end with a thunderous dunk, jumping over his teammate, Spartans forward Jaxon Kohler.
After Carr’s second dunk, the Spartans closed the game strong, outscoring Wisconsin 11-5 to close out their fourth consecutive victory over a ranked opponent.
By no means did the high-flying forward stuff the stat sheet, but without his highlight bursts, the Spartans may not have won the game.
Carr will be a key piece for Michigan State as its attention moves toward March Madness. Momentum is always a vital aspect of games during the NCAA Tournament, and Carr has the ability to switch the flow of a game at any given time.
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