One Position Group Must Play Better For Spartans' Success

The No. 7 Michigan State Spartans (18-3, 9-1) couldn't find the recipe to success on the road Saturday night as they fell to the USC Trojans (13-8, 5-5) by a score of 70-64. Despite several areas of error, the post play from the Spartan big men was severely underpar and must be better.
The Spartans have three extremely talented players that control the paint and are the number two rebounding team in the Big Ten. Against USC, they struggled mightily as the three combined for just 11 points in 47 total minutes of action.
Junior forward Jaxon Kohler mustered just two points on two shot attempts but did grab eight rebounds. Senior center Szymon Zapala scored only 3 in just 7 minutes. Junior center Carson Cooper had the best day out of all three big men, scoring six points with three rebounds.
Zapala suffered an injury in the first half of the contest, being unable to reenter the game after being helped off the floor. His absence put more pressure on not only his fellow post players but the entire guard position group as well.
All three players combined for eight of the team's 17 fouls, nearly half of the final total. Both Kohler and Cooper received an offensive foul for a late, moving screen that would take away multiple key possessions for the Spartans, who spent the entire 40 minutes seeking a comeback.
The Trojans were able to earn 34 points in the paint, including nine offensive rebounds that led to 12 second-chance points. For a team that ranks dead last in the Big Ten in rebounding, USC found a way to dominate the Spartans' big men and asserted their strength right from tip-off.
Michigan State will require more consistent play from a position group that it heavily relies on every single game. What makes the Spartans such a talented team is their dual ability to score from outside and in the paint. The presence down low must be better going forward.
Tuesday night will mark the Spartans' conclusion to their two-game West Coast road trip as they will prepare to face the red-hot UCLA Bruins (16-6, 7-4). They have won five straight games, but a bounce-back spot is needed from the Green and White, especially from their tall post players.
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