Michigan State basketball’s Coen Carr delivers big plays above, below rim at Iowa

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IOWA CITY, Iowa — Sometimes, the things Coen Carr does on the ground are every bit as impactful as what he does soaring above the rim.

And sometimes the airborne astonishment he generates has nothing to do with dunking the ball.

Take Thursday, for instance.

With No. 7 Michigan State basketball frantically rallying from a 14-point deficit, Carr delivered play after play in a six-minute sequence to ignite the Spartans’ eventual 91-84 victory at Iowa.

“I’m out there for a reason,” said Carr, who had a career-high four blocks to go with eight points and five rebounds, two of them on the offensive glass in MSU’s 33-6 second-half comeback run. “So I just go out there and do my job, and hopefully good things will happen. And good things did happen.”

Shortly after Carr checked back into the game with 14:34 to play and MSU trailing 53-46, the sophomore took a handoff from freshman Jase Richardson but quickly turned the ball over near midcourt. The two youngsters briefly went back and forth with each other during the stoppage, passionately pleading their side to each other to get back on the same page.

Iowa forward Pryce Sandfort (24) drives to the basket against Michigan State forward Coen Carr (55) during a Big Ten Conference game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, on Thursday, March 6, 2025.

It’s the type of communication and friction Tom Izzo loves to see. Especially in March, when the margin for error is slim and the need to operate as a sentient unit becomes essential.

“Tonight was an eye-opener on what happens if you deviate from who you are,” Izzo said of the big, early hole the Spartans put themselves in. “I think it’s a good lesson for all of us.”

After that tete-a-tete, Carr snagged an offensive rebound to set up a Tre Holloman jumper. A little over a minute later, the 6-foot-6, 226-pound forward caught a pass from Holloman at the top of the key and attacked the basket. He was clipped in the arm by Iowa’s Even Brauns with no call, and Holloman got…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/michigan-state-basketballs-coen-carr-110507396.html

Author : Detroit Free Press

Publish date : 2025-03-08 11:05:00

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