Michigan State Basketball Falls in AP Poll after loss
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Michigan State basketball is coming off a two-point loss to the then No. 12 Nebraska Cornhuskers, falling 58–56 on the road. The Spartans committed a season-high 19 turnovers, including 10 in the first half, which ultimately proved to be the difference.
Sophomore point guard Jeremy Fears recorded a season- and game-high four turnovers, matching senior center Carson Cooper, who also finished with four giveaways. Junior Coen Carr struggled to make an impact, scoring just two points on 1-of-5 shooting from the field and 0-of-2 from three-point range.
The lone bright spot for Michigan State came from senior forward Jaxon Kohler, who continued his strong stretch of play. Kohler recorded his fifth straight double-double and ninth of the season, finishing with a team-high 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Following the road loss to Nebraska, Michigan State slid in the latest AP Poll, dropping four spots from No. 9 to No. 13. Michigan State is now the fourth ranked team in the Big Ten as Michigan and Purdue stay at their same rankings at two and Five. Now Nebraska is still undefeated on the season at 14-0 and have moved up three spots to number 10.
The Week Ahead for MSU
Michigan State returns home this week for two games at the Breslin Center, hosting USC and Northwestern. Both opponents are coming off losses and will be eager to get back into the win column.
USC recently fell out of the top 25 after a 30-point loss to No. 2 Michigan. With that defeat, the Trojans will look to rebound quickly, as a road win over the Spartans could push them back into the rankings.
Despite the recent setback, USC remains a strong team at 12–2 on the season and has spent multiple weeks ranked this year. The Trojans are led by graduate senior Chad Baker-Mazara, who is averaging 20.3 points per game, along with senior forward Ezra Ausar, who contributes 16.9 points per contest.
Northwestern is also coming off a loss, though theirs came at home against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Wildcats are now 8–6 overall and 0–3 in Big Ten play.
Even with their struggles, Northwestern has received excellent individual production. Senior forward Nick Martinelli is one of the nation’s leading scorers, averaging 23 points per game, while Arrinten Page has emerged as a reliable second option, averaging 15.9 points per game.
With two home games on deck, Michigan State has an opportunity to regroup and correct the issues that plagued it in Lincoln. Cleaning up turnovers will be the top priority as the Spartans look to protect home court and reestablish momentum in Big Ten play. Against two talented opponents hungry for wins, Michigan State’s response this week could go a long way in defining its trajectory for the remainder of the season.
