Projecting MSU Basketball's Rotation Ahead of Season Opener
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Only a few days separate Michigan State basketball from its season opener.
It's been an interesting exhibition season for the sixth-ranked Spartans, though not entirely in a great way. MSU recently lost exhibitions to No. 4 UConn and Marquette, but it does open up 2026-27 with a couple of tune-up games against Quinnipiac and Toledo.
Michigan State and Tom Izzo have some interesting decisions to make with their rotation. The Spartans carry 12 scholarship players this year, and all 12 could realistically play. Here's a projection of what it may look like this coming Monday against Quinnipiac:
Point Guard
Minutes: Jeremy Fears Jr. (starter, 32 minutes); Carlos Medlock Jr. (8 minutes)
This team is still Jeremy Fears Jr.'s show. He was the team's best player last year, and Fears seems primed to be a National Player of the Year candidate this season. He weighed leaving MSU for the NBA Draft during the offseason, but East Lansing breathed a collective sigh of relief when Fears announced that he was returning about 90 minutes before the deadline.
Carlos Medlock Jr. will be the backup point guard. He's a true freshman who will also be a slight change of pace from Fears, which should help keep opponents on their heels. Medlock is more of a score-first guard, whereas Fears' best quality is still his passing. One of the Spartans' biggest problems last year was a lack of help for Fears in the backcourt, so Medlock's play during those non-Fears minutes will loom large.
Shooting Guard
Minutes: Jasiah Jervis (starter, 23 minutes); Jordan Scott (12 minutes); Kur Teng (5 minutes)
A true freshman hasn't started a season opener at Michigan State in five years, that player being Max Christie. There is a good chance Jasiah Jervis could end that mild drought on Monday. He was the Spartans' starting two-guard during the Marquette exhibition and played like somebody who didn't want to give it back, scoring 19 points with four made three-pointers.
Jordan Scott will also get plenty of run here, though his natural position is still probably small forward. Scott was the starting shooting guard during the final portion of last year. He's probably MSU's most obvious candidate for a breakout season.
Kur Teng will get some minutes, but he seems to be on the outside looking in a bit right now. Shooting is really the only thing Teng truly provides, but Scott and Jervis are both excellent shooters and are more versatile in other aspects of the game, so that makes Teng a bit redundant.
Small Forward
Minutes: Jordan Scott (starter, 15 minutes); Coen Carr (20 minutes); Kaleb Glenn (5 minutes)
Speaking of Scott again, this seems like it'll be his more natural spot on this season's team. The trio Michigan State has of Fears, Jervis, and Scott seems to be a pretty formidable backcourt. Not many college teams can run three (likely) future NBA guys at 1-3, but MSU can this year.
Coen Carr started at the three all last season. He's probably getting pushed to the four in the Spartans' starting lineup with Jervis' insertion, but the three will probably be where Carr gets the majority of his minutes this year. Carr has gotten better every year he's been at Michigan State, but the question remains about whether he can develop that jump shot.
Kaleb Glenn will be a tertiary option at small forward. He's struggled during the preseason exhibitions, but some of that may be the mental aspect of his return from a knee injury that kept him out for all of the 2025-26 season after transferring in from Florida Atlantic.
Power Forward
Minutes: Coen Carr (starter, 10 minutes); Cam Ward (20 minutes); Jesse McCulloch (5 minutes); Kaleb Glenn (5 minutes)
As said previously, Carr should technically be MSU's starting power forward, but it's probably not the spot where he'll play the most. The minutes for Carr at the four when the Spartans go a bit smaller in the backcourt will be important, though.
Cam Ward will probably get the most minutes at this spot. He's one of the team's X-factors this year, but the exhibitions from him weren't great. Ward is still somewhat proven, though. He was a plus player for the most part as a true freshman, and he probably would've been even better had a wrist injury not knocked him off course.
Glenn and Jesse McCulloch should also get some minutes at the four. McCulloch will probably come in when Izzo wants a big lineup. Glenn will come in when Michigan State might want to be a bit smaller.
Center
Minutes: Jesse McCulloch (starter, 15 minutes); Ethan Taylor (12 minutes); Anton Bonke (10 minutes); Cam Ward (3 minutes)
The five has been the most concerning flaw for Michigan State up to this point. UConn head coach Dan Hurley said it was the position the Spartans needed to figure out to become a contender, and that statement has aged well so far. McCulloch started at center against Marquette, and he feels like the most deserving player for that "starter" tag right now. He flashed a ton of promise in the Incarnate Word exhibition with 20 points.
Ethan Taylor will be asked to contribute right away, too. He's been a pleasant surprise, but MSU seems to be putting a lot of eggs in the basket of a promising but still relatively raw player. Taylor's passing and athleticism at 7'1" are the most exciting attributes he's exhibited so far.
Anton Bonke has been the story of the exhibition games, but not in a good way. Michigan State grabbed him from the transfer portal to be the starter, but he seems to be the third option at the five right now.
Don't be surprised to see Ward getting some minutes at center, too. It'll probably just be a shift or two per game, but Izzo has talked about and brought out lineups with Ward at center during exhibition action.
Overall Minute Breakdown
Name | Minutes |
|---|---|
G Jeremy Fears Jr. | 32 |
F Coen Carr | 30 |
G/F Jordan Scott | 27 |
G Jasiah Jervis | 23 |
F Cam Ward | 23 |
F/C Jesse McCulloch | 20 |
C Ethan Taylor | 12 |
C Anton Bonke | 10 |
F Kaleb Glenn | 10 |
G Carlos Medlock Jr. | 8 |
G Kur Teng | 5 |
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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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