Michigan State wasted little time turning a close start into a runaway, rolling past Toledo 91-61 at the Breslin Center to move to 2-0.
Toledo struck first with a basket from Angel Montas Jr., but that was about as good as it got for the Rockets early. Michigan State answered with the next 17 points, and freshman Jasiah Jervis was right in the middle of the surge, putting up 8 points during the run as the Spartans grabbed control and never really loosened their grip.
By halftime, the game had already tilted hard in Michigan State’s favor. Jervis did most of his damage from the perimeter and finished the first 20 minutes with 13 points, helping the Spartans build a 48-25 cushion. Toledo shot just 25% from the field in the opening half, while Michigan State hit 56% of its attempts.
The second half brought more of the same. Michigan State came out and pushed the lead to 29 points almost immediately, with Jeremy Fears Jr. steering the offense and creating clean looks while also scoring himself. Toledo never generated a serious answer, and the Spartans eventually stretched the margin to as many as 33.
With the outcome settled, Tom Izzo was able to mix and match lineups and keep learning what works. Anton Bonke gave Michigan State 9 points and 7 rebounds in only 13 minutes. Kaleb Glenn added 8 points and 6 rebounds, Ethan Taylor posted 8 points and 5 rebounds, and Carlos Medlock Jr. finished with 7 points and 2 assists.
Jervis led the way with 16 points and 5 rebounds, knocking down 4 of 7 shots from deep. Fears finished with 12 points and 9 assists, Jordan Scott contributed 12 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists, and Coen Carr added 10 points and 5 rebounds.
Michigan State’s physical edge showed up everywhere. The Spartans controlled the glass 52-27 and paired that with 22 assists on 29 made field goals. There were still some rough edges, though, including 14 turnovers and 15 missed free throws.
The broadcast had a little fun too, with Jason Benetti and Robbie Hummel working in a Seinfeld reference about Jon Voight’s car.
Through two games, Michigan State has looked big, tough and physical, the kind of team Tom Izzo likes to coach. The real test comes next: No.
2 Duke in the Champions Classic on Nov. 10.
In Other News...
Michigan State Just Gave Pat Fitzgerald His First Defining Win
Michigan States 15-6 win over Michigan gave Pat Fitzgerald a signature moment early in his tenure, and it came in the kind of game that can tell you a lot about a programs direction. The Spartans had to piece things together through injuries and roster challenges, but they still found enough from Tommy Carr, Brandon Tullis, Chrishon McCray and a steady special teams effort to grind out a result that felt bigger than a single rivalry game.
For Fitzgerald, the value of the victory goes beyond the scoreboard. Michigan State did not just survive a difficult afternoon, it showed the sort of toughness and structure that coaches spend months trying to build, especially when the roster is stretched thin. A win like this can become a reference point for a new era, and the Spartans now have one to point to as they keep shaping what this team is supposed to look like. [Read more 🡒]
Mark Dantonio Had The Perfect Reaction To Michigan State's Rivalry Win
Michigan States rivalry win over Michigan landed as one of those results that instantly travels beyond the box score, especially with the Spartans pulling it off as a double-digit underdog. The game had the kind of defensive edge that tends to define this matchup, and for a program still measuring itself against its biggest in-state rival, it carried the sort of weight that goes well beyond one afternoon.
Mark Dantonio noticed. The former Michigan State coach took to social media to celebrate the upset, nodding back to his famous line about the rivalry and reminding everyone how deeply these games can resonate around East Lansing. Under current coach Pat Fitzgerald, the Spartans now have a victory that fits squarely into the programs larger culture, even if the conversation around it is still very much alive. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Just Exposed A Bigger Problem Than Losing To Michigan State
Michigans 15-6 loss to Michigan State did more than flip the scoreboard in a rivalry game where the Wolverines were favored by two touchdowns. It put a spotlight on the kind of offensive unraveling that has followed Michigan through stretches of the 2026 season, with just 192 total yards, four turnovers and a ground game that was outperformed by the Spartans.
For Michigan State, the win was the cleanest possible answer to a game the Wolverines were expected to control, but the bigger takeaway for the maize-and-blue side is how many problems surfaced at once. The offense never found rhythm, the coaching decisions came under scrutiny and even special teams became part of the conversation, leaving Michigan with more to sort through than a single bad result. [Read more 🡒]