Sloan Jambor ‘26, Lyonlife.org Editor-in-Chief
On March 30, the Michigan State Men’s Basketball Team suffered a devastating 64-70 loss against Auburn in the Elite Eight of the NCAA March Madness tournament. The Spartans were ranked seventh, and they were playing with everything they had until the final buzzer went off. The loss against Auburn also marked the last games of point guard Jaden Akins, shooting guard Jase Richardson, and guard Tre Holloman. What seemed like the end to a legacy run with fantastic players only led to the fueling of the thrilling 2025-2026 season that has just begun.
As of Dec. 3, the Spartans are 8-1 and tied for second in the BIG10 with Purdue. The boys started off their season hot with an 80-69 win against Colgate on Nov. 3, followed by a nail-biting 69-66 win against Arkansas on Nov. 9. While both games gave a preview to the potential this team has, their 83-66 win against Kentucky on Nov. 18, and a 74-58 win against North Carolina Chapel Hill solidified Michigan State’s talent and on-court capabilities .
Though fans may have had doubts about the skill this team could bring, there were still lots of high expectations for forward Coen Carr, guard Jeremy Fears. Jr; and center Carson Cooper were still on the team. Senior Sawyer Rapp said, “Initially I had confidence in the [Spartans], and I felt they should be ranked higher. So far, the [Spartans] have met my expectations and hopefully are on the way to a second-straight BIG10 championship.” While each player brings their own speciality to the table, Carr is the factor that sticks out amongst the rest of the team. The six foot six junior is already averaging 11.1 points per game, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and shooting 48.1 percent from all areas of the court. Though his current field goal percentage is currently down 12.9 percent from last season, he has plenty of time to work on his close-range jumper and become a greater asset then he already is. Carr is a staple to the team as his chemistry with Fears Jr. leads to numerous slam dunks, and he is depended on when the team needs a defensive weapon.
Six foot nine senior Kohler is another reason why this team is finding so much recent success. With his height, the veteran is able to box out any big man while still being able to grab the loose rebound—hence, his 9.6 average rebounds per game. Brandon Jenkins, a recruiting analyst from 247sports said, “[Kohler] has good hands, outstanding footwork, a soft touch, and can score in a variety of ways from the low and high post or short-corner areas. [Kohler] also is capable of stretching his range out to the arc at times.” With his ability to score from both inside and outside the arc, Kohler poses a major threat to teams that may lack on pick and roll defenses, or even just teams that allow quick shots to go up.
Both of those Forwards possess immense talent to contribute to the 8-1 Spartans, but Fears Jr. should not be overlooked with his immense growth this season. Fears Jr. is already seeing an eight minute increase in court time compared to last season, most of which contributed to the graduation of Akins and Holloman leaving for North Carolina State, but he has not taken this growth in playing time lightly. The six foot two sophomore had 19 points against North Carolina, and he is averaging 11.6 points per game, an increase from just seven the previous season. Fears Jr. is consistently the go-to ball handler for the team, as he is swift and fantastic at finding the open man. Fears Jr. currently averages 9.8 assists per game, but that number is sure to grow with more Fears Jr. having a plentiful amount of games left.
Of course, the players are fantastic, but there would be no team without head coach Tom Izzo; he has been the head coach of the Spartans since 1995, and he has led numerous teams to victory. With 744 wins and only 303 losses, 27 straight March Madness appearances, one NCAA championship, and eight Elite Eight appearances, Izzo has been marked as one of the greatest coaches of all time, and he will continue to carry that legacy until his final game coaching.
While the initial start to the season was hot, the boys did just take a loss to the Duke Blue Devils in their most recent game. With turnovers and numerous free throw misses, the team fell short 60-66. However, one game does not depict the whole season, and Izzo with his Spartans have a long journey ahead. With competition like Michigan, Purdue, and UCLA, it will be tough for this team to reach the top of the BIG10, but there is no doubt that they will not fight for it along with a fight for Izzo’s 28th March Madness appearance. As the fans say, good luck, and GO GREEN.
Lyon Life 