Michigan State walked into Sunday already carrying plenty of baggage from a rough weekend, and the basketball team didn’t exactly lighten the mood with a loss to Marquette in the exhibition finale. But even in a game that went into the books as another setback, two names rose to the top fast: Jasiah Jervis and Jordan Scott.
Jervis was the game’s leading scorer with 19 points, doing his damage on 5-of-8 shooting and knocking down 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. He eventually fouled out, but Michigan State leaned on him as its most reliable offensive threat.
He kept firing with a hand in his face and looked comfortable doing it. Based on what he’s shown through two real exhibition games, Jervis looks like he may be at his best when he’s taking 10-15 shots a night and converting somewhere near the 50 percent mark.
Scott wasn’t far behind. He finished with 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting and went 3-for-7 from deep, while also standing out in just about every other way.
He keeps making the right play, which is part of why scouts are starting to pay attention and why NBA draft buzz is building around him. On Sunday, he looked every bit like a player who belongs at the center of Michigan State’s offense.
If those two keep producing like that, Michigan State should be in decent shape once the rest of the roster settles in. The Spartans are still waiting for Coen Carr, Kur Teng, Carlos Medlock, Cam Ward, Anton Bonke, and Kaleb Glenn to find their footing, but Jervis and Scott gave the team something to build around.
That mattered because the Spartans had been stuck in a shooting slump all week, and those two at least kept the exhibition losses from turning into something uglier.
The bigger issue, though, is what Michigan State got from everyone else.
Jeremy Fears Jr. has been battling, and nobody can question his effort, but his shot still has room to improve. Through two exhibition games, he’s leaned too heavily on getting to the free throw line. Beyond Jervis, Scott, and Fears, the production just hasn’t been there.
At center, McCulloch got the start and was solid enough overall, but Sunday wasn’t one of his better outings. He finished with four points and one rebound, and that kind of output won’t be enough when the competition ramps up against Duke, Gonzaga, or Arkansas.
Several other Spartans were quiet or cold at the same time. Teng shot 1-for-7.
Carr went 3-for-7. Ward scored three points, grabbed four rebounds, and didn’t take a shot.
Medlock finished 1-for-4. Glenn, Bonke, and Ethan Taylor combined for zero points.
For Tom Izzo, the Marquette game likely reinforced plenty of concerns as he sorts through what went wrong against the Golden Eagles and UConn. Michigan State can survive nights like this only if the rest of the roster comes around. If Teng, Ward, Medlock, Glenn, Taylor, and Bonke are all struggling together, the Spartans aren’t going to win many games.
For now, Sunday looked like a warning shot and a reminder. Jervis and Scott are ready. The rest of Michigan State still has work to do.
In Other News...
Michigan State Fans Had Another Reason To Be Frustrated After UCLA
UCLAs 28-10 win over Michigan State at the Rose Bowl did more than push the Bruins to 7-0 and keep their College Football Playoff hopes intact. For the Spartans, it was another frustrating afternoon in a game that started with early miscues and never really gave them much traction, even as Bob Chesney pointed to the two costly fumbles that handed Michigan State favorable field position and return yards.
By halftime, UCLA had steadied itself and played a cleaner second half to close out the victory, leaving Michigan State to regroup after a loss that never felt far away but also never felt truly winnable. And while the action on the field was enough to drive plenty of reaction, the game also drew a separate wave of attention online as photos of UCLA cheerleader Kelsey Lowder spread across social media, adding an unexpected layer to an already talked-about night in Pasadena. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Already Has One Worry As Its Backcourt Takes Shape
Michigan States backcourt is starting to look like the clear strength of Tom Izzos newest group, with Jeremy Fears Jr., Jasiah Jervis and Jordan Scott all starting together in recent exhibition action. Scott, in particular, offered a glimpse of how much he can help on both ends, scoring 18 points while also making his presence felt defensively with blocks and steals, which is the kind of two-way lift the Spartans can build around as the season approaches.
The concern, though, is in front of that perimeter trio, where the frontcourt left more questions than answers. Center Anton Bonke had limited impact, while power forwards Cam Ward and Coen Carr were uneven, leaving Michigan State with some real work to do in the paint before the games start counting. The guard play looks ready to carry a significant load, but the Spartans still need the interior rotation to settle in if they want the rest of the roster to match that progress. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Volleyball Heads Home With Real Big Ten Momentum
Michigan State wrapped up a four-match road trip in convincing fashion, finishing with a 3-0 sweep at Maryland and heading back home with its Big Ten standing looking a lot stronger. The Spartans are 17-3 overall and 7-3 in conference play after controlling the match in just about every phase, from kills and service aces to blocks and digs.
Madi Andrews supplied 12 kills and Hayley Ogden added seven blocks as Michigan State kept Maryland from finding much rhythm on its home floor. With the Spartans now back in East Lansing, the bigger question is how this momentum carries into the next stretch of league play, where every clean road result can shape the conference race. [Read more 🡒]