MSU's Fears on Loss to Michigan, First-Half Kick of Cadeau

ANN ARBOR, Mich. --- Just when all the discussion about Jeremy Fears Jr.'s alleged "dirty" form of basketball seemed to die down, it started back up again on Sunday.

During the first half of No. 8 Michigan State's eventual 90-80 loss to No. 3 Michigan on Sunday, Fears was fouled by UM guard Elliot Cadeau. While falling forward after the contact, Fears' right foot went up and ending up kicking Cadeau's groin area. The officials reviewed it and assessed Fears a deadball technical foul.

Jeremy Fears Jr. was assessed a contact dead ball technical foul for this play. pic.twitter.com/NIGNUpYKQ8
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 8, 2026

"I probably should've just fell," Fears said about it after the game. "It's an unfortunate situation; it's hurting the team. You just can't have it."

It was a pretty similar play to one that happened back on MSU's game at Feb. 4 against Minnesota involving Fears, so this is not a one-time thing. The discussion really heated up after Michigan head coach Dusty May called several plays involving Fears and the Spartans "very dangerous" during the two rivals' first meeting on Jan. 30. Fears got a flagrant 1 foul called on him in that game, and video of another play that went uncalled seemed to show him tripping UM's Yaxel Lendeborg.

Video of Fears Postgame

More on Fears' Situation

Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr. leaves the court after the Spartans loss to Michigan on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Crisler crowd certainly reacted pretty heavily to that play, with a quite loud "Oh!" echoing through the arena once the replay was shown. There were also several "F*** you, Fears" chants spread out during the game as well.

"Honestly, I don't really care," Fears said about the crowd's chants. "It's basketball. I've been playing for a while [in front of] high school crowds, all that. Not one of those people can be out here playing and doing what we do, so at the same time, it's just all talk."

Fears, Izz — Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr., left, talks with head coach Tom Izzo during the second half in the game against Michigan on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One thing that was clear about this play is that Fears still has Tom Izzo in his corner. Michigan State's head coach defended Fears during a mid-game interview on CBS and also after the game.

"I don't think he did anything on purpose," Izzo said. "I think it was a reaction... I did what I was going to do: I chewed him out for it, but I watched it on tape. The guy's pushing him in the back, and sometimes that stuff happens."

The problem here is that Fears is never getting the benefit of the doubt in these situations anymore, whether that's fair or not. He's now a repeat offender in this realm, so officials are naturally going to keep a bit of a distrustful eye when officiating him now. Whenever a coach or a player asserts that Fears did something dirty, the official is much more inclined to believe that accusation has merit than they did before that first game against the Wolverines.

Michigan State cannot afford to let this happen in postseason play. Fears is still probably the most valuable player to his team in the entire Big Ten. If he has to leave the court because of something like this in a Big Ten or NCAA Tournament game, calling it anything short of extremely damaging would be a kind way of putting it.