Is Shooting Still an Issue for MSU?

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated May 20, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Michigan State Spartans’ offseason looks like it has come to a close.

With so much production leaving the team, many expected Tom Izzo and his staff to hit the transfer portal hard.

Instead, Izzo was selective in the portal during the offseason, only landing players he believed to be a culture fit in East Lansing. Many were disappointed with the offseason, but Izzo has been through this before and knows how to approach building a roster.

MSU landed three players in the portal: Florida Atlantic’s Kaleb Glenn, Samford’s Trey Fort and Miami’s Divine Ugochukwu. None of those players are flashy names, but Izzo has identified them as good fits for the squad.

One of the Spartans’ biggest issues last season was how poorly they shot the ball from beyond the arc. MSU was the worst 3-point shooting team in the Big Ten, connecting on only 31.1 percent of shots from deep.

Spartan fans thought Izzo would go out and try to find shooters in the portal. He did that, as Glenn and Fort were both highly efficient shooters from beyond the arc on good volume.

However, of the three players Izzo added this offseason, only Fort is expected to start. The Spartans will get minimal contribution from Glenn and Ugochukwu.

Glenn should be a productive shooting wing off the bench, while Ugochukwu’s jumper leaves much to be desired. Because of this, MSU’s outside shooting may still be a problem.

Izzo and his staff should not immediately anticipate his three transfers to fix the team’s 3-point shooting issues. Much of the improvement must also come from some of his homegrown talent.

MSU needs a step forward from Jeremy Fears Jr. when it comes to 3-point shooting. Fears did not shoot it well last season and appeared hesitant to do so, but his mechanics are passable.

Coen Carr showed a willingness to shoot the 3-ball more last season, but his jumper is also still a work in progress. MSU will be a dangerous team if he can take another step in the right direction as a shooter.

Can the Spartans expect much shooting contribution from freshmen Cam Ward and Jordan Scott? Ward will likely play more than Scott, but Scott is a better shooter.

Izzo and the Spartans attempted to improve their 3-point shooting this offseason, but it will likely still be a concern next season.

However, if they continue to find good looks from beyond the arc like last season, they now have the personnel to be slightly better.

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This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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