When late January hits, Tom Izzo teams tend to find themselves in a bit of a funk. It's almost become part of the Michigan State basketball rhythm - a midseason dip before the usual late push into March.
But this time around, the stumble feels heavier. The Spartans' road loss to Minnesota wasn’t just a tough one - it was arguably their most painful defeat of the season, and not just because of the scoreboard.
The story coming out of this game wasn’t just about the loss itself. It was about freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr., whose on-court actions once again sparked controversy. Just like in the Michigan game before it, Fears found himself at the center of attention - not for his playmaking, but for plays that many on social media have labeled as reckless or unnecessary.
Tom Izzo didn’t mince words afterward. While he admitted he hadn’t fully reviewed the footage yet, he made it clear he wasn’t happy with what he saw - or what he’s been seeing.
Fears was benched late in the game, with Denham Wojcik getting the nod instead (after Divine Ugochukwu left with an injury). And Izzo didn’t hold back in his postgame remarks:
“Jeremy's gotta grow up a little bit,” Izzo said. That line alone speaks volumes.
Izzo elaborated, pointing to the fallout from the previous game and how it may have played into what happened against Minnesota. “When somebody comes out and publicly says something about a guy, that sometimes happens,” he said.
“But that's Jeremy's fault. And I made sure I cleared all of that up.”
The implication? Fears may be drawing attention - and retaliation - from opponents, and Izzo believes that’s on him to manage.
“Are they baiting him? Of course,” Izzo said.
“When you go public with something, you should get baited. And it's his fault.”
Izzo acknowledged he had spoken with the officials and tried to get clarity on the incident in question. “I saw him get pushed and I saw his leg come up,” he said.
“I didn’t think he hit anybody, but if he did, he deserves it, I guess. But if he didn’t, I question it.”
Still, the bigger takeaway wasn’t about a single play - it was about accountability. Fears is a talented freshman, no doubt.
But in Izzo’s system, talent alone doesn’t buy you minutes if you’re not locked in mentally and emotionally. “I make no bones about it,” Izzo said.
“I sat him for a while, and I don’t know, I don’t even know if I’m gonna start him in the next game.”
Izzo also made it clear that while he’s frustrated, he’s not abandoning his young guard. “I stuck up for him, too,” he said. “Because what happened in the last game, the way it was handled was poor, too.”
This is classic Izzo - demanding, direct, but still protective of his players. He’s not afraid to call them out, but it’s always in service of growth. For Fears, the message is loud and clear: the physical tools are there, but maturity and composure have to catch up.
For Michigan State, the loss to Minnesota stings - no question. But if there’s a silver lining, it’s that Izzo’s teams have a history of using low points like this as fuel. Whether this group follows that same path will depend, in part, on how quickly a young player like Fears can learn from moments like these - and how much the team can grow from adversity.
March is coming. The question now is whether Michigan State will be ready when it gets here.