Michigan State junior guard Tre Holloman (5) watches the court after shooting a basket at the Breslin Center on Nov. 19, 2024. The Spartans took on the Bulldogs of Samford University for the first time ever, ultimately defeating them 83-75.
After a road trip that resulted in a 90-72 win over Minnesota to open conference play, MSU men's basketball (7-2, 1-0 Big Ten) will head back home to play Nebraska (6-1) on Saturday, Dec. 7 at noon.
In a game that illustrated much of MSU’s upside, 12 Spartans scored and seven had eight or more points, including four Spartans in double-digits.
Junior forward Jaxon Kohler recorded his third double-double of the season and fourth game with 10 points or more, finishing with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore forward Coen Carr led the team with 12 points and picked up three rebounds in 16 minutes.
Redshirt freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. and junior guard Tre Holloman combined for 19 points, 13 of MSU’s 25 assists and seven rebounds.
MSU shot 29-for-55 from the field and went 11-for-22 from beyond the arc for its best shooting game of the season so far and hitting more than 20 free throws for the fifth time.
The Spartans did it all against the Gophers: 36 points in the paint, 27 fast-break points — allowing just two — and 43 bench points, all while outrebounding Minnesota 39 to 27.
The game against Minnesota proved that MSU’s deep roster can be dangerous and hard to match, even on the road in a daunting arena.
Early on, MSU has proven to be a more cohesive unit compared to recent years, one in which every player understands their role. Holloman, Fears Jr. and freshman guard Jase Richardson are the playmakers. Senior guard Jaden Akins is the leader and primary shooter. Carr can be the momentum-shifter, and Kohler and senior center Szymon Zapala have consistently turned in strong efforts on the glass.
“Right now, strength in numbers has been important,” head coach Tom Izzo said after Thursday’s practice. “We’re starting to get more of a rotation down and guys are starting to know how to play with each other.”
If the Spartans can maintain this balance and stay healthy, they should stack up well against Nebraska and other conference opponents throughout the year.
Sizing up Nebraska
In the 19-game history between MSU and Nebraska, the Spartans have won 15 with an 8-2 record at home. The Cornhuskers are led by head coach Fred Hoiberg, a former NBA head coach and father of former MSU guard Jack Hoiberg.
Nebraska's senior guard Brice Williams, junior guard Connor Essegian and sophomore forward Berke Buyuktuncel are its impact players offensively. Williams has averaged 18.4 points per game on 47% shooting and made 10 three-pointers, the second-most on the team.
Essegian, a transfer from Wisconsin, has only started two games but has racked up 14.7 points per game, shooting 20-for-45 from beyond the arc (44%) and 86% from the free-throw line. In Nebraska’s latest game, a 103-72 win against Northern Florida, Essegian scored 17 points on 8-for-10 shooting and made six threes in 21 minutes.
Buyuktuncel has averaged 9.5 points per game and leads the team with 6.7 rebounds on 61% shooting. He also has totaled a team-high 18 assists.
“We want to start out 2-0 in the conference and that’s always big,” Izzo said. “That’s the battle cry for this week. This is a very talented group, so we’ll see what happens.”
MSU and Nebraska will tip off at noon on Saturday, Dec. 7 at Breslin Center. Big Ten Network will air the game.
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