Jeremy Fears is once again at the center of controversy for Michigan State - and this time, it’s not just Michigan fans taking notice.
Just five days after a heated rivalry game in East Lansing that saw Fears draw a technical foul and spark postgame tension between the two head coaches, the freshman point guard found himself in hot water again. In Wednesday night’s road loss to Minnesota, Fears was hit with another technical - this time for kicking a Gophers player between the legs. And that wasn’t the only questionable moment.
Let’s rewind for a second. In Friday’s game against Michigan, Fears was clearly trying to get under the Wolverines’ skin - and to some extent, it worked.
He got to the free throw line 14 times, baiting defenders into contact and drawing whistles. But it wasn’t just savvy guard play.
He also shoved L.J. Cason in the back, tried to trip Yaxel Lendeborg, and delivered a hard foul from behind on a fast-break layup that earned him a technical.
It was the kind of performance that had Michigan head coach Dusty May speaking out afterward.
“I think there were several plays that are very dangerous,” May said on Monday. “I’m incredibly proud of our guys for the response they had to some of those situations.
I’m incredibly proud of their self-control, restraint and impulse-control … they weren’t isolated incidents. The film is there, 40 minutes of it.
It’s not hard to find.”
May wasn’t exaggerating. That tape from the Michigan game showed a pattern - and unfortunately for Michigan State, the Minnesota game brought more of the same.
Fears was once again seen trying to trip players, and the low blow that earned him a technical was impossible to miss. It’s becoming a trend, and not the good kind.
So what did Tom Izzo have to say about it?
After the loss to Minnesota, the longtime Spartans coach was asked if Fears is being baited by opponents - and whether he’s taking that bait. Izzo didn’t shy away from the question, but his answer raised some eyebrows.
“Yeah well, when somebody comes out and publicly says something about a guy that sometimes happens, but that’s Jeremy’s fault, and I made sure I cleared all that up,” Izzo said. “I think the officials knew it, I talked to them.
I did not see what happened in the play. I saw him get pushed and I saw his leg come up, and I didn’t think he hit anyone, but if he did then he deserves it, I guess.
But if he didn’t - I questioned it.”
That’s a lot of hedging. Izzo did acknowledge that Fears has to “grow up a little bit” and even said he benched him during the game - and might not start him next time out. But he also pointed the finger back at Dusty May, implying that May’s public comments after the Michigan game helped escalate things.
“When that stuff goes public, then you gotta really deal with it,” Izzo said. “That’s private between a coach and a coach or the front office, but once it goes to [the media], then it gets blown up.”
Izzo was also asked if he’s concerned that Fears is developing a reputation - specifically, if he’s entering “Grayson Allen territory,” a reference to the former Duke guard who became infamous for repeated tripping incidents. Izzo didn’t dismiss the comparison. In fact, he said he addressed it with the officials before the game to make sure Fears’ reputation wouldn’t influence how he was officiated.
“Those officials I thought did a very good job of making sure that was going to have no play in it,” Izzo said. “Two of those guys were very veteran officials, and that had nothing to do with it.”
To Izzo’s credit, he did say that if Fears plays that way, “he deserves it.” And he made it clear that discipline is on the table. But at the same time, he continued to suggest that May’s decision to speak publicly was part of the problem - not just Fears’ actions on the court.
That’s a tough sell.
Fears has now had multiple incidents in back-to-back games, including a play that could have seriously injured an opposing player. Whether it’s tripping, shoving, or a kick below the belt, these aren’t just heat-of-the-moment fouls - they’re repeated actions that cross a line. And while Izzo may want to keep things “in-house,” this kind of behavior doesn’t stay in-house when it’s on national television and posted all over social media.
Michigan State needs to get a handle on this - quickly. Fears is a talented young guard with a bright future, but he’s also putting a target on his back. And if he doesn’t rein it in, it’s only a matter of time before it costs the Spartans more than just a technical foul.
Michigan fans will be watching closely when the Spartans come to Ann Arbor on March 8. If the last two games are any indication, that rematch could be just as intense - and just as contentious.