Second-year players surging as Michigan State basketball prepares to host Nebraska

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EAST LANSING – Coen Carr did Coen Carr things, throwing down dunk after dunk. But he also elevated for an elite-level block and smothered Minnesota’s perimeter players defensively.

Xavier Booker delivered on the billing of Xavier Booker top-5 high school prospect, catching passes on the wing and draining 3-pointers and using his long wingspan to swat shots down low.

Jeremy Fears Jr. is beginning to resemble the Jeremy Fears Jr. of a year ago at this time, pushing the pace in transition and setting up his teammates.

Right before Tom Izzo’s eyes, and the rest of the college basketball world, Michigan State basketball’s 2023 recruiting class is starting to turn talent and potential into production.

“That whole sophomore class is playing better,” Izzo said after practice Thursday, less than 24 hours after the 25th-ranked Spartans surgically dissected Minnesota on the road in the Big Ten opener, 90-72.

Michigan State Spartans forward Coen Carr blocks a dunk by Minnesota Golden Gophers center Trey Edmonds during the first half at Williams Arena in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024

That trio, with Fears actually a redshirt freshman after he was shot last December and missed all but 12 games of his debut season, played pivotal roles in one of the most well-balanced performances in years from MSU (7-2, 1-0). Each reached double figures in combining for 33 points and seven rebounds against the Gophers, and all three provided sparks at different points of the win.

It is a trend the Spartans need more of Saturday, when they close the two-game early portion of conference play hosting Nebraska (6-1, 0-0). Tipoff is noon Saturday (BTN) at Breslin Center.

Against Minnesota, Fears got things started against the Gophers by attacking off the dribble in transition and converting a double-pump layup through a foul. His three-point play, part of his 10 points for the game, gave the Spartans a 9-2 lead not even three minutes in and established MSU’s determination to penetrate deep…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/second-players-surging-michigan-state-185619267.html

Author : Lansing State Journal

Publish date : 2024-12-06 18:56:00

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