Kohler's career night keys Michigan State's rout of San Jose State

Connor Earegood, The Detroit News on Nov 13, 2025

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EAST LANSING, Mich. — The battle of the Spartans wasn’t all that much of a battle.

Seventeen points and a career-high 18 rebounds from Jaxon Kohler led Michigan State to a 79-60 win over San Jose State in a game it led wire-to-wire Thursday at Breslin Center.

Sandwiched between Saturday’s ranked win over Arkansas and a Champions Classic game against Kentucky at Madison Square Garden, Thursday’s game had the potential for a trap game. But Michigan State led by 23 points at halftime, and its lead never dipped to single digits in the second half.

Kohler and center Carson Cooper each had 17 points to lead Michigan State in scoring. For Cooper, it marked a career high. Michigan State (3-0) scored 34 points in the paint in the game.

Trailing 46-23 at the break, San Jose State (0-3) came out swinging in the second half and scored the first eight points, including 3-pointers from guards Ben Roseborough and Jermaine Washington. Cooper finally got Michigan State on the board 3 minutes, 33 seconds into the half off a lob from point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., who had nine assists.

San Jose State didn’t let up after Cooper’s run-stopper, scoring seven of the next nine points interrupted only by a bucket from Kohler. Michigan State led 50-38 before Fears got the offense a little more rhythm with an elbow 3. Michigan State made six 3s on 25 shots, with Fears' 3-for-5 accuracy leading the team. His 15 points marked another career high.

After its lead shrank to 12 points with 13:55 to play, Michigan State quickly found an 8-0 run after Fears’ make, including a jump hook and a mirrored elbow 3 from Kohler. A 60-40 advantage took MSU into the under-12 timeout with its lead back in blowout territory.

Seven straight misses, six of them open 3s, stalled Michigan State’s offense for the next five minutes. Two came from Kohler, who made one of five 3s stretching the floor.

During the drought, San Jose State forward Yaphet Moundi hit seven of eight free throws for a personal 7-0 run. With 6:36 to play, Michigan State finally found a point when Cooper split free throws to lead 63-50.

Even with a stagnant offense, Michigan State never led by less than double digits in the second half. Strong rebounding for a 45-26 advantage on the glass kept it in control of the game, and so did nine San Jose State turnovers.

Michigan State went on a 7-0 run capped by a Coen Carr slam to lead 74-57 with 2:21 remaining.

Michigan State doubled up San Jose State in the first half, leading 46-23 at halftime. Cooper led that half with 12 points, while shooting guard Kur Teng — who lost his starting job to Trey Fort last game against Arkansas — scored 10 points off the bench including both MSU’s first half 3s. He didn’t score in the second half, and neither did Fort who missed all five of his 3-point attempts in the game.

By the midpoint of the first half, Michigan State had built a 21-5 lead over San Jose State, which missed 12 of its first 13 shots and had more airballs (two) than makes (one) through the first nine minutes of the game. Eight of those early misses came from 3-point range, where late closeouts by Michigan State found grace from the rim.

After a layup from Moundi 90 seconds into the game, San Jose State went scoreless until he split free throws six minutes later. Guard Colby Garland ended a streak of nine straight misses midway through the half, snapping Michigan State’s 15-1 run in the process. Garland had 14 points by halftime but just one assist — and three fouls.

On offense, Michigan State featured its usual tenets. Carr got his dunks, including a one-handed jam on the break five minutes into the game that got the crowd rocking. Cooper and Kohler led in the paint, getting to the foul line.

After emphasizing physicality in practices this week, Michigan State outrebounded San Jose State 26-11 at the break, including seven offensive rebounds. Three of those came from Kohler, who had nine rebounds in total.