Why MSU Freshman Jordan Scott Deserves Shot at Starting
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EAST LANSING, Mich. --- Michigan State has a problem at the two-guard spot.
Head coach Tom Izzo has flipped between Trey Fort and Kur Teng to start alongside point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., but neither has separated from the other, and it hasn't been because they have played up to standards to this point. Divine Ugochukwu also plays that spot when he's on the court with Fears.
The solution for Izzo and the Spartans may lie in a player who hasn't really played the two much: freshman Jordan Scott.
"There'll be some juggling," Izzo said after MSU's 66-60 loss to Duke on Saturday. "We'll have a quarterback controversy, because what you do is you give people an opportunity and a chance, and yet sooner or later, you've got to step up. I thought Jordan stepped up because he plays so hard."
Where Things Stand Following Duke
Neither Fort nor Teng had a great individual performance against the Blue Devils. They combined for only two points on 1-for-7 shooting (0-for-4 threes) in 19 total minutes.
Scott showed some separation from the two of them. The box score shows a solid performance --- six points, five rebounds, two blocks, one steal --- but the impact he had felt larger than what the piece of paper says.
His six points came on back-to-back threes early in the second half that flipped a one-point Duke lead into a five-point MSU advantage, one of the loudest moments of the game for the crowd, and it marked the Spartans' biggest lead of the game.
"He was shooting the worst of all of them [before Saturday]," Izzo said. "But he just plays so hard, he gets things done."
His impact was apparent to those on the other sideline, as well.
"Obviously, Scott came in and gave them a big lift," Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said.
Before the game against the Blue Devils, Scott was just 2-for-17 (11.8%) from three, but he had been shooting with confidence, and the form and arc of his shots didn't seem to reflect the numbers he was putting up.
Scott's effort always stands out, too. He's willing to fight for rebounds and do some of the dirty work that Izzo loves to see from his players, especially younger ones. His defense to this point has been the main reason he's gotten playing time, and it feels like there is only a matter of time before the offense starts to come around.
The Decision Ahead for Izzo
Sometimes, Izzo can be a little hesitant to start a true freshman. Jase Richardson didn't make his first start until MSU's 23rd game of the season last year, and that was partially because Fears missed that game against Oregon due to illness. Richardson scored 29 points and never left the starting five after that.
Scott probably isn't scoring so many points if he were to get a starting nod, but competitors at this level oftentimes are just looking for a big opportunity like that. The schedule is lightening up for the Spartans now --- MSU's next five opponents are unranked --- so it very well might be in Izzo's and Michigan State's best interest to experiment with Scott at the two and see how it goes.
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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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