Four different Michigan State players are averaging double-figures in points this season — among them Carson Cooper, a 6-foot-11 center who is starting consistently for the first time in his college career and having his best year to date. On Thursday night against Northwestern, he was terrific and helped the Spartans overcome a second-half deficit and avoid getting upset at home.
Final score: Michigan State 76, Northwestern 66.
Cooper took six shots, made all six of them and finished with a career-high 18 points, nine rebounds and a block. He was also 6-of-8 from the free-throw line while Tom Izzo’s Spartans improved to 14-2 on the season, 4-1 in the Big Ten.
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“[Izzo] wants me to be more assertive,” Cooper said. “He wants me to get more involved in the offense”
As they say, Cooper understood the assignment. After taking just one shot in Monday’s win over USC, again, he took six shots against Northwestern. He reached double-figures in points for the fourth time in his past eight games and is now averaging 10.3 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 55.6% from the field.
Michigan State remains No. 11 in Friday morning’s updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings, where Michigan is No. 1 for the 31st consecutive day. Next up for the Spartans is Tuesday’s game with Indiana inside the Breslin Center. Their next contest against a currently ranked team won’t come until they host Michigan on Jan. 30.
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