Reasons MSU Fans Shouldn’t Worry About Basketball

The Michigan State Spartans suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of the Duke Blue Devils on Saturday afternoon, 66-60.

The game came down to Duke having Cameron Boozer, and the Spartans not having a player of his caliber. The Spartans played a good basketball game, but the talent gap between the two teams was too much for MSU to overcome.

MSU is no longer undefeated and should drop in the polls, but fans should not worry that the Spartans do not have championship aspirations, because they still do.

Let’s break down why any fans pushing doomsday need to pump the brakes.

Don't panic about MSU

Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr., right, moves the ball as Duke's Caleb Foster defends during the second half on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Spartans are still one of the best teams in the nation, and Saturday’s game showed that, despite the loss. MSU just missed too many good looks from beyond the arc; if the Spartans had hit a few more shots, the game could have been theirs.

MSU fell apart down the stretch, and the Blue Devils took advantage of it and made their free throws. The Spartans also don’t play their best basketball in Nov or Dec, often saving it for the end of the season.

MSU’s best basketball is yet to come, and it should be considered an encouraging sign that the Spartans played as well as they did yesterday. Fans should feel good about where this team is.

Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr.’s offensive performance was not encouraging, however. He missed every shot from the floor, and the Spartans probably win the game if he hits three or four of his jump shots.

Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) reacts after being called a personal foul during the second half against Duke at Breslin Center in East Lansing on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Spartans need Fears to be a more significant contributor in the half-court offense if the team wants to reach its ceiling. He cannot have a goose-egg game and expect the team to skate by.

Otherwise, there were plenty of encouraging elements of Saturday’s game that the team can carry moving forward. Jaxon Kohler looks like he can seriously carry this offense, and Coen Carr stepped up in a big game.

Michigan State forward Coen Carr (55) dribbles against Duke guard Dame Sarr (7) during the first half at Breslin Center in East Lansing on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Spartans have a few more non-conference games before Big Ten play starts, and the worst part of the early-season gauntlet is over. MSU can play some inferior opponents and add more victories to its record.

MSU will not get knocked very far for losing to Duke, and one could even argue that the six-point loss was maybe not reflective of how close the game really was.

This team is going to be fine.

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