Michigan State's Shooting Guard Dilemma

0:00On March 15, Michigan State basketball headed into this season, short on shooting guards after losing three key players in the offseason. Jaden Aakins headed to the G-League after using up his college eligibility, Trey Hall-A-Man transfer to NC State. And Jace Richardson jumped straight to the NBA. Coach Tom Izzo brought in veteran Trey Fort from Sanford and had Kurt hang on the roster to help fill the gap. But it was a surprise transfer, Ugo Choukou, who was supposed to back up point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. that turned into the team's top two guard. He shot 44% from three-point range, locked down on defense, and ended up starting at shooting guard while still spelling Fears N, point. Then all changed in early February when Ugo Choukou broke his foot during a loss to Minnesota. Fans and analysts saw him as a game-changer who helped build one of the nation's best defenses and kept the ball moving smoothly. Without him, the Spartans struggled at that spot again, which likely played a role in their quick exit from the Big Ten tournament.

1:02Now they are turning to options like sharpshooter Kurt hang, whose defense needs work, break out small forward, Jordan Scott, who might be a bit slow. There, or the underused Trey Fort, who flashed potential against UCLA. As the NCAA tournament tips off this week, how Michigan State handles the shooting guard position could make or break their run.