Photo: Junfu Han ~ USA TODAY NETWORK
EAST LANSING ~ Michigan State leaned on its young leader and a dominant defensive stretch to pull away from Indiana, earning an 81-60 win at the Breslin Center. Sophomore guard Jeremy Fears Jr. delivered a career night with 23 points, 10 assists and two steals that electrified the home crowd. “I guess I was aggressive,” Fears told WJR’s correspondent Nic Fardella of his first-half approach. “Got a couple buckets and it kind of helped us throughout that first half.”
The Spartans led 39-32 at halftime after a back-and-forth opening period where Indiana’s defensive wrinkles, switching and doubling, forced MSU to adjust. “First half, the offense was a little stagnant,” Fears said. “They were switching everything, so I just took what they gave me.” That adaptability paid off after the break. When Indiana tied the game at 53-53 midway through the second half, Michigan State responded with a decisive 19-0 run fueled by steals, transition buckets and timely 3-pointers.
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(CONTINUED) Fears wasn’t alone in shining for MSU. Senior forward Jaxon Kohler posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore guard Kur Teng and freshman forward Jordan Scott added 11 points apiece. Scott’s perimeter shooting helped stretch Indiana’s defense, and the Spartans dominated the glass, outrebounding the Hoosiers 37-19. Defensively, MSU held Indiana’s top three scorers below their season averages, including senior guard Lamar Wilkerson, who finished with 19 points, but struggled late as the Spartans tightened up.
For Fears, the night was about more than stats, it was about resilience. After battling back from getting shot two years ago, his second-half dunk was a personal milestone. “Just blessed and thank God that I’m still able to jump and dunk,” he said. Head coach Tom Izzo echoed that sentiment, praising his team’s growth: “They’re growing, every game they’re still getting better, and they’re just developing.” With the win, Michigan State improves to 15-2 (5-1 Big Ten) and heads west to face Washington on Saturday night.
