MSU’s Carr Reflects on Non-Conference Schedule, Ready for Big Ten
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EAST LANSING, Mich. --- The real grind of college basketball season has now arrived for Michigan State.
There are no more "cupcake" games anymore. Big Ten play is now here, and chances to breathe and relax don't really exist anymore. Monday's 114-97 victory over Cornell was the ninth-ranked Spartans' final non-conference game of the regular season.
Junior forward Coen Carr is going to be one of the players that MSU will be relying on moving forward. He is second on the team in scoring at 12.2 points per game, as well as third in rebounds at 5.0 per contest. Carr has seen his role increase all three seasons he's been in East Lansing, becoming a full-time starter this year for the first time.
Spartan Nation caught up with Carr after Monday's game, where Carr had just scored 19 points to go with six rebounds and three assists. A video of Carr's postgame media availability has been provided below.
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Something that came up after the game is some appreciation for where the Spartans are already. Michigan State is 12-1, ranked ninth, and one of five teams with four Quad 1 victories already.
Head coach Tom Izzo said he had imagined the best-case scenario for his team would have been 11-2, and thought even 9-4 would have been possible. Carr seemed to agree with Izzo's statement.
"It's kind of crazy," Carr said. "I don't think anybody had us doing that [12-1] with the tough schedule we had. And to come out with only one loss, and it only being against Duke, it's great. I just feel like us playing all these tough teams in the beginning is just gonna prepare us [for the Big Ten]."
MSU has three wins over teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25: No. 12 North Carolina, No. 18 Arkansas, and No. 25 Iowa. The Spartans also routed Kentucky, the first team outside of the AP's rankings.
There will be another opportunity for Michigan State to get another marquee win soon. The Spartans' next game is against Nebraska, ranked 13th nationally and 13-0 on the season. Life in the Big Ten will provide several other ranked opportunities. In addition to MSU, Nebraska, and Iowa, the conference boasts No. 2 Michigan, No. 5 Purdue, No. 20 Illinois, and No. 24 USC. UCLA and Indiana received votes in the most recent poll as well.
"We've got a tough test ahead of us with Nebraska," Carr said. "I just feel blessed to be able to play another Big Ten season, especially at a great program like this."
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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