The chance to play in the Maui Invitational for the first time wasn’t the reason the Versailles High School graduate Ahrens returned to the Spartans for his fifth and final season, but it didn’t hurt.
“It’s amazing,” Ahrens said. “It’s better than Michigan weather. Palm trees and everything.”
The third-ranked Spartans (4-2) rebounded from a 71-66 loss to Virginia Tech in the first round Monday and advanced to the fifth-place game against UCLA or Chaminade at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Ahrens, a 6-foot-6 guard/forward, had four points in 10 minutes against Virginia Tech and two points in seven minutes against Georgia. He’s averaging 3.2 points and 13.2 minutes through the first six games.
After redshirting with a foot injury in 2017-18, his junior season, Ahrens returned to action last season and averaged a career-best 4.7 points per game in 18.8 minutes per game. He made eight starts.
» LOOKING BACK: Ahrens brothers meet on court last season
However, his injury history caused him to consider not coming back for his last season.
“With how many injuries I’ve been through, mentally and physically, I thought about hanging up the shoes,” Ahrens said, “but I wanted to give it one more try. Especially when I got to experience the Final Four and saw what that was like, it was kind of hard to pass up.”
Michigan State finished 32-7 last season and reached the national semifinals before losing 61-51 to Texas Tech. Ahrens battled a back injury throughout the season and then suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the Big Ten tournament final against Michigan.
Ahrens returned to practice in July, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said, and had a healthy summer.
“We really missed him in the NCAA tournament,” Izzo said in October. “He was playing 18, 19 minutes a game, and I think we got in foul trouble, and having him out really hurt us in those games, but he’s come back and has really been one of our vocal leaders. He is one of our best athletes, and I think he’s been kind of a forgotten man here in a lot of ways.”
» PAST COVERAGE: No beating these driven Ahrens brothers
Ahrens has focused on staying healthy this season.
“It’s been the main focal point for me,” he said. “These guys are so great. That’s what I came back. I love these guys so much. It’s more than a team. It’s a family here.”
Speaking of family. The entire Ahrens family will have an extra reason to celebrate Michigan State’s Senior Night this season. The Spartans play Ohio State on March in the regular-season finale, which will be the final home game for Kyle, and his brother Justin Ahrens is averaging 4.5 points in his sophomore season with the Buckeyes.
“It’s going to be a special night for me and my family,” Kyle said. “The whole town’s going.”
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