How MSU's Trey Fort Finding Rhythm at Key Time

The key to Michigan State's tournament run may have been riding the bench for most of the season.

Trey Fort has finally started to find his rhythm at the best possible time for the Spartans, emerging as one of their most reliable contributors through the first two games of March Madness.

Trey Throughout the Season

Fort transferred from Samford last offseason and was viewed as a potential starter who could slide into the shooting guard position left vacant by the transfer of Tre Holloman. His shooting and scoring ability from his time with the Bulldogs made him an attractive addition, as he averaged 14 points per game on 44% from the field and 37% from three-point range in his final season at Samford.

This year, however, has not gone the way Tom Izzo or Fort would have hoped. Inconsistent playing time made it difficult for Fort to find any real rhythm from beyond the arc, and his numbers reflect that.

He averaged just four points per game this season on 35.2% from the field and 34.6% from three-point range, logging only 10 minutes per game compared to the 24.6 minutes he averaged with the Bulldogs. A noted weakness in his defensive game kept him from earning more consistent minutes in Izzo's system.

Trey Through March Madness

Only two games into the tournament, Fort has already played some of his best basketball of the entire season.

In the first round against North Dakota State, Fort played 12 minutes and contributed seven points, going 2-of-5 from the field and 1-of-3 from three-point range while converting both of his free throw attempts. He also made a defensive impact with a steal and a block, addressing one of the primary concerns that had limited his playing time during the regular season.

In the second round against Louisville, Fort was even better. He played 19 minutes and led the bench with 12 points, connecting on all three of his attempts from three-point range on 3-of-5 shooting overall. Fort is averaging a steal per game through the tournament, a sign that his defensive effort has taken a noticeable step forward at the most important time of the year.

After the Spartans' 77-69 victory over Louisville, Fort spoke about what the moment meant to him.

"This is why you choose Michigan State," Fort said. "We've had great moments throughout the entire season, but times like this during March, when the whole world is watching you, it's the biggest tournament. For us to be able to come out here and do this, it's the best feeling in the world. We're playing the game that we love. We don't want to be doing anything else."

Fort's emergence could not have come at a better time for Michigan State. The Spartans are heading to the Sweet Sixteen with momentum, and having a reliable shooter and an improving defender coming off the bench gives Tom Izzo another weapon against UConn. If Fort can carry this form into Washington, D.C., he could go from a forgotten piece of the rotation to one of the most important players in Michigan State's tournament run.