Tom Izzo promises lineup change, not panic, after MSU loss to U-M

EAST LANSING — It was needless, yet at the same time, important for Tom Izzo to express the obvious.

“To say I was disappointed would be an understatement,” the Hall of Fame coach for Michigan State basketball said. “I did not like the way we played.”

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The 18-point deficit his No. 8 Spartans found themselves in against No. 2 Michigan on Friday, Jan. 30, was one thing. How they got to that point, with porous defense and stagnant offense, bothered Izzo far more.

It was by far MSU’s worst stretch of the season, spread out over a half. You’d have to go back to the Oct. 28 exhibition game at Connecticut to find the Spartans trailing by that many points, 19 in that loss.

“It takes a lot, obviously, when you start slow,” said third-year sophomore point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., who had a career-high 31 points. “You’re always crawling and fighting back. Every bucket hurts.”

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo watches a play against Michigan during the second half at Breslin Center in East Lansing on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026.

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The Spartans rallied, as they’ve done every time this season they found themselves in a hole. That included three days earlier at Rutgers. Only this time, against perhaps the best collection of talent Izzo’s team has faced all year, MSU ran out of steam after seizing a brief lead twice.

“This game took a lot of energy for us,” senior Jaxon Kohler, who had 12 points but went 4-for-13 from the field. “Not only with coverages and defending them, but also the mental energy and mental strength, maturity – how to handle situations when we’re making a comeback and how to take care of the ball against a team like this.”

The Wolverines used their size, depth and skill to their advantage. The Spartans started to show the wear and tear that late January brings, finding few answers after clawing back. And U-M pulled away to an 83-71 victory at…

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Publish date : 2026-01-31 10:08:00

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