Michigan State Basketball: When One Spartan Falls, Another Takes His Place

Prior to Sunday’s contest against Ohio State, Michigan State basketball senior forward Jaxon Kohler was second on the Spartans, averaging 12.4 points, and led the green and white with 9.3 rebounds a game. Standing only at 6-foot-9, Kohler is usually smaller than his opponent, but his ability to continuedly dominate on the boards has been a key reason why MSU has found their success this season.

Within four minutes of gametime against Ohio State however, Kohler quickly had two fouls, forcing him to go to the bench and let freshman Cam Ward play a majority of his minutes.

With Kohler out, fellow senior Carson Cooper had big shoes to fill. In 34 total minutes, Cooper led the Spartans with 20 points, (a career-high) and added on 11 rebounds, which also led the Spartans. Of the 11 total rebounds, three were on the offensive end, as well as going a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line.

This past week has Carson Cooper being in all the headlines. On Tuesday night, Cooper was fouled in the back on a fastbreak layup by UCLA Bruin Steven Jamerson II. Jamerson was thrown out of the game by his own coach, Mick Cronin, all after Cooper got in Jamerson’s face after he was fouled.

Fast forward to today’s contest, and Cooper led MSU in points scored and rebounds, but was also knocked around twice in the game.  Early in the second half, Cooper looked like he was accidentally stepped on by an OSU player, and about 10 minutes later, Cooper was fouled hard again under the basket, and was touching his face in pain.

With four and a half minutes in the second half, freshman Jordan Scott dished a key pass down low to Cooper, which was slammed in to extend the Spartans lead to six.

As the green and white head to the locker room, now with 22 total wins, Tom Izzo and his Spartans turn their heads to the No. 7 Purdue Boilermakers on Thursday, February 26.