When you think of a Tom Izzo-coached Michigan State team, a few staples come to mind: toughness, rebounding, and maybe most of all - ball movement. For decades, the Spartans have been among the best in the country at sharing the rock, routinely ranking near the top in assists and producing guards who know how to run an offense with precision. But in their latest outing against a surging Wisconsin squad, that identity seemed to vanish.
Michigan State, now sitting at 20-5 on the season, suffered a lopsided 21-point road loss to the Badgers - a result that wasn’t shocking in terms of outcome, but certainly in the way it unfolded. The Spartans looked out of sync, flat, and most notably, stagnant on offense. And if you’re looking for a stat that tells the story of the night, look no further than the assist column.
Michigan State finished with just 13 assists on 24 made baskets. That’s not a terrible number on its face, but dig a little deeper and the picture gets clearer - and a lot more concerning. Of those 13 assists, 12 came from one player: Jeremy Fears.
Let that sink in.
Fears, one of the most dynamic distributors in college basketball this season, accounted for a staggering 92% of the team’s assists. That’s not just unusual - it’s a red flag.
When a team that prides itself on ball movement becomes that reliant on a single playmaker, the offense becomes predictable and easier to defend. And Wisconsin, a team that’s been playing some of its best basketball of the year, took full advantage.
To really drive home how lopsided the distribution was, consider this: the first assist by a Spartan not named Jeremy Fears didn’t come until there was just 1:30 left in the game. That assist came from freshman Jesse McCulloch - and by then, the game was well out of reach.
Michigan State’s offense thrives when the ball is zipping around the court - from the top of the key to the post, from the post to the wing, and back again. When the ball moves, the defense shifts, and gaps open up.
That’s when the Spartans are at their most dangerous. But against Wisconsin, there was very little of that.
Too many possessions ended after a single pass and a rushed shot. The rhythm just wasn’t there, and it showed in the final score.
This wasn’t just a case of cold shooting or a tough road environment. This was a breakdown in one of the fundamental pillars of Michigan State basketball.
And while Fears continues to show why he's one of the elite point guards in the country, he can't do it alone. The rest of the roster has to get back to moving without the ball, making the extra pass, and creating easier looks for each other.
The good news? This is a fixable issue.
Izzo-coached teams have a history of bouncing back from midseason hiccups, and this group has the talent and experience to do the same. But if the Spartans want to make a serious run in March, they’ll need to rediscover the unselfish, collective offensive identity that’s long been their trademark.
Because when Michigan State is sharing the ball, they’re a different team - and a dangerous one.