Tom Izzo previews Jaxon Kohler's role against Iowa

As Michigan State readies for a game against Iowa and looks to break out of a miniature slump, it’ll do so with the potential for freshman Jaxon Kohler‘s role to expand quite a bit.

Kohler is coming off an excellent stretch, averaging 10.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in the previous two games, a win over Rutgers and a loss at Indiana. He’s beginning to have the kind of outings coach Tom Izzo thought were possible at the beginning of the year.

“I don’t know if he’ll play more minutes,” Izzo said. “I think he’s played more minutes lately, but the issues are he’s got to play both ends of the court and his conditioning has to (allow that). When you don’t get to practice during that three-week period, it’s hard to get anybody in better shape. He’s a guy that has to continuously get in better shape.

“But he’s definitely showed what I thought he’d show early in the year. It’s taken a little time, part of the process. But I’ve been very pleased with Jaxon’s development.”

Veteran Malik Hall‘s absence due to an ankle injury will also factor into Kohler’s role expanding in the short term.

“He may get a few more minutes. Some of it depends on Malik and what we do there,” Izzo said. “We had played a little bit of small ball, which a lot of teams do. We did it for a game and a half for a few minutes. I think we would have saw more of that if Malik would have continued to play. So there’s a lot of different factors, but it’s a possibility. I don’t know how many minutes he could play, but it’s probably more than 12 or 13. If we can do that, that might be really good for us, too.”

How to watch Iowa vs. Michigan State

Tip-off: 7 p.m. ET

Location: Breslin Center, East Lansing, Michigan

Channel: FS1

More on Iowa vs. Michigan State

Continuing, it should be a fantastic contest in East Lansing on Thursday, as the Hawkeyes enter the showdown 12-7 on the season, while the Spartans have amassed a 13-7 record thus far.

Iowa had been on a four-game win streak, but a postponement of their game against Northwestern messed their momentum up, and they fell to Ohio State in their last contest. As for the Spartans, they’ve lost three of their last four, and are looking to right the ship on Thursday.

Both squads are among the top the Big Ten has to offer, and will be looking to prove that once again on Thursday. However, only one can come away victorious, and it remains to be seen which program will get a huge victory.