Elite Freshman Key for Michigan State in Big Ten Tournament

After losing its final regular season game to rival the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball, Michigan State enters the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament as the No. 3 seed.

In the loss to Michigan, only three Spartans scored in double figures. Jaxon Kohler led the team with 23 points, while Jeremy Fears Jr. followed with 22. Carson Cooper also contributed 19 points.

Fears, Kohler, and Cooper combined for 64 points, while the rest of the roster scored just 16. Kur Teng finished with eight points off the bench, Coen Carr had six, and Joren Scott added two. The trio combined to shoot 6 of 23 from the field and 2 of 13 from three-point range.

For Michigan State, the biggest need moving forward is more production from the rest of the roster. One player who could provide that boost is freshman forward Jordan Scott.

Jordan Scott Is Important

Scott arrived in East Lansing as a promising recruit from Virginia and was ranked No. 53 nationally by Rivals. He was viewed as a player who could develop into a strong contributor over time because of his length and shooting ability.

However, Scott has exceeded expectations during his freshman season and eventually worked his way into the starting lineup. Before entering the starting lineup, Scott had only scored in double figures once, which came in January against Indiana.

In Michigan State’s first meeting with Michigan, Scott played an important role in the second half. He finished with 10 points and provided strong defense that helped the Spartans rally after trailing by a large margin in the first half.

Scott’s offensive breakout came shortly after he entered the starting lineup. In Michigan State’s game against Minnesota, Scott shot 5 of 8 from the field and 3 of 4 from three-point range, finishing with a career high of 15 points.

He followed that performance by scoring in double figures in four straight games. One of his most impactful performances came against Illinois. Although Scott scored just 10 points, his defense played a major role as he helped limit freshman standout Keaton Wagler to 2 of 16 shooting from the field.

Scott Needs to Heat Up Again

Recently, Scott’s scoring has cooled off. He has not reached double figures in the last three games of the regular season and has struggled to find his rhythm offensively, shooting 4 of 13 from the field and 2 of 7 from three during that stretch. He also did not attempt a free throw in those games.

Despite the recent struggles, Scott’s development has been one of the most encouraging storylines for Michigan State this season. Watching him grow into a starter has been impressive, and his versatility continues to give the Spartans another option on both ends of the floor.

Scott’s perimeter shooting and defense are especially valuable for Michigan State. His defensive presence allows Fears to conserve energy and avoid guarding the opponent’s best scorer for the entire game.

As Michigan State begins postseason play, the Spartans will need more scoring support beyond their top three players. If Scott can rediscover the form he showed earlier in the season, his defense and perimeter shooting could play a major role in helping Michigan State make a deeper run in the Big Ten Tournament.