If you were watching the Michigan State basketball game this past Saturday in Seattle, you saw something that should probably scare the rest of the Big Ten. It wasn't just the final score—an 80-63 thumping of Washington—but rather how it happened.
The Spartans look different right now.
They are faster, meaner on the glass, and they finally have a "head" that is dictating the rhythm of the entire body. That head is Jeremy Fears Jr. After a week where he put up a career-high 23 points against Indiana, he went into Alaska Airlines Arena and basically conducted a clinic on how to dismantle a zone defense.
Honestly, the most impressive part wasn't even the scoring. It was the pace. Tom Izzo has been preaching "Defend, Rebound, Run" for about 30 years now. Sometimes it feels like a legacy slogan, but right now? It's a reality.
The Jeremy Fears Jr. Factor and Why It Changed Everything
For a long time, the knock on Michigan State was their half-court stagnation. They'd get stuck in the mud. But Fears has a "hitch" in his shot that doesn't seem to matter because he’s getting to his spots whenever he wants.
Against Washington, he was the primary reason the Huskies' defense looked like it was moving in slow motion. When he pushes the ball, guys like Coen Carr and Jaxon Kohler don't have to work as hard for their looks.
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- Pace Control: MSU is currently 14-0 when they score at least 70 points.
- Transition Success: The Spartans are out-shooting opponents 15-2 when they hit 50% from the floor.
- Point Guard Play: Fears is averaging double-doubles in points and assists over his last few starts.
It's sorta wild to think that just a year ago, there were questions about how he’d bounce back from his injury. Now, he’s the engine. Izzo even said after the Indiana win that "when the head is good, the body's good." Right now, the head is very good.
What Happened to the Coen Carr Highlight Reel?
You've probably noticed that Coen Carr isn't just a dunker anymore. Or, at least, he's trying not to be. There’s been a lot of talk about his offensive "dip" lately—he only had six points against Washington—but looking at the box score misses the point entirely.
Izzo was adamant after the Michigan State basketball game that he isn't giving up on Carr's offensive development. "It’ll be a cold day in hell before I give up on Coen Carr," he told reporters. That’s classic Izzo, but it’s also a signal.
The Spartans are asking Carr to be a defensive stopper. He was the reason Washington shot a miserable 16% from three-point range. If he can lock down the opponent’s best wing while Fears runs the break, MSU becomes a nightmare to prepare for in March.
The Freshman Surge: Kur Teng and Jordan Scott
If you haven't been paying attention to the bench, you're missing the real story of this January run. Kur Teng is starting to "cure a lot of sins," as the coaching staff likes to say. The kid can flat-out shoot.
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In the Indiana game, it was the freshmen who triggered a 19-0 run. Jordan Scott and Cam Ward scored eight of the team’s first 10 points during that stretch. This isn't just the "Jeremy Fears Show" anymore. It's a deep rotation that allows Izzo to keep everyone under 30 minutes, which is basically the holy grail for a team that wants to play high-intensity defense.
A Quick Look at the Big Ten Standings (As of Jan 18, 2026)
The Big Ten is a mess of a gauntlet this year. Nebraska is surprisingly undefeated in the conference at 7-0, and Purdue is right there with them. Michigan State currently sits at 16-2 overall and 6-1 in the Big Ten.
They are 10-1 at home, which is expected. But winning on the road in Seattle? That’s where you start to see the championship DNA. The Spartans are currently 4-1 in true road games, a stat that usually correlates with a deep NCAA tournament run.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Team
Everyone keeps talking about the "bad shooting" from earlier in the season. People think this team can’t win if they don't hit 40% of their threes.
That’s a myth.
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The Michigan State basketball game formula is actually much simpler: out-rebound the other guys by double digits. They crushed Washington on the boards and did the same to Indiana (33-16). When Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper are vacuuming up misses, it doesn't matter if the three-ball isn't falling. It gives them 10 to 15 extra possessions a game.
Basically, they are beating teams through sheer exhaustion.
What to Watch for Next
The schedule doesn't get any easier. They have a trip to Eugene to face Oregon on January 20, followed by a home game against Maryland for Alumni Day.
If you’re looking for actionable ways to track this team’s progress, keep an eye on these three things in the next Michigan State basketball game:
- The 70-Point Threshold: If MSU hits 70, they almost never lose this season.
- Jeremy Fears' Assist-to-Turnover Ratio: If he stays above 3:1, the offense is elite.
- The First Five Minutes of the Second Half: This is when Izzo has been deploying his "death lineup" of Fears, Teng, Carr, Scott, and Kohler to bury teams.
The Spartans aren't just winning; they're evolving. They have the defense. They have the rebounding. And now, finally, they have the point guard play to make a serious run at a No. 1 or No. 2 seed.
Keep an eye on the injury report for Carson Cooper, as his rim protection is the final piece of the puzzle. If he stays healthy, this might be the most balanced Izzo team we've seen in half a decade.
Next Steps for Spartan Fans:
Check the official Big Ten standings to see how the Nebraska vs. Purdue matchup shakes up the top of the conference, and make sure your tickets for the January 30th rivalry game against Michigan are secured, as that's expected to be a top-10 matchup.