Michigan State center Jaxon Kohler proud of Carson Cooper's game vs. Wisconsin
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State center Carson Cooper may have taken fellow freshman Jaxon Kohler’s minutes in Tuesday’s 69-65 win over Wisconsin, but Kohler couldn’t have been prouder of his teammate’s performance.
“I was honestly so happy for him,” Kohler said of Cooper. “He’s been working so hard every single day, in practice and then outside of practice getting shots up. He’s worked so hard and to see him be on the court and be a crucial defensive factor for our team, I was super happy. I was on the bench just cheering for him. He deserves all that credit. He was a big part of our win last night.
Until last night, Cooper played mostly spot minutes when needed. But his length and athleticism on defense proved valuable when starter Mady Sissoko had to sit against Wisconsin.
Cooper tied a career-high 12 minutes played against Wisconsin. He logged two rebounds, two blocks and a steal, all while playing solid defense against Steven Crowl.
Kohler said he’s noticed Cooper’s game developing well in practice, even if Cooper’s minutes prior to the Wisconsin game didn’t reflect that.
“I think a lot of freshmen may not be able to handle the adjustment so quickly, but I think Carson’s been doing an amazing job keeping a steady head with his role and whether he comes in here and there,” Kohler said. “He’s been playing a lot more physically, he’s been getting a lot better offensively and he’s a great defensive player. But I think the best things that he’s been getting better at are his mental strength and his offensive game.”
Kohler put up a career performance against Nebraska on Jan. 3, just two games prior to the Wisconsin matchup. Against the Cornhuskers, Kohler scored a career-high 10 points (5 of 5 from the field) in 15 minutes played, showing off his mid-range jumper in the process. But a challenging matchup with Wisconsin has given him more to work on. The freshman logged four minutes against the Badgers after playing 11 minutes in the previous game against Michigan.
“I’m trying to improve (my) defense, trying to follow the scout to a little more detail,” Kohler said. “Just be prepared and just be ready to play. Last night, I made some mistakes here and there that I wish I could’ve gone back and tried to fix and improve. But that’s the most important thing, just move onto the next game.”
Kohler may still be growing, but his enthusiasm hasn’t dwindled. He’s ready and willing to improve each day.
“(The Big Ten) is a whole other animal and I am having a blast,” Kohler said. “It’s a rollercoaster of emotions, to be honest. The highest highs, the lowest lows. In the Michigan game, you’re having so much fun, in practice you’re at your toughest, battling each other. The competition is crazy and in the game, the competition is also crazy. It’s just a rollercoaster of emotions, to be honest.”
