With title in sight, Michigan State basketball continues to maximize its team-first effort

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EAST LANSING – Coen Carr with more spectacular gravity-defying dunks?

Meh.

Another Michigan State defensive lockdown in the waning minutes to secure a fifth-straight win and fourth in a row against a top-20 opponent?

Yawn.

Jaxon Kohler gobbling up rebounds? Jase Richardson doing Jase Richardson things? Timely plays off the bench from Tre Holloman and Carson Cooper and Frankie Fidler and others? An 18th game with all 10 rotation regulars scoring, and nine of them getting at least one board?

Predictable. In the best possible way for Tom Izzo and his players.

Michigan State’s Jaden Akins, left, and Jeremy Fears Jr. celebrate after a play against Wisconsin during the second half on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.

COMING SOON? Michigan State basketball on doorstep of Big Ten title after win, Michigan loss to Illini

It’s the kind of steadiness that leads to banners getting hung in the Breslin Center rafters.

“At this point in the game, when everybody is doing their part, we just flow so well,” Kohler said Sunday. “It’s an amazing thing to watch but also be a part of.

“When everyone does their job, we’re just very dangerous in a lot of ways.”

The Spartans have come to expect this during their surprising and impressive return to the winning ways Izzo established over his 30 seasons. And Sunday’s 71-62 victory over No. 11 Wisconsin has No. 8 MSU standing on a familiar doorstep for Izzo.

Another potential Big Ten title? Well, that’s not so ho-hum.

“There’s not one time I said we’re a great, great team yet. We’re not,” Izzo said. “We’re edging closer.”

Jaden Akins scored 14 of his 19 points in the first half against the Badgers to help the league-leading Spartans rally from an early nine-point deficit. That included four 3-pointers for a team starving for improved outside shooting from its senior captain, who said he felt as good as he has in weeks.

But Akins also dialed in on defense, locking up leading Wisconsin scorer John Tonje to just…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/title-sight-michigan-state-basketball-110931505.html

Author : Detroit Free Press

Publish date : 2025-03-03 11:09:00

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