Michigan State is 2-0, and the early returns have been about as clean as Tom Izzo could have hoped for.
The sixth-ranked Spartans rolled past Toledo 91-61 on Monday night, turning a fast start into another stress-free home win before the schedule gets real. Freshman two-guard Jasiah Jervis led the way with 16 points, and 13 of those came in the first half as MSU seized control early. The Rockets fell to 0-2.
For Michigan State, the bigger point wasn’t just the final margin. It was the way the Spartans handled the first two games of the season after those exhibition losses to No.
4 UConn and unranked Marquette. Quinnipiac and Toledo were supposed to be the kind of buy games that steady the room, and MSU did exactly that with a 37-point win over Quinnipiac and then this 30-point take-down of Toledo.
Both games were effectively decided before halftime, which is exactly the kind of comfort the Spartans needed before the real test arrives.
That test comes next Tuesday in Chicago against No. 2 Duke in the Champions Classic.
Michigan State has talked like a national title contender, and there may not be a louder early-stage proving ground than a matchup with one of the sport’s most talented teams. The Spartans wanted momentum heading into it, and now they have at least some scoreboard evidence to point to.
The player who keeps jumping off the page is Jordan Scott.
Jeremy Fears Jr. remains Michigan State’s best player and the biggest reason the Spartans are ranked where they are. But Scott looks like the guy who gives this team its most complete package.
He’s bigger, a little quicker, and playing with a confidence that shows up everywhere. He can make a defensive play, push into offense, and affect the game in a bunch of different ways.
One possession he’s blocking a shot, the next he’s finding space on the perimeter, then he’s stripping a ball and finishing a reverse layup.
Scott finished with 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists, and even that line undersells how active he was. His jumper from three and mid-range hasn’t fully come around through the first two games, but Izzo has called him one of the team’s two best shooters, and the shot selection has been solid. The makes should follow.
That gives MSU a backcourt trio worth watching closely. Fears is the All-American passer, Jervis is the crafty scorer, and Scott fills in the rest with a little bit of everything. Together, they’ve given the Spartans a look that feels dangerous.
There is one area, though, that has not come around yet: the free throws.
Michigan State has left too many points at the line in both games. The Spartans shot 15-of-26, or 57.7%, against Quinnipiac, then went 23-of-38, or 60.5%, against Toledo. That’s a lot of missed chances for a team that wants to be taken seriously in tight games later on.
The problem appears to be spread around. Coen Carr, Cam Ward, Anton Bonke, and Ethan Taylor all fit into the bad or not-great free-throw category, and even some of the better shooters on the roster - Fears, Scott, and Carlos Medlock Jr. - have been leaving points out there. That at least gives Michigan State something to monitor rather than panic over.
It’s early, so there’s no need to ring the alarm yet. But this is the kind of detail that can matter a lot more in February or March, when one trip to the line can tilt a Big Ten game or a tournament matchup. Michigan State does not want to be living in the 50s or 60s at the stripe when the margins get thin.
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 🡒]