MSU's Fears Expects More from Himself, Team after Sloppy OSU Win
In this story:
EAST LANSING, Mich. --- Jeremy Fears Jr. is usually one of the upbeat talkers on Michigan State.
He's probably the guy who has to answer the most questions from media members in the program after head coach Tom Izzo. Fears, especially after wins, always gives thoughtful, complete answers to said questions, and it's not unusual for him to be smiling as he does so.
That wasn't really the case after No. 15 MSU's shaky 66-60 victory over Ohio State on Sunday. Fears still answered every question in full, but he wasn't really his normal, semi-cheerful self. His voice was a little bit quieter, and it was just a bit more business-like. It's evident in his words, too, but it was clear from his body language that he wasn't particularly pleased with how Sunday's game went.
"We need to get better," Fears said. "We need to find the why. Why did that happen? Why does it keep happening? At the end of the day, we need to be playing our best basketball, now going into March, going into the tournament, going into finishing the season. It's getting close to one-and-done time, whether it's the [Big Ten] tournament or whether it's March Madness."
More from Jeremy Fears Jr.
Where MSU Came Up Short
One problem that has appeared in past games this season has been Michigan State's tendency to turn it over too much in the opening minutes and sequences of games. MSU literally turned it over six seconds into the game on Sunday, when Fears thought Coen Carr would remain at his spot in the left wing or corner, but Carr cut to the basket and wasn't looking at Fears as he sent the pass in the direction of where Carr once stood.
Fears ended up having a below-average day passing the ball. The bar for "average" is pretty high for Fears, in fairness --- he entered Sunday averaging a Division I-best 9.3 assists per game and just 2.1 turnovers per game. Fears "only" had eight assists in this one, breaking a four-game streak of 10+ assists. He also had four turnovers, which tied his season-high with two other games.
"We didn't have great possessions," Fears said about the team's start, which contributed to the Spartans scoring a season-low 23 first-half points. "A lot of that falls on me, just understanding what I need to do, how I can help the team and whatnot. Overall, it just needs to be better on my part."
At the end of the day, Michigan State is still 22-5 overall, 12-4 during Big Ten play, and in position for a top-4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. This was not MSU's best game by any stretch, but there is still time.
Keep up with all our content when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be sure to share your thoughts on Michigan State's win vs. Ohio State when you join our community group, Go Green Go White, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE. Don't forget to give us a follow on X @MSUSpartansOnSI as well.
Never again miss one major story related to your beloved Spartans when you sign up for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes straight to your email with the latest news. SIGN UP HERE NOW
Tom Izzo Press Conference
A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
Follow jacobcotsonika