ATLANTA — With the Spartans trailing by eight late in the first half, battling to find open looks, their latest driving layup attempt swatted out of bounds, Tom Izzo was nothing but encouraging as he applauded his team coming to the bench for a timeout.

Izzo knew what we all knew — they were up against it. This wasn’t an execution problem as much as it was a Jimmys and Joes problem. Or in this case, a Johnis problem, as in Auburn power forward Johni Broome.

This was a puzzle the Spartans couldn’t solve. A level they couldn’t reach. And so they’re going home, falling 70-64 to Auburn in the South Regional final — which seems like an appropriate round to finish for a team that played all season like it was one of the elite most eight teams in college basketball, but probably not above that.

It also felt like an appropriate score for a game the Spartans were never out of, but never looked like they were going to win.

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MSU just couldn’t make enough outside shots — hitting 7 of 23 3-pointers — and didn’t have enough advantages to overcome what had been a weakness throughout the season.

MSU kept within striking distance all evening, but couldn’t strike. I kept thinking that if they could get it within a possession with a few minutes left, they’d make Auburn think and maybe the Spartans would have their opening.

As is, they’ll leave with no regrets. They fought for it until the end and made Auburn work for it into the final minute. This was an MSU team that cared deeply about winning and competing and we saw that again. That was a heckuva Spartan basketball season.

2. There’s still another level for Kohler — and we saw some of it Sunday

MSU could use Jaxon Kohler to become the sort of defender who can deal with elite college post players as a senior next season. The Spartans need that from Carson Cooper, too. As a tandem, the Spartans need them to find a level defensively beyond being able to hold their own most of the time.

But we also saw a lot of good and a lot of promise from Kohler on Sunday. He grew into the game well on both ends — beginning with two first-half spot-up 3s, then figuring out how to get some control of things on the glass, and coming through a couple times with help defensively, and then, most tellingly of his confidence, finishing offensively in the post.

When Kohler starts making post hooks in the paint and fallaway jumpers on the block, he’s in a groove. He’s always had the tantalizing footwork. He just needs to believe he’s going to make the shot. Maybe, for Kohler, this will turn out to be like Joey Hauser’s performance against Davidson in the 2022 NCAA tournament, which spurred a confident and standout senior season.

This was a breakout year from Kohler, as is. He’s become an elite rebounder. We saw that against another elite rebounder in Johni Broome on Sunday. Kohler had 11 rebounds (Broome had 14), to go with 17 points on 6-for-8 shooting, including another 3 at a critical moment in the second half.

If Kohler can find this offensive game consistently — and it’s clearly in him — then it changes who he is as an offensive threat and who MSU is as a team next season.

He battled Sunday and he found a rhythm in the game. He just ran into a better player in Broome. If Kohler can build on this, he’ll more often be the power forward causing the problems as a senior. 

3. A legacy and a standard reestablished

MSU won’t win the Big Ten by three games every year. The Spartans might not always be in the Elite Eight moving forward. But this team this season reestablished an elite standard for MSU’s program. And that — along with reinvigorating a fan base and helping a coach keep his promise — will be the legacy of this team.

This group didn’t reach a Final Four, but it’ll be as beloved as some that did because of how it made people feel again.

And part of this group has a chance to make sure the standard continues. The Spartans are losing some good players and might lose a great freshman in Jase Richardson, who will have a decision to make about whether he wants to run it back or play in the NBA. But, at minimum, if the guys stick who I think will stick, you’ve got a lot of sweat equity and ability and toughness — both guard play and in the front court — likely to return.

A lineup with Jeremy Fears Jr., Tre Holloman, Coen Carr, Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper is a pretty good place to start. They’ll have an understanding of what it takes to win and what it feels like to come up just short.

As a program, it’s a really good place to be. 

Contact Graham Couch at [email protected]. Follow him on X @Graham_Couch or BlueSky @GrahamCouch.