Tom Izzo and Michigan State basketball have to feel good about their 2-0 start to the 2025-26 season, especially since the team hasn’t played to its full potential — not even close.
The Spartans beat No. 14 Arkansas while hitting just one 3-pointer and turning the ball over 14 times. They also beat Colgate while shooting poorly and really letting the Raiders hang around. The team hasn’t played a lot of work to do despite the 2-0 start.
And here’s what I think needs to improve early on.
1. MSU has to figure out the 2-guard spot
While there were some positive developments coming from this spot against Arkansas with the insertion of Jordan Scott into the two-guard role, Michigan State has to figure out who starts there moving forward.
Trey Fort got the start against Arkansas and played OK, finishing with five points, two rebounds, and a steal on 2-of-6 shooting in 15 minutes. Kur Teng was quiet in minimal playing time off the bench, going 0-for-2 from the floor in five minutes. Scott, on the other hand, was 2-for-4 from the floor with six points and seven rebounds — but he did miss two key free throws at the end.
Izzo has a decision to make at the two-guard spot.
2. Three-point shooting
For the past few years now, Michigan State has struggled from the 3-point line. The Spartans were 6-of-21 in the opener against Colgate and then 1-for-14 against Arkansas. Shooting a measly 7-for-35 on the season, something has to change.
I don’t know if it’s cutting down on attempts (we saw that against Arkansas) or just taking better shots, but Michigan State has to start converting on 30-plus percent as a team.
Fort, Scott, and Teng should all probably be shooting more, and Jaxon Kohler, Coen Carr, and Jeremy Fears Jr. need to be working tirelessly on their shot. If the Spartans can make around 30-35 percent from deep, this team will be very tough to beat.
3. Layups
I don’t know exactly how many layups that Michigan State missed, but it was too many. Heck, one is too many, but the Spartans were bricking some wide-open shots at the rim, and that can’t happen.
It’s already hard enough to score in college basketball, so when you get wide-open layups, you have to convert. I watched Kohler, Fears, and Carson Cooper all miss bunnies on Saturday night. When you get an uncontested shot at the rim, you have to finish. That was a problem in the opener against Colgate, and it carried over.
Defense and rebounding have been strengths so far, but the offense needs to make some fixes.