Jeremy Fears Jr. has Michigan State basketball 1 win from Final Four

[ad_1]

MSU basketball: Video analysis of the Spartans’ win over Mississippi

Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch, Detroit Free Press beat writer Chris Solari and columnist Shawn Windsor analyze MSU’s win over Ole Miss.

Jeremy Fears Jr. is one of four Michigan State basketball point guards to lead the Spartans to a 30-win season.Friday’s Sweet 16 win over Ole Miss showed a sample of the winning plays Fears made to help send Izzo back to the Elite Eight for the 11th time and first since 2019.Sunday’s regional final will feature Fears leading MSU against electric Auburn freshman Tahaad Pettiford.

ATLANTA — There is something to be said about Jeremy Fears Jr. and his drive to succeed. And the reason Tom Izzo has equated his young point guard to Michigan State basketball national champion Mateen Cleaves.

Take the final five-plus minutes Friday night and a sample of the winning plays Fears made to help send Izzo back to the Elite Eight for the 11th time and first since 2019.

∎A baseline drive and getting fouled, showing renewed poise at the free throw line to hit a pair.

∎ His instinctual defensive decision to leap at midcourt to steal a potentially damaging outlet pass after Mississippi had taken back the lead with a 3-pointer, redirecting the ball to Coen Carr for a momentum-jolting breakaway dunk.

∎ Then after another Rebels 3-pointer, Fears attacked off the dribble and hit a floater in the paint that once again stabilized the Spartans. They never trailed again en route to a 73-70 Sweet 16 victory over Ole Miss.

MITCH ALBOM: March Madness games have become timeouts interrupted by basketball

After which, Izzo’s praise for his young leader — despite only scoring four points with six assists — once again was lofty.

“Jeremy made some big plays. Jeremy made a lot of plays in the huddles,” Izzo said Friday night. “He really did a hell of a job. … Jeremy was in the huddle talking about, ‘Let’s get Tre (Holloman) this shot, let’s get him coming off this.’ I…

[ad_2]
Source link : https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2025/03/30/jeremy-fears-jr-michigan-state-basketball-auburn-tigers-ncaa-tournament-march-madness-elite-eight/82722540007/

Author :

Publish date : 2025-03-30 10:05:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.