Michigan State basketball tips off the 2025-2026 season on Monday, Nov 3 aiming for another deep run in the NCAA Tournament despite losing key players in the offseason.
The No. 22 ranked Spartans host Colgate at the Breslin Center at 7:00 P.M.
Key players lost
The 2025-2026 Spartan basketball roster looks different than it did last season as many key contributors left the program via graduation, transfer or the NBA Draft.
Those key contributors included veteran guards Jaden Akins and Tre Holloman, newcomers Frankie Fiddler and Szymon Zapala and NBA first-round selection Jace Richardson. The Spartans also lost depth pieces Gehrig Normand and Xavier Booker to the transfer portal.
With all of those departures, there are several roles to fill this season with largely a brand new roster.
Veteran starting lineup
So far through the Spartans two exhibition games, Head Coach Tom Izzo has started a lineup of Jeremy Fears, Kur Teng, Coen Carr, Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper.
A promising indicator for this lineup is that every starter except Teng had a prominent role with last year’s team but Teng is attempting to replace the massive offensive void left by No. 25 pick Richardson.
So far, it seems Teng’s position in the depth chart is the most in jeopardy as he has struggled to display consistent scoring ability. Teng had seven points on three of 10 shooting against Bowling Green and two points on zero of four shooting against Uconn.
The most obvious replacement for Teng is Samford transfer Trey Fort. Fort has displayed decent scoring in the two exhibition games, scoring nine points on three of seven shooting from the field with three made three-pointers against Bowling Green. Fort followed with eight points on three of eight shooting against Uconn.
Fort at least has previously shown the ability to score. During Fort’s time with Samford, he lead the team with 14. 6 points per game and 2.4 three-pointers made per game on 37.9% from three-point range.
Fort’s shooting can be an asset to a Spartan team that has struggled to score from three-point range dating back to last season. The Spartans shot 32% from three point range last season which ranked 324th nationally.
3-point shooting struggles
While adding Fort to the starting lineup could help address the shooting issue, the starting lineup still consists of mostly non-shooters.
Fears Jr. is a solid slasher and playmaker but he shot only 34% on one three-point attempt per game last season.
Carr is a great slasher and finisher but shot 33% from three-point range on less than half an attempt per game last season. However, Carr displayed an improved three-point shot through last season’s NCAA Tournament and has shown more of a willingness to attempt three-point shots through the exhibition games.
Kohler, who is a solid post presence shot 37% from three-point range on 1.4 attempts per game last season. He at times was the team’s most reliable shooter.
It’s not starting center Cooper’s job to score from the outside as he has never taken a three-point shot in his college career.
The Spartans made seven of 22 three-pointers against Bowling Green and four of 14 against Uconn.
Outside scoring was an obvious weakness last season and it likely will be again if the current roster can’t improve their shooting.
Double down on defense
One positive for this starting lineup is size and defense. The ‘double-big’ frontcourt of Kohler and Cooper presents a challenge for opponents trying to finish at the rim.
Each of the pair average about half a block per game last season, but they are solid defenders who know how to challenge at the rim without fouling.
Carr rounds out the frontcourt as a small forward who can guard multiple positions and create defensive advantages with just his sheer athleticism.
Point guard Fears Jr. has quick hands and solid instincts that allows him to get steals and fast-break opportunities. Fears Jr. had five steals through the Spartans’ two exhibition games and averaged 1.1 steals per game last season.
The team’s bench unit also consists of players with great defensive potential including rangy, freshman wings Jordan Scott and Cam Ward.
Either of these players could emerge as an X-factor for the team this season, especially with top transfer addition Kaleb Glenn missing extended time due to a patellar injury.
Defense was the team’s calling card last season and they will have to rely on it this season in order to create fast-break opportunities for easy points.
Season outlook
When looking at this roster in comparison to last year it could be easy to assume that the Spartans may not make a run to the Elite Eight again but many didn’t expect the MSU to make such a deep run.
Michigan State’s basketball team is always competitive because no matter what personnel changes the team goes through, the teams’ culture, discipline and coaching remains the same.
Players who play for Izzo always seem to give maximum effort, are well-coached and buy-in early in the season which leads to a strong sense of self-belief and team culture.
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