Spartans in Dire Need of One Elite, Reliable Scorer

The Michigan State Spartans suffered another disappointing loss on the road as they were upset by the UCLA Bruins on Tuesday night. They have lacked an elite scorer who can help them in droughts all season, and it has become a concerning factor this year.

Michigan State guard Jaden Akins (3) makes a jump shot against Minnesota during the second half at Breslin Center in East Lansing on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 9 Michigan State Spartans (18-4, 9-2) have lost back-to-back games for the first time all season as they received an upset loss from the UCLA Bruins (17-6, 8-4) on the road Tuesday night. Scoring woes continue to plague this team, missing a dominant, go-to scorer to win the game.

The Spartans faced the best defensive team in the Big Ten as the Bruins allowed a conference-low 64.5 points per game, along with 16.2 forced turnovers. They imposed their will in a big way, holding the Spartans to their lowest total of the season, 61 points.

Throughout the game, Michigan State experienced multiple scoring droughts that became a major struggle to work out of. The problem that continues to bug this team is their lack of an elite scorer who can get a bucket at will and help them work out of their scoring funk.

Senior guard Jaden Akins is the only player on the roster who is scoring in double figures with 13.5 points per game. Even so, he has not shown an ability to earn a basket when his team needs it the most and the rest of the group has followed suit so far this year.

The rest of the Spartan guards have been consistent pieces this season, but not at the level that it will take to be a top team in the nation. When looking at the programs with the best chance at a Final Four run, there are one or two players who are elite scorers who find a way to score no matter the situation.

In the loss to the Bruins, Akins was the lone scorer in double digits, netting 15 points, but missed the game-winning three-point shot at the end of the game. Freshman guard Jase Richardson scored just 4 points off the bench on 0-6 shooting, while forward Coen Carr totaled 6 points in the loss.

In terms of paint presence, the Spartans may be extremely stout defensively but have not received enough scoring production for them to be a driving force in a game. Four of the Spartans' five post players are the lowest average scorers on the team, all averaging 14 minutes or more per game.

If Michigan State wants to be a team that contends for a Big Ten Championship and makes a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, it must find someone to help lead this team. Currently, it does not have one single player who can be looked at as their go-to guy in big moments.

After a brutal two-game skid, the Spartans will return home for their next two contests, facing the Oregon Ducks (16-6, 5-6) and Indiana Hoosiers (14-9, 5-7). With the regular season winding down, there is a heightened sense of urgency for this team to finish the year on the right note, scoring-wise.

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