MSU Has 3 Important Needs as Home Stretch Nears
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There are not very many opportunities for Michigan State to get better before the final test arrives.
It feels like that first exhibition against Bowling Green wasn't that long ago, but the guaranteed number of games remaining for MSU before March Madness is just eight. There's seven regular season games left, and then there will be at least one Big Ten Tournament game.
That's the goal for the Spartans across those 8+ games: get better each time to maximize momentum and their odds once it needs six more wins to reach their ultimate goal and dream. Some things are going to have to happen across those contests.
So, here are three areas where Michigan State needs to show improvement before Selection Sunday arrives:
More Consistent Shooting
One area that MSU needs to be better at is from behind the arc. This year's team is a better three-point shooting team than last year's, but the lack of consistency from the team's shooters has been a problem.
It starts at the two-guard position. Michigan State is down Divine Ugochukwu, who had been shooting 44.2% from three, for the rest of the season. That leaves Kur Teng (35.1% from three), Trey Fort (33.9%), and Jordan Scott (33.3%).
Ironically enough, the overall shooting as a team has stayed relatively consistent, it's just on the mediocre side. The tough part has been figuring out which two-guard has "it" on any given night. Sometimes, it's Teng. Sometime's it's been Fort. Sometime's it's been Scott.
MSU would also like to see Jaxon Kohler heat back up. He was above 50% at a point this season, but is down to the low 40s. Kohler went 3-of-8 during the win over then-No. 5 Illinois, which could be a positive sign.
Continued Contributions from Freshmen
Ugochukwu's injury cuts down MSU's rotation, which makes the roles of both of the Spartans' true freshmen more important. Scott has moved into a starting role and was one of Michigan State's key players in the Illinois game, doing a great job on the defensive end against Illini star Keaton Wagler.
Cam Ward is someone else to watch. He flashed his potential with his 18-point, 10-rebound game against Arkansas back on Nov. 8, but he has been chasing a replication of that ever since. Ward's wrist injury was a setback on that path, but he made some key plays down the stretch this past Saturday. Tom Izzo called it a "building block" performance for him.
Scoring Help for Fears
Jeremy Fears Jr. has been dominant lately. He's averaged 22.6 points and 11.8 assists per game across Michigan State's last five contests. The issue is that it hasn't necessarily meant MSU has played any better.
Those around him have to help him out in the score sheet. It doesn't necessarily have to be one person, but just everyone in general. One example of this could be the Spartans' 16-point win over now-No. 11 North Carolina this year. Fears was still a big scoring factor, dropping 19, but Michigan State also got points from seven other players, including double figures from three others. That stuff needs to show up more often.
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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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