As the Michigan State men's basketball team gets set to play its second exhibition game of the 2024-2025 season on Tuesday night versus Ferris State, one thing to watch for is the development of junior center Carson Cooper.

Recently, Cooper discussed three targets he wants to hit as the Spartans gear up for the 2024-2025 season.

Speaking about his personal target, Cooper is looking to make a leap on the offensive end of the court. He is the highest returning rebounder and shot-blocker on the team, with 4.7 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game last season. Despite this, his scoring prowess didn’t draw much attention from the opposing defense at just 3.4 points per game.

“I’ve been really good, I think, setting ball screens and getting guys open,” Cooper explained. “But this year, I’ve got to be able to show people I’m a (scoring) threat. I’ve got to show teams they just can’t sit back on me. I’ve got to present some sort of defensive matchup challenge for the other team."

Entering his third year in East Lansing, Cooper feels at home at Michigan State. But now it is about finding his footing offensively.

“For me, it’s just about becoming comfortable with the offense,” he said. “Just being comfortable and understanding what we do. I’m a junior now, so I’ve earned the opportunity to show that I’m a threat.”