The Biggest Key for MSU Basketball in Upcoming Game vs. Cornell

The break for Michigan State basketball is near its end.

Ninth-ranked MSU (11-1 overall) is set to return to action on Monday against Cornell (6-5), for what will be the Spartans' final non-conference game of the regular season. Even during these "easy" games against low- or mid-major programs, nearly every team Michigan State and Tom Izzo have played has had something that has made them a threat.

Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo patrols the sidelines wearing an ugly Christmas sweater depicting him yelling at a referee with "Naughty List" written on it during a game against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Cornell's thing is three-point shooting. The Big Red make 14.2 shots from beyond the arc per game, which is the most in the country. They also convert those long balls at a 41.6% clip, which is fifth in the country. Their five players who attempt the most threes per game all shoot at least 41.0%.

This is not a team MSU can automatically chalk up as a win, despite computer projections KenPom and Torvik giving it a 98% and 97% chance, respectively, to come out victoriously. If the Spartans' perimeter defense is not on point Monday, heart rates in the Breslin Center might start increasing.

MSU's Perimeter Defense, By the Numbers

Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr. prepares to shoot a free throw against Iowa during the first half on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan State's ability to defend the three-ball has been fine this season, but it hasn't been quite to the level of last year's team. The Spartans' opponents last year shot just 28.0% from deep, which was the second-best mark in the entire country.

Teams facing MSU this campaign are converting from beyond the arc at a 30.5% clip, which ranks 82nd nationally and seventh in the Big Ten. The Spartans' last two opponents, Toledo and Oakland, each made 10 threes.

Biggest Cornell Threats

Cooper Noard

What's interesting is that Cornell's leading scorer, Cooper Noard, is technically bringing down his team's overall shooting percentage from deep. He shoots "only" 41.0% from deep. The sheer volume may explain the slight percentage dip, as he takes a team-high 7.5 threes per game. He's taken at least four in every single game so far.

Noard most often plays the two, which will be a tough assignment for whoever plays there for Michigan State. Divine Ugochukwu has started there lately and has probably been the best defender of the group of players vying for that spot.

Jake Fiegen, Adam Hinton

Noard takes the most shots, but Cornell has two other shooters who let it fly themselves, and make it at an extremely high clip.

Jake Fiegen has taken 5.3 threes per game so far this year, and he's finding the net 45.9% of the time. The Big Red also have Adam Hinton, who shoots 4.7 times from beyond the arc per game, and is just ahead of Fiegen percentage-wise at 46.2%.

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo yells to his players during a game against San Jose State on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

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