Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo is facing a critical stretch of the season with a backcourt in flux - and no shortage of drama surrounding his star point guard.
Sophomore guard Divine Ugochukwu is officially done for the year after suffering a left foot injury during the Spartans’ upset loss at Minnesota. Izzo confirmed Friday that Ugochukwu will need surgery, a blow to a team already navigating a turbulent week and now down a key rotation piece just as the Big Ten title race heats up.
Ugochukwu, a transfer from Miami (Fla.), has quietly become one of the Spartans’ most reliable perimeter threats. He’s started 12 games this season, averaging 5.1 points in just over 16 minutes per game, and leads all regulars in three-point shooting at a scorching 44.2 percent clip (19-for-42).
His 23-point outburst at Penn State earlier this season was a reminder that he’s capable of swinging a game when called upon. But his value extended beyond scoring - he served as the primary backup to Jeremy Fears, giving Izzo flexibility with his lineups and a steady hand when Fears needed a breather.
Now, that responsibility shifts to Denham Wojcik, while Samford transfer Trey Fort is expected to see a bump in minutes at shooting guard. Fort has averaged 4.3 points per game in limited action, but with Ugochukwu sidelined, he’ll be asked to do more - and fast.
The timing couldn’t be tougher. No.
10 Michigan State (19-4, 9-3 Big Ten) hosts No. 5 Illinois (20-3, 11-1) on Saturday in a game that could have major implications for the Big Ten title race.
The Illini are rolling, and the Spartans can’t afford to slip further behind in the standings.
But the injury news is only part of the story. The bigger spotlight is on Fears - for both his play and his behavior.
Fears, who’s emerged as one of the top point guards in the country with averages of 14.7 points and 8.9 assists per game, has found himself at the center of controversy after a pair of incidents in back-to-back losses. First, he tripped Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg in a heated rivalry game - a move Michigan head coach Dusty May called out publicly, hinting that there was more “dangerous” footage on the game tape. Then, against Minnesota, Fears was hit with a technical foul after kicking Gophers guard Langston Reynolds in the groin area following a foul.
Izzo didn’t mince words after the Minnesota game, saying Fears “needs to grow up a little bit.” On Friday, he revealed he had a “come to Jesus meeting” with his point guard on Thursday. The message was clear: Fears’ talent isn’t in question, but his emotional control - especially in high-stakes moments - needs work.
“I did not like the backward kick,” Izzo said. “If I thought he was intentionally trying to hurt someone, he wouldn’t be here.” He called the suggestion that Fears is a dirty player “insulting,” but acknowledged that the sophomore has to mature and manage his emotions more effectively.
It’s a delicate balance for Izzo. Fears plays with an edge, and that edge is part of what makes him so effective.
He’s a relentless competitor, a vocal leader, and a master at getting under the skin of opponents. Before last week, the knocks on him were mostly about his trash talk and gamesmanship - things that, in college basketball, often come with the territory.
But now, with two incidents drawing national attention, the microscope is sharper.
Izzo even hinted that Fears could come off the bench in the next game, though he didn’t commit to any changes. It’s a move that would send a message - and perhaps give Fears a chance to reset.
There’s a bit of déjà vu here for Michigan State fans. Fears’ fiery style and emotional volatility draw inevitable comparisons to former Spartan great Draymond Green, who faced similar scrutiny at times during his college career.
Green learned to harness his intensity into leadership and production. That’s the challenge now for Fears.
With Ugochukwu out and the Illini looming, Michigan State doesn’t have much room for error. The Spartans are still very much in the hunt for a Big Ten title, but they’ll need Fears at his best - both as a floor general and as a leader - to stay in the race. And they’ll need the rest of the backcourt to step up, fast.
This stretch will test Izzo’s coaching chops, no doubt. But it’ll also reveal a lot about the maturity of his team, and especially about the growth of his star point guard.