Josiah Jervis didn’t just steady himself against Toledo - he took over the first half and gave Michigan State exactly the kind of response Tom Izzo was looking for after the freshman’s uneven debut.
With 55 seconds left before halftime, Jervis drilled his third 3-pointer of the half and pushed himself to 13 points, already the top total on the floor. By the time No. 6 Michigan State finished off a 91-61 win, the freshman guard had a team-high 16 points and helped the Spartans post their second straight game above 90.
Jervis was especially sharp from long range, going 3-for-3 from deep as MSU shot 41.7% from 3-point range overall. Sophomore forward Jordan Scott and freshman guard Carlos Medlock Jr. each added two made 3s as part of the Spartans’ perimeter production.
“I was comfortable in the first game. It's just that shots wasn’t falling,” Jervis said.
“Second game just hit my open shots. If Fears hits me, I've got to be confident in myself to hit those shots.”
That bounce-back mattered after Jervis opened his college career with just four points. He became the first freshman to start a season opener for the Spartans since Max Christie, and against Toledo he looked far more settled.
Michigan State also controlled the game in the areas Izzo values most. The Spartans owned the glass, finishing with 52 rebounds and 16 offensive boards while beating Toledo by 27 on the boards.
It was MSU’s biggest rebounding night since a 90-46 win over Western Michigan on Nov. 12, 2021.
That edge turned into 27 second-chance points and helped bury a Toledo team that shot 33.3% from the field and 23.8% from 3.
The cleanest part of the box score, though, was not the turnovers or the free throws. MSU committed 10 turnovers in the first half and finished with 14, and the Spartans again had trouble at the line, making just 60.5% of their 38 free throws. Those issues could loom larger against stronger opponents, starting with Duke.
“The free throw shooting, we work on it morning, noon and night,” Izzo said. “We shoot every night before the game.
We shoot 90-some percent every time. I don’t know what to say about that.”
Even with those blemishes, the scoring balance was there. Four Spartans reached double figures, following a game against Quinnipiac in which six players got there.
Scott turned in a little bit of everything with 12 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Fears Jr. also scored 12 and came within one assist of a double-double, finishing with nine to go with two steals.
Coen Carr added 10, while Anton Bonke finished with nine. Kaleb Glenn and Ethan Taylor chipped in eight apiece.
“I ain’t worried about Jordan Scott, and he’s playing above where I thought he’d be,” Izzo said.
“I had 10 scorers and one of them wasn’t Cam Ward,” Izzo said. “Those are going to be big positives. I just need my best players to play their best and the role players to play their roles, and we’ll get there.”
Michigan State is now 2-0 and heads to Chicago for the Champions Classic against No. 2 Duke, also 2-0.
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the United Center, with the game on ESPN.
In Other News...
Michigan State Heads Into Michigan Week With A Major Roster Concern
Michigan States first Big Ten availability report for Michigan week brought the kind of injury picture no team wants to see before a rivalry game. Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic and safety Devin Vaught were both listed as questionable, while 13 players were ruled out for the matchup, including key starters Ben Roberts and Jaziun Patterson. It leaves the Spartans heading into one of the biggest dates on the calendar with a roster that is already thinner than they would prefer.
Pat Fitzgerald has already pointed to the significance of the rivalry and the work the Spartans have put into their preparation, but the availability report adds another layer of uncertainty as kickoff approaches. For Michigan State, the issue is not just who can suit up, but how many of the players it counts on most will actually be available when the game finally arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Hockey Brings Real Momentum Into A Huge Munn Showdown
Michigan States trip through the 2026 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game gave the Spartans exactly the kind of early-season jolt a top team wants. A win over No. 8 North Dakota came with impact plays from Cayden Lindstrom and Anthony Romani, and Romanis night was strong enough to bring both B1G Second Star of the Week recognition and Player of the Game honors. It also fit the larger picture around a program that is ranked No. 3 nationally and loaded with NHL draft picks, a roster built to handle nights like this.
Adam Nightingales milestone added another layer to the momentum. The head coach reached 100 career wins faster than anyone in Michigan State history, a neat marker for a program that has moved quickly under his watch and now heads toward a major Munn Ice Arena showdown with real confidence. For the Spartans, the challenge is no longer proving they belong in the national conversation. It is keeping that edge when the spotlight gets even brighter. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Gets An Early Test It Can't Overlook Inside
Toledo opened its season with a narrow loss to Arkansas State, but there was enough in that debut to suggest the Rockets may not be walking into East Lansing simply to make up the numbers. Several key players turned in promising individual efforts, including career highs and double-doubles, giving Toledo a few early signs of what this group can be if it cleans up the rough edges from its opener.
No. 6 Michigan State is a different level of test, especially on the road, where the Spartans have historically had the upper hand in recent meetings with Toledo. For the Rockets, the challenge is not just surviving an early-season trip against a ranked opponent, but proving the positives from game one can carry over against a team that has made a habit of controlling this series. [Read more 🡒]