Michigan State basketball: The rise of Jaden Akins has been encouraging

Michigan State basketball has lost four of its last six games, going from No. 2 in the Big Ten to sixth. Sure, the Spartans are just one game out of second place, but they have stumbled of late and had a chance to lock up a top-three finish in the conference with a good stretch.

But the recent stretch was the toughest of the season, facing teams like Purdue, Indiana, and Illinois on the road while hosting Rutgers, Iowa, and Purdue.

Sitting at 14-8 overall and 6-5 in league play, Michigan State could piece together a nice stretch in the second half of Big Ten play to earn a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament by finishing in the top four in the conference. For that to happen, Jaden Akins will need to continue his torrid stretch.

After a couple of lackluster performances against Illinois and Purdue, shooting 4-for-15 from the floor, Akins has been red-hot in the past three games.

Akins is starting to look like the player we all expected to break out at the beginning of the year.

Jaden Akins’ rise is huge for Michigan State basketball

Getting Malik Hall back was big and having a freshman like Jaxon Kohler step up and show that he has a nice offensive bag was also important, but Akins growing into a capable two-way player has been just what this team needs to piece together a big run in the month of February.

Over the past three games, he’s averaging 12.7 points and 4.3 rebounds with 2.7 steals as well. He’s shooting just under 50 percent from the floor (15-for-31) and he’s 8-for-14 from deep.

Akins is playing elite defense, great offense, and he’s a threat on both ends of the floor which makes this team that much more dangerous. He can guard an opposing team’s best player and he has no problem putting defenders on skates to either get to the bucket or pull up for an open mid-range jumper.

If Michigan State is going to make some noise this March, Akins will be a big-time key.

Good thing he’s getting hot at the right time.