Michigan State’s 91-87 win over Rutgers was one of the more memorable games in the Tom Izzo era, for the wrong reasons.
OK, it wasn’t all bad. Eighteen out of the 20 second-half minutes were dominated by Michigan State, but Rutgers scored 21 points in the final 1:45. This is going to be remembered as the Senior Day that the seniors were almost celebrated too early and it almost cost Michigan State.
I’m going to bet that Izzo is more careful in the future.
Let’s take a look at Michigan State’s final report card from the Rutgers fiasco.
Coen Carr: A
Tom Izzo said that this was probably Coen Carr’s best game as a Spartan, and that would be tough to argue. He led the team in scoring with 21 points but he was also impressed with the way his junior forward rebounded the ball. Carr played great defense, got out in the fast break, and even hit some big shots (8-for-8 from the line) down the stretch. This was a really good game from him.
Carson Cooper: A-
An A- feels like a regular day at the office for Carson Cooper nowadays. He’s been one of the most consistent players on the team and he’s getting better each time out. It honestly feels like he’s one of the most developed players in the Izzo era. He scored 14 with six rebounds and had two blocks to go with it. Cooper is going to be missed next year.
Jaxon Kohler: A-
Jaxon Kohler’s dad, grandpa, and Pearl Harbor-surviving great grandpa took the floor before the game to honor the latter, and the senior big man made sure to put on a show for his family. He scored 15 points with seven rebounds as he pieced together another solid performance. It looks like he’s finally getting back on track after a mid-season slump.
Jordan Scott: B-
He’d be the first to admit it, but Jordan Scott didn’t have his best game. He played 29 minutes but only took four shots, making two, finishing with five points. Scott also had two rebounds, two assists, and two blocks, but his four turnovers were enough to drop his grade down a bit. It wasn’t a bad game at all, but he can do much better.
Jeremy Fears Jr.: A
Yet again, Jeremy Fears was fantastic. The sophomore point guard rose to third on Michigan State’s single-season assists list, passing Magic Johnson on three straight dimes to Coen Carr that led to deafening slams. He had 21 points and eight assists and the only real critiques I had for him were his casualness when MSU had a big lead and his free throws — uncharacteristic three misses. His mid-range game has gotten so good, though.
Cam Ward: A-
Why doesn’t Cam Ward get an A? He was incredibly close on my grade sheet, but his four fouls were the lone reason he didn’t get a perfect grade. He needs to learn to defend without fouling, but I think a lot of it has to do with the reputation he’s built as an aggressive big. Ward still finished with nine points, nine rebounds, three blocks, a steal, and an assist on 4-of-6 shooting. This was his best game in quite some time.
Kur Teng: B-
Kur Teng played a quiet 17 minutes and somehow took six shots (I remember may two of them). He made two shots to finish with four points and he had three rebounds and three assists. Teng’s defense was an issue on a couple of occasions and he turned the ball over twice. He’s in there to provide some scoring off the bench and we just didn’t see much of that.
Denham Wojcik: C
I’m not going to sit here and bash Denham Wojcik because the end of the game was not his fault. He was put into a lineup with all seniors and no other true ball-handler option and Rutgers ran a full-court press. He struggled to get open and get the ball past halfcourt and it led to several turnovers and a Rutgers comeback. Wojcik still had three assists and no recorded turnovers on Senior Day.
Trey Fort: C
Not enough Trey Fort time, and I’ll say that until his final game. I wish we saw a little more of him trying to run point with Fears on the bench, but those minutes went to Wojcik. He did appear at the end of the game when things started to fall apart, but it wasn’t his fault — Izzo even took the blame. Fort did hit two huge free throws at the end.