Michigan State Surges Into Top 10 After Dominant Week
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Michigan State basketball put together an impressive week, earning two dominant wins against Indiana and Washington to further solidify its status as a Big Ten contender.
The Spartans opened the week with an 81–60 home victory over Indiana, pulling away with a dominant second half. Michigan State followed that up with an 80–63 road win over the Washington Huskies, who now sit at 10–8 on the season. With both wins coming by more than 15 points, Michigan State is beginning to look like a legitimate candidate to repeat as Big Ten regular-season champions.
Those performances have not gone unnoticed nationally. Michigan State has climbed back into the CBS Sports Top 25 and 1 rankings compiled by Gary Parrish.
Last week, Parrish placed the Spartans at No. 11 following a 29-point win over USC and a solid performance against Northwestern. After the convincing wins over Indiana and Washington, Michigan State jumped three spots to No. 8. The Spartans currently rank fourth among Big Ten teams on the list, trailing only Nebraska (No. 2), Purdue (No. 5), and Michigan (No. 6).
Michigan States Week Against Indiana and Washington
Against Indiana, it was the Jeremy Fears Jr. show. The sophomore guard posted a career-high 23 points, scoring 19 of them in the first half while accounting for Michigan State’s first 10 points of the game. Fears also recorded 10 assists and two steals, controlling the game on both ends of the floor.
Jaxon Kohler also delivered a strong performance against the Hoosiers, finishing with a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double on 5-of-9 shooting. Kur Teng and Jordan Scott each added 11 points, combining to shoot 8-of-16 from the field and 6-of-11 from three-point range.
In the road win against Washington, Kohler struggled to find his rhythm offensively. He finished with a season-low seven points on 3-of-11 shooting and went 0-for-5 from beyond the arc, marking the first time he failed to make a three-pointer since Michigan State’s win over Penn State.
Once again, Fears stepped up in Kohler’s absence, leading the Spartans with 19 points on an efficient 6-of-9 shooting performance. He also contributed five assists and three steals, continuing his strong all-around play.
Michigan State’s bench was a major factor in the win over Washington, outscoring the Huskies’ reserves 31–7. Freshman forwards Jordan Scott and Cam Ward each scored six points while combining for 10 rebounds on 6-of-10 shooting from the field.
Kur Teng led the bench with 11 points on 3-of-8 shooting. While his efficiency was not ideal, Teng has embraced his role as the team’s sixth man and continues to provide reliable production off the bench.
With two convincing wins and growing national recognition, Michigan State appears to be hitting its stride at the right time. Balanced scoring, elite guard play from Jeremy Fears Jr., and a productive bench have given the Spartans a formula for sustained success. Michigan State will look to keep the momentum going in its next matchup against Oregon, a team dealing with key injuries and a disappointing season, presenting another opportunity for MSU to make a statement on the road.
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