Three MSU Players Who Must Step Up vs. Oakland
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After a dominant performance against Toledo, Michigan State heads to Little Caesars Arena to take on the Oakland Golden Grizzlies.
Michigan State is 10–1 on the season, with its lone loss coming at home against third-ranked Duke. Oakland enters the matchup at 6–6, but the Golden Grizzlies have been playing their best basketball of the season, winning five of their last six games.
Against Toledo, 12 different Spartans found the scoring column. Senior forward Jaxon Kohler led the way, recording his sixth double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Coming off the bench, sophomore Kur Teng continued his strong stretch of play following the Penn State game, finishing with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.
Oakland is coming off an 82–77 win over Northern Kentucky, a game in which five Golden Grizzlies scored in double figures. Michael Houge led the charge with 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting.
As Michigan State looks for its 11th win of the season, several Spartans will need to step up against an Oakland team that relies heavily on zone defense.
Carson Cooper
Cooper has taken a significant leap this season. After coming off the bench as a junior and averaging five points and five rebounds, he has emerged as the Spartans’ starting center in his senior year, averaging 10 points and seven rebounds per game.
Against Duke, Cooper delivered his best performance as a Spartan, posting a 16-point, 16-rebound effort that kept Michigan State competitive throughout the game.
With Oakland expected to play zone defense, Cooper’s presence near the basket will be critical. The zone should allow him to establish position inside, and he will need to capitalize on offensive rebounds and second-chance opportunities.
Coen Carr
Carr is playing the best basketball of his career this season. The high-flyer is averaging 10 points, 4.7 rebounds, and nearly one block per game. He has also become more aggressive offensively, attempting 1.6 three-pointers per game compared to just 0.4 last season.
Carr’s role will be crucial against the zone. He must attack the glass while remaining confident in taking open jump shots. Against Duke, Carr appeared hesitant to shoot, even when open. Against Oakland, staying aggressive and decisive will be key.
Divine Ugochukwu
After a career-high 23-point performance against Penn State, Ugochukwu came back down to earth in his second start at the shooting guard position, scoring just two points against Toledo.
The two-guard spot has been a revolving door this season, with Kur Teng and Trey Fort also seeing time in the starting lineup. Michigan State needs more consistency from that position to alleviate pressure on point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., who has struggled with his shot recently.
If Ugochukwu can be more aggressive offensively, it could prevent defenses from keying solely on Fears and help balance the Spartans’ attack.
If Michigan State can control the paint, attack Oakland’s zone with confidence, and get consistent production from the backcourt, the Spartans should be in a strong position to earn their 11th win and continue building momentum before conference play intensifies.
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