REPORT: Spartans Possess the Best Guard Play in Big Ten

According to one college basketball analytics expert, the Michigan State Spartans possess four of the Big Ten's best guards. They may have the best all-around guard play in the entire conference.

Feb 21, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) handles the ball during the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images | Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

The No. 14 Michigan State Spartans (22-5, 13-3) possess some of the most talented guard play in the country but may just have the best backcourt in the Big Ten. One expert has determined the Big Ten's Top 14 guards and the Spartans occupy four of those spots, the most of any other Big Ten team.

College basketball analytics expert Evan Miyakawa listed each of the Spartans' impact guards on the Big Ten's best list. Freshman Jase Richardson (No. 5), senior Jaden Akins (No. 6), junior Tre Holloman (No. 7), and redshirt freshman Jeremy Fears Jr. (No. 13) were all graded as top Big Ten performers.

Miyakawa gathered data using his Bayesian Performance Rating (BPR). The metric is used to measure a player's overall value on the court by analyzing offensive and defensive contributions such as individual stats, on-court impact, and strength of opponents.

Simply speaking, the Spartans guards have impacted winning better than any group of players in the conference. They may not have the highest BPR rating like Purdue junior guard Braden Smith, but the combined production is why Michigan State is one of the country's top teams.

These four Spartan guards combined for 60 of the team's 75 points in last Friday's road rivalry win over No. 12 Michigan (20-6, 12-3). Richardson posted a team-high 21 points, Holloman poured in 18, while Akins scored 11 and Fears with 10. They could not have expected better in a must-win contest.

It has been quite some time since the Spartans possessed several different impact pieces at the guard position. They have the most depth of any team in the conference with no shortage of talent, considering they currently sit at the top of the conference standings.

Looking around the rest of the list, there are several other players who may average more points and have found greater success this season than the four Spartans. However, no Big Ten team has the luxury of mixing and matching multiple lineups and still receiving the same winning result.

As the conference tournament and NCAA Tournament approach, the Spartans' guard play success will be more and more significant as the postseason progresses. If they are able to put together a performance like the one against their in-state rival, the sky is the limit for this group.

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