How Fears Setting Tone as MSU Leaves for West Coast Trip
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After a big home win against Indiana, Michigan State basketball will begin its West Coast road trip in Seattle, Washington, where the Spartans will take on the Washington Huskies.
Against Indiana, it was the Jeremy Fears show from the opening tip. Fears scored the Spartans’ first 10 points of the game, and Michigan State didn’t get its first non-Fears basket until Jaxon Kohler hit a three-pointer more than 10 minutes into the contest.
Fears has now scored in double figures in five straight games. While he has had nights where he struggled from the field—such as a 2-for-8 performance against Nebraska—he has consistently found ways to impact the game by getting to the free-throw line. Against the Hoosiers, Fears recorded a career-high 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field while going 6-of-8 from the stripe.
Michigan State is a much better team when Fears is not only scoring at a high level but doing so efficiently. In the Spartans’ two losses this season, against Nebraska and Duke, Fears shot a combined 2-for-18 from the field and 0-for-6 from three-point range.
By contrast, in recent double-digit wins over Indiana, Cornell, and USC, Fears has shot a combined 21-for-38 from the field, 4-for-14 from beyond the arc, and 13-for-16 from the free-throw line.
If Michigan State hopes to leave Seattle with a win, Fears will need to replicate the level of play he showed against Indiana.
Scouting Washington
Washington is coming off an 82-72 home loss to Michigan, which marked just its second home loss of the season. The Huskies struggled to contain the Wolverines’ frontcourt, as Aday Mara (20 points), Morez Johnson Jr. (16 points, 16 rebounds), and Yaxel Lendeborg (14 points) all finished in double figures.
Despite the loss, Washington showed offensive balance, with five players scoring in double digits. Freshman guard JJ Mandaquit led the team with a career-high 15 points, while Quimari Peterson added 13, Zoom Diallo scored 12, and Jacob Ognacevic chipped in 10 points in his first game of the season.
Even with the recent loss to Michigan, Washington remains a strong home team and is difficult to beat in Seattle. The Huskies are 7-2 at home this season and rank 50th nationally in KenPom’s overall rankings. Even with the overall 10-7 record and 2-4 record in the Big Ten, Washington is a good team that should not be overlooked.
Washington is led by a talented young duo in freshman center Hannes Steinbach and sophomore guard Zoom Diallo. Steinbach leads the team in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 17.9 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, while Diallo is second on the team in scoring at 14.9 points per game and leads the Huskies with 3.1 assists per contest.
Michigan State enters its West Coast trip playing confident basketball, but the matchup against Washington presents a legitimate road challenge. With the Huskies protecting their home floor and featuring a talented young core, the Spartans will need efficiency, discipline, and leadership—especially from Jeremy Fears. If Fears can once again control the tempo and score efficiently, Michigan State will give itself a strong chance to earn another quality win away from home.
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