East Lansing, Mich. - Big news for Michigan State fans: Jeremy Fears Jr., the redshirt sophomore sensation, has been named a finalist for the prestigious 2026 Bob Cousy Award. This accolade, handed out by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, recognizes the top point guard in men's college basketball.
Fears has been instrumental in propelling the Spartans to a No. 8 ranking in both the Associated Press Top 25 and ESPN Coaches polls. Wrapping up the regular season with a solid 25-6 record and a 15-5 run in the Big Ten, Michigan State is looking formidable.
As one of the team captains, Fears has been a standout on the court. He leads the Spartans with an impressive 15.3 points per game, placing him 16th in the Big Ten.
But it’s his playmaking skills that truly set him apart. Averaging 9.1 assists per game, Fears not only tops the Big Ten but leads the entire nation.
His knack for finding open teammates is complemented by his stellar free throw shooting, ranking fifth in the conference at 89.0%, and his remarkable assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.13, second in the Big Ten.
In conference play, Fears upped his game even more, finishing 11th in scoring at 17.6 points per game and tying a league record with 8.8 assists per game over 20 contests. His 281 total assists this season are the second-highest in Michigan State history, just 11 shy of breaking Cassius Winston's school record.
Fans can get in on the action starting Friday, March 13, as Fan Voting opens at 1 p.m. (ET) on hoophallawards.com. Your vote will be part of the selection process, counting as one committee vote.
The finalists will soon be evaluated by Bob Cousy and the Hall of Fame's selection committees, which include top figures from men's college basketball. The winner of the Cousy Award will join the Men's Starting Five, alongside honorees for the Jerry West, Julius Erving, Karl Malone, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Awards.
As the Spartans gear up for the Big Ten Tournament, they've secured the No. 3 seed and will face the winner of No. 6 seed UCLA against either Rutgers or Minnesota. Catch the action on March 13, shortly after the first game of the evening session, which tips off at 6:30 p.m.
(ET). Michigan State fans, get ready - it’s going to be an exciting ride!