Why Carr's Offensive Development Crucial for MSU Basketball
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Michigan State's athletic forward is beginning to find more footing on the offensive end.
Coen Carr, who will probably always be known for his athleticism and electrifying dunks, is expanding his game. He's averaging 11.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game this season and is MSU's third-leading scorer on the season. Carr's development has been visible over the Spartans' last two games.
Carr's Improvements
Carr scored 15 points during Michigan State's game against Oregon on Tuesday and then 14 against Maryland on Saturday. He was also extremely efficient during both of those contests as well, shooting 6-for-9 and 6-for-8 in those games, respectively. It's the first stretch of his career where he's scored 14+ points in consecutive games against power conference opponents.
It takes more than dunks to get to that. Carr still dunks a lot --- 34 times this season, to be exact --- but his game has evolved to become a lot more than that.
A lot of it has to do with Carr's improved jump shot. He's only shooting 28.6% from beyond the arc this season, but he's gone 5-for-8 across the last three games, including a 3-for-5 night against the Ducks. Defenders now have to be honest when defending Carr out on the perimeter, which helps open the possibility for more dunks.
What also cannot be ignored is the serious improvement in Carr's mid-range game. He's started to hone in on that part in recent weeks. His newer ability to score on different levels just adds another thing for defenses to worry about.
That also shows in Carr's improved abilities as a passer. Carr only averages 1.5 assists per game, but that's up from just 0.5 last year. Over every 100 possessions that Carr is on the floor, it's gone from 1.5 a year ago to 3.3 this season.
Technically, Carr is a less efficient offensive player than last year. His offensive rating has decreased from 126.7 to 112.2, his offensive box plus/minus has gone from 4.6 to 2.1, and his true shooting percentage has gone from 64.7% to 55.3%. But basketball is much more than just those numbers.
It's a little lame to say, but there is a grander plan at play here with Carr. You can't really play in the NBA these days if you can't shoot, so adding that dimension is what Carr needs to do to reach the league. Giving him two or three tries at the three-ball during the regular season isn't really going to harm much, but it will have a payoff in the future.
Assuming Carr stays for his senior season, the reps he got in 2025-26 will be valuable for Carr. His production has gone up in all three seasons at MSU. If that continues in Year 4, there's a good chance it's because of a refined three-point shot.
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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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