Scouting Niagara

Niagara is a hard team to predict entering this game. The Purple Eagles have zero returning players, but in a blowout victory against Houghton, they utilized points in the paint and fast-break points, just like the Spartans did against Monmouth. Niagara shot 12-for-27 from beyond the arc and 18-for-25 from the free-throw line. Against Monmouth, MSU shot 3-for-18 from three-point range, 18-for-27 from the free-throw line, while grabbing 48 points in the paint — more than half of the team’s points — and 25 fast-break points. 

Graduate student senior Jhaylon Martinez, Niagara's tallest player is 6-foot-11, only an inch shorter than MSU’s Szymon Zapala. MSU is the bigger team, which could help towards Izzo’s goal of boxing out and rebounding. Niagara only has two centers. 

After team practice Tuesday, MSU head coach Tom Izzo identified two of his big men as critical to this development against the Purple Eagles: sophomore Xavier Booker and junior Jaxon Kohler, who are MSU's two best shooters over 6-foot-7. 

"It's going to be a lot of work for Booker and Kohler," Izzo said. "(It's a) step in the right direction. We got to get stronger with the ball."

During the offseason and preseason, junior forward Jaxon Kohler has "worked his tail off" according to Izzo and become one of the most consistent shooters and best players since the summer. This has led Kohler having the "green light" for shooting threes after not having it his first two seasons. 

Booker, on the other hand, has to get more consistent, Izzo said, and play with more passion. Against Monmouth, Booker shot 2-for-10 and 0-for-4 from beyond the arc, a stark difference from Izzo’s preseason remarks. But Izzo and his staff aren't worried about makes and misses for Booker, especially when had a number of inside looks Monday night. 

MSU's goals for Thursday

Against Niagara and moving forward, Izzo said he needs the Spartans to shoot better, create fewer "foolish" turnovers and pass better. MSU had 13 turnovers against Monmouth and shot 3-for-18 from three-point range. 

"I want to see a lot more consistency. I want to see us shooting better and I want to see us passing better," Izzo said. "We didn’t have a lot of turnovers with the pass, but we didn’t have a lot of completions."

Redshirt freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. only put up two shots but tallied eight assists out of the team’s 23 against Monmouth. Izzo said his point guard's progression has been “unbelievable” so far... Fears Jr. said he can still be a better team player going forward.

"I can do more, maybe keeping that up the whole game and keep leading and helping my teammates every way," Fears Jr. said.

Senior guard Jaden Akins, MSU's only four-year player, played his role as Izzo's go-to-guy against Monmouth, tying a career-high 23 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Fears Jr. said he told Akins it’s not all him to win games, and that the rest of team is behind him. 

“We need (Akins) to be one of our best all-around players, and I think in this group, we have everybody that can help around him, whether it’s points or rebounding," Fears Jr. said. "I just tell him, ‘It’s your show, man.'"

The Spartans have depth in their roster, with two freshman guards that could make an impact this season: Jase Richardson and Kur Teng. Richardson gave a plethora of solid minutes in two exhibition games and 22 minutes against Monmouth. There's a good chance he’ll stay in the rotation with his high basketball IQ, "effortless" play and improved shooting, Izzo said. Teng, who only played four minutes against Monmouth, could see more on Thursday. Izzo said Teng "maybe shoots it as good as anybody" on the team.

MSU will play Niagara on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. at Breslin Center. Big Ten Network will air the game.