East Lansing — It’s March.
One walk into Breslin Center would’ve told you that Tuesday. For a Michigan State program that has made March Madness for 27 — soon to be 28 — seasons in a row, there is no greater time of year. It’s a month held with the reverence of a holiday for college basketball’s diehards.
“I’d give my right arm if my birthday was in March,” head coach Tom Izzo said. “You know, it just should be that way.”
Michigan State (24-5, 14-4 Big Ten), ranked eighth in the latest Associated Press poll, is coming off a self-described monstrous week in Indiana, where the Spartans upset Purdue and cruised past Indiana, the first time in a dozen years it won at both in the same season. And though a home closer against Rutgers on Thursday and a rematch at Michigan are still on the docket, the looming postseason is bringing out even more intensity.
“Everybody gets a fever in March, but here, I think we’ve made March a special time of year,” said Izzo, nicknamed Mr. March himself. “It’s had its negatives, it’s had its positives. It’s going to be special till the day I hang up my whistle. … March is the time when you’re playing for something that you’ll remember for a lifetime.”
Coming off last season’s Elite Eight run, Michigan State is trending in a favorable direction with some of its best basketball of the season. Its offense is crisper. In the frontcourt, Carson Cooper’s 15 points at Purdue and Jaxon Kohler’s 21 at Indiana provide a foundation both in the paint and stretching the floor.
“If he’s playing his best basketball, we’re playing our best basketball,” point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. said Sunday of Kohler.
After two seasons of down shooting, that area has taken a step through the hands of Kur Teng, who hit six 3-pointers at Indiana. And Michigan State is getting a lot of contributions from its bench overall with Cam Ward bringing a presence in the frontcourt. Against Indiana, the Spartans’ bench outscored the Hoosiers’ 22-0.
There are still a couple of weeks until Michigan State can start its postseason. After Sunday’s rematch at Michigan, the Spartans would begin the Big Ten Tournament on Friday in the quarterfinals, so long as it stays in the top four seeds. At 14-4, Michigan State is tied with Nebraska for second in the conference, behind Michigan, which clinched the outright Big Ten title last week.
Right now in the NCAA Tournament, Michigan State would end the season as a No. 2 seed, just like last season. The Spartans have a chance to further bolster their resume, notably against Michigan on Sunday. Selection Sunday is March 15.
Fort’s transition hasn’t been easiest, but MSU still need him
Trey Fort came into this season expected to be Michigan State’s answer at shooting guard. Instead, the senior has spent the greater part of Big Ten play coming off the deep bench. He’s averaging just 10.1 minutes per game, sometimes only playing for a few minutes.
It’s clear, though, that Michigan State isn’t giving up on the sixth-year senior.
“He’s been practicing really well lately,” Izzo said, “and he’s helped us in a couple games before. Maybe he’s got one left in him.”
Fort, from Florence, Mississippi, played for five different colleges including two junior colleges, before arriving at Michigan State this season from Samford. He started six games before losing his job to Divine Ugochukwu.
Last season, a similar final-year transfer, Frankie Fidler, came from Omaha and fell below immediate expectations to be a starter in the frontcourt. But he delivered strong performances for Michigan State in March, including nine points and five rebounds in 15 minutes of Elite Eight action against Auburn.
Already thin in the backcourt due to Ugochukwu’s injury, there’s still a role for Fort, even if it’s not what may have been envisioned.
“He’s not done yet,” Izzo said. “I mean, he can shoot the ball, and there’s times that he catches fire. So there’s still basketball left.”
cearegood@detroitnews.com
@ConnorEaregood
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: This is March: Michigan State basketball peaking as postseason looms
Reporting by Connor Earegood, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
