EAST LANSING - Michigan State got the kind of exhibition that exposes everything.
Against No. 5 UConn on Tuesday night at Breslin Center, the sixth-ranked Spartans were pushed around by the Huskies’ size and experience in a 78-70 loss, one that left Tom Izzo without the revenge he wanted after last year’s exhibition defeat and the Sweet 16 exit against Dan Hurley’s team.
Jeremy Fears Jr. kept MSU afloat for long stretches, finishing with 23 points and eight assists while fighting through an ankle injury he picked up early in the second half. He went 12-for-14 at the free-throw line and made 5 of 12 shots overall. Freshman Jasiah Jervis added 11 points and hit two 3-pointers off the bench, and no other Spartan reached double figures.
UConn’s Nik Khamenia scored 19 points and Silas Demary Jr. added 16. The Huskies, who lost to Michigan in the national title game in April after knocking out Michigan State, stretched the lead to as many as 15 with 5:51 remaining. MSU never got closer than seven over the final four minutes.
For a moment, Fears looked every bit the explosive guard MSU needs. With 6:22 left in the first half, he sliced through the lane, rose over Colben Landrew and threw down a vicious tomahawk dunk while Hines came from behind trying to block it. It was the kind of play that reminded everyone of the burst he showed as a freshman in 2023.
Then came the scare.
Early in the second half, Fears drove left, scooped in a layup and came down on Landrew with 17:53 left. He grabbed at his left ankle and lower leg, drew a hush from the Breslin crowd and limped to the bench before checking himself out.
After treatment, he returned with 15:44 left. Izzo told him to take it easy.
Izzo kept searching for the right combinations all night. He started 7-2 transfer Anton Bonke at center, then quickly turned to 6-11 Jesse McCulloch. At the start of the second half, 7-2 freshman Ethan Taylor moved into the starting group alongside Fears, Jordan Scott, Coen Carr and Cam Ward.
The Spartans used 11 players in the first half and shuffled lineups often. Jervis was the first guard off the bench, while Carlos Medlock Jr. rotated in at point guard. That pairing helped fuel an 8-2 opening burst to trim a 30-22 halftime deficit to two.
Still, the rotation never fully settled. Carr had a rough opening half and didn’t score in 15 minutes before finishing with eight points and four rebounds after halftime. Scott, meanwhile, showed signs of growth from the teams’ March meeting in the NCAA Tournament, giving MSU physical defense, active hands and five rebounds in 30 minutes while scoring seven points.
McCulloch followed his 20-point outing against Incarnate Word with six points and four rebounds in 16 minutes against UConn. Ward made his first appearance after sitting out the opener and finished with four points and six rebounds in 24 minutes. Bonke played only six first-half minutes, then sat the rest of the way, ending with two points and three rebounds.
The game also laid bare the rough edges. MSU turned it over 10 times before halftime, four of them by Fears, and finished with just two second-half turnovers. At the stripe, the Spartans were shaky early and ended up 25-for-34.
The bigger issue was the perimeter. UConn went 10-for-25 from beyond the arc, and MSU never found a way to clean up the line. On the other end, the Spartans managed only 3 of 20 from 3-point range, which made the comeback push even harder.
Jervis had one of the night’s bright spots when he drilled a 3 on his first shot after checking in with 15:35 left in the first half. He also hit a wall when he tried to drive into the Huskies’ defense and got blocked for a turnover.
Medlock had his own baptism by fire against a bigger, more seasoned backcourt and finished with two points, one assist and a 1-for-7 shooting line. Taylor showed toughness and a knack for scoring in the post, finishing with five points and two rebounds. Julius Avent did not play.
MSU now heads to Milwaukee on Sunday to finish exhibition play against Shaka Smart and Marquette at 1 p.m. on YouTube. The Spartans opened the preseason with a win over Incarnate Word a month before their Nov. 2 regular-season opener against Quinnipiac.
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Michigan State Suddenly Has A Jeremy Fears Jr. Concern Before Marquette
Jeremy Fears Jr. gave Michigan State a brief scare when he landed awkwardly in a recent game, the kind of moment that can change a game plan in a hurry. He returned, kept playing and finished without any apparent issues, which is why the Spartans are not treating the situation like a long-term concern heading into their matchup with Marquette.
Still, Tom Izzo is not brushing past it completely. Fears and the coach both expect him to play, but Izzo said he will remain cautious based on medical advice, and that leaves a small layer of uncertainty around the Spartans backcourt. If Fears is limited or unavailable, freshman Carlos Medlock Jr. would be in line to handle point guard duties, giving Michigan State at least one clear fallback if the game takes an unexpected turn. [Read more 🡒]
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At Michigan State, Polisky will be expected to help push athletic department revenue higher while taking on oversight of both football and mens golf. It is the kind of hire that can quietly shape a departments direction, and in East Lansing it is likely to draw close attention not just for what Polisky has done before, but for how Michigan State uses this new structure moving forward. [Read more 🡒]