"Offensively, Cooper did some good things," head coach Tom Izzo said. "But we gotta get more out of people. I was really disappointed in our team today. So I want to make sure I give all the credit to Ohio State. They did a good job."

MSU struggled with focus against Ohio State. The Spartans struggled with turnovers, missed layups, lackluster contributions from the bench and an inability to contain Buckeye guard Bruce Thornton, who scored 32 points without committing a single turnover. For much of the game, even the Izzone seemed absent from its usual intensity.

This lack of focus extended to the paint, where Kohler picked up two early fouls. The first came at the 17:13 mark of the first half, followed just 15 seconds later by the second. He was taken out of the game and did not return until 5:49, only to commit his third foul less than two minutes afterward.

Kohler finished the game with just 17 minutes played, well below his usual 28. In the closing minutes, he fouled out, ending his limited afternoon with nine points and 10 rebounds.

"Kohler being out of the lineup was a big thing," Izzo said. "He's one of our guys that can score it, and when he's out, it hurts Jeremy Fears Jr."

With MSU’s most lethal inside scorer, rebounder and defender in early foul trouble — and with struggles occurring elsewhere – the Spartans had to find someone to take charge. That someone would happen to be Cooper. 

Cooper played twice as many minutes as Kohler, providing MSU with much-needed production in the post. Offensively, he shot efficiently, kept the offense moving with pick-and-rolls and drew trips to the free-throw line. Defensively, he played physically and battled on the boards but struggled to collapse and help on Thornton’s drives.

"There was some pressure to playing more minutes and playing at the four," Cooper said. "But at this level, it comes down to experience and understanding that stations happen. You have to be able to adapt to different situations, and I believe I did that well today. We're gonna keep getting on Kohler to make sure he gets better and plays smarter." 

Despite the pressure of Kohler’s absence, Cooper still shined. His performance featured mid-range jump shots, strong rebounding and converting second-chance points. In the final seconds, with the Spartans up 64-60, Cooper grabbed the rebound that put the game out of reach for the Buckeyes. He was then sent to the free-throw line, where he made both shots — a fitting conclusion to a performance that helped secure the Spartans’ victory.

Cooper would finish the game with a career-high 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting with 11 rebounds. He was the presence that lifted MSU past Ohio State. 

"We played stagnant for a majority of the game, myself included," Cooper said. "But we escaped with a win. I have to continue to take steps forward. Today is gonna help continue to grow my confidence, to be more evolved in the offense and rebound at a higher level, especially this late in the season. It's going to be important that there's no slump for me."

With the sloppy play against Ohio State in the rear view mirror, Cooper and the Spartans will look to the future, where they play at Mackey Arena in a paramount game against No. 7 Purdue. The game will tip off on Thursday, Feb. 26th, at 8 p.m.