Michigan State’s Bench Shines Against East Carolina

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Luke Joseph | Last updated Nov 26, 2025 11:00 AM ET

Michigan State basketball has come out of its first game in Fort Myers with a big win against East Carolina, 89-56.

Michigan State was in control from the opening tip, as it would never trail in the game. Once the first TV timeout took place, Michigan State would be up 8-3 and would dominate the rest of the game.

Jaxon Kohler had another impressive showing as he led the team yet again in scoring with 16 and went a perfect 6-6 from the field and 4-4 from three-point range.

While MSU getting the win by almost 40 points is very impressive. Michigan State's bench stepped up in a big way. Michigan State’s bench had 35 points, and while two of the bench players had 25 of those points, it's still great to see that much production coming from the second unit.

Simply Divine

Sophomore point guard Divine Ugochukwu transferred to Michigan State this summer after playing his freshman season at the University of Miami. In this game, Ugochukwu had his breakout performance as he tied Kohler in scoring with 16 and playing great defense, leading to a pair of steals.

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Michigan State had a major hole to fill with Tre Holloman leaving to the transfer portal and playing now at NC State. Tom Izzo went looking for his backup point guard and Ugochukwu just proved in this game that he is capable of leading the second unit, while also being capable of getting starter minutes.

Freshman Cam Ward also played well down low. He has been one of the most impressive players on this team with his athleticism as well as being able to hit a mid range jumper. Ward was super aggressive down low in the paint. Getting four rebounds on the day is impressive, but what's even more impressive is having three offensive rebounds and being able to get put-back shots.

Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Other players such as Jesse McCulloch, Jordan Scott, and Kur Teng all had their moments in the game. While Scot and Teng had only three points and McCulloch had two, they all had their moments on defense and were able to move the ball around to find the open man. McCulloch was able to show off his shot-blocking ability as he had a pair of blocks on the day.

Overall, the bench for Michigan State played great and showed that MSU doesn't need to rely on the starters, they have depth that can help in big games. With North Carolina coming up on Thanksgiving day, Michigan State is going to need the bench to play like it did against East Carolina to win that game.

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

More must-reads: