Coen Carr Sets Career High Against Oakland
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After a blowout win over Toledo, Michigan State traveled to Detroit to take on the Oakland Golden Grizzlies at Little Caesars Arena. In what turned into a tale of two halves, the Spartans eventually found a way to beat Oakland’s 1-3-1 zone defense, pulling away for a 79–70 win behind a breakout performance from Coen Carr.
Entering the game, Carr was coming off a quiet 14-point outing against Toledo and a disappointing three-point performance versus Penn State. Against the Golden Grizzlies, however, Carr stepped up in a major way, finishing with a career-high and team-high 22 points. He shot 8-of-13 from the field and 1-of-4 from three-point range, while also adding seven rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.
Carr’s production came largely after halftime. In the first half, he scored a modest six points, converting two layups while shooting 2-of-6 from the field and missing both of his three-point attempts. The second half told a different story, as Carr played with increased aggression, scoring 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting and knocking down one of his two attempts from beyond the arc.
When asked about his mindset heading into the second half, Carr said his focus was simply to be more assertive.
Carr's Thoughts
“Just be more assertive on the offensive end, rebounding and things like that,” Carr said. “That’s all I try to think about — just being aggressive and confident.”
Carr began the game wearing protective goggles after suffering an eye injury against Toledo. Early on, he missed two open layups, but he made no excuses after the game, noting that those were shots he expects to make.
Head coach Tom Izzo praised Carr’s mentality and work ethic, emphasizing his refusal to make excuses.
“I love Coen,” Izzo said. “Coen Carr is one of my favorites because he works. He got hit pretty good, but he’s not an excuse maker. If you knew his mom and dad and he was an excuse maker, they’d kill him. There was no excuse — he missed two wide-open shots. But he also made some big plays, and I think that will help him.”
Oakland head coach Greg Kampe also took notice of Carr’s response after a slow start.
“After the first two shots, his game changed,” Kampe said. “If he had tried to prove, ‘I’m going to make this shot,’ who knows what the score would’ve been at halftime. You see what Coach Izzo has, kids who want to be coached.”
Carr’s performance against Oakland marked a significant step forward in his development. Posting a career-high against a disciplined, well-coached team should provide a major confidence boost as the season progresses. If Carr continues to pair his athleticism with aggression and poise, Michigan State’s offense becomes far more difficult to defend — especially against zone-heavy opponents.
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