MSU's Izzo Must Make This Change Moving Forward

Michigan State's starting lineup has remained largely the same all season.

Jeremy Fears Jr., Coen Carr, Jaxon Kohler, and Carson Cooper have all started all 22 games so far. The only changes have been at the two-guard position. Divine Ugochukwu has held down that starting spot since early-mid December, only relinquishing it once during the Spartans' game against Nebraska, which he missed due to an illness.

Michigan State Spartans guard Divine Ugochukwu competing against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, inside the Breslin Center. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Now is a time for MSU to make another change there. Kur Teng and Trey Fort have also started games this year, but Tom Izzo shouldn't turn back to them. Now is a time to hand the reins over to Jordan Scott at the two for Michigan State.

There are already hints that this may happen as soon as the team's next game at Minnesota on Wednesday. That is also for some other reasons.

Where Scott Stands

Michigan State's Jordan Scott warms up for a game against Michigan at the Breslin Center on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on S

The big sign that Scott is close to gaining starter status is simply that he's getting the minutes and treatment of a starter. When Izzo and Michigan State have needed their best five players on the floor, Scott has been one of those guys.

One sign of this is that he was on the court at the beginning of the second half of MSU's game against Michigan. Coaches usually put their five starters for the game out there for that, but Scott was out there on Friday night. The Spartans were down 16 at that time; when Scott subbed out about six minutes into the half, Michigan State had trimmed its deficit to seven.

"You look at your team, and I've been pretty honest with [the media] for about two months, haven't I? What I thought some of my problems were," Izzo said, and implied to be about the team's two-guard issue. "When you win, you don't wanna change things up. And some of those problems reared its ugly head.

"We didn't look real comfortable, and he looks more comfortable to me. I like his [Scott's] comfort level. It makes me more comfortable."

Michigan State's Jordan Scott, left, celebrates his 3-pointer with Jeremy Fears Jr. during the first half in the game against Michigan on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Well, Michigan State's 11-game win streak with Ugochukwu starting got snapped in that loss to the Wolverines. Ugochukwu didn't score in 12 minutes, while Scott scored 10 points with four rebounds and a pair of steals in 26 minutes.

Scott has been Michigan State's spark plug for most of this season. He plays with the type of grit and effort that Izzo loves. Scott also does it smartly. Hustle sometimes leads to playing too fast, which leads to poor decisions. It feels rare to see Scott make a real mental mistake. Good things happen when he's on the court, and it's time that MSU and Izzo reward that by making him a starter.

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