Three Spartans Who Will be Key Against Penn State
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Michigan State is now 8-1 on the season after a tough 66–60 loss to the then–fourth-ranked Duke Blue Devils.
In that game, the Spartans were competitive from start to finish and never let things get away from them. Whenever Duke made a run, MSU answered with one of its own. Ultimately, it felt as though the Spartans ran out of gas late, allowing Duke to pull away and secure the six-point victory.
Senior big men Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper were the best players on the floor against one of the strongest frontcourts in college basketball. Cooper delivered the best performance of his career, putting up team highs in points and rebounds with 16.
Kohler had an excellent first half, showcasing his range by knocking down four threes for 12 points; however, he was quiet after the break, adding just two points in the second half.
With a week off to regroup, MSU will now travel to Happy Valley to take on Penn State. As the Spartans look to bounce back, several players will need to elevate their play to secure a much needed win.
Jeremy Fears
Jeremy Fears didn’t have his best outing against Duke. While he recorded an impressive 13 assists, he struggled badly scoring the ball, finishing 0-for-10 from the field and 0-for-2 from three. If Fears had converted even a couple of those looks, MSU may have stayed undefeated.
On the season, Fears is averaging 11.6 points per game and leads all of college basketball in assists at 9.8 per game.
Given his competitive nature and willingness to embrace challenges, a bounce-back performance feels likely. Tom Izzo may push him to attack the basket more frequently to get to the free-throw line and build rhythm early.
Kur Teng
The shooting guard position has been a revolving door this season, with Kur Teng and Trey Fort alternating in the starting lineup. Teng has started three games, while Fort has opened in six. Against Duke, Teng played just 11 minutes and went 0-for-5 from the field and 0-for-3 from deep.
Teng is the better shooter of the two, which makes him a key player who needs to step up. Another tough performance could limit his opportunities moving forward.
We’ve already seen Teng shine this year—his 10-point performance against San Jose State and career-high 15 points against Kentucky show what he’s capable of. If he can rediscover that consistency against Penn State, he’ll regain confidence just as Big Ten play approaches.
Coen Carr
Everyone knows Coen Carr is one of the most athletic players in college basketball. His explosive dunks often force defenders to get out of the way when he attacks the rim.
Against Duke, however, the Blue Devils challenged him physically and schematically. Carr finished with a quiet 10 points and had difficulty creating driving lanes. Duke sagged off to force him into jump shots, and he couldn’t make them pay, going 0-for-3 from beyond the arc.
While shooting isn’t Carr’s strength, he has shown improvement this season. Continuing to take open shots is important. Once defenders respect his jumper, the driving lanes will open again.
If Michigan State can get improved performances from Fears, Teng, and Carr, the Spartans should be in a strong position to rebound against Penn State. With conference play nearing, now is the time for these key contributors to find consistency and help MSU regain momentum.
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