Michigan State basketball surprise shows what Spartans can do

EAST LANSING – Jordan Scott’s first 3-pointer dropped purely, like a karmic reversal of fortune. And it opened the nets in a way Michigan State basketball hasn’t experienced during this Big Ten season.

In turn, the Spartans’ most prolific outside shooting of the season started opening things up inside for Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper. And No. 15 MSU’s holistic offensive effort against UCLA provided a few benefits Tom Izzo hopes can carry through the rest of the season.

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It allowed the Spartans to overcome a five-game streak of shaky starts. It allowed Izzo’s two senior post players to have their best performances in weeks. And it showed what MSU is capable of when the shots start falling and the defense returns to form – as it did in an 82-59 win on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr. celebrates after a Coen Carr dunk against UCLA during the second half on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.

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The Spartans delivered to the Bruins what the Spartans had received four days earlier from Wisconsin: A dominating blowout from start to finish.

“It just shows it’s a wild game,” said third-year sophomore guard Jeremy Fears Jr., who had 16 points and 10 assists. “Some days, you make every shot; and some days, you miss every shot. Some days, the other team makes every shot; and some days, they miss every shot. …

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“[Against Wisconsin], we couldn’t make anything, and they played great and we played bad. Just tonight, it was a little role reversal, I guess you could say.”

Fears hit a career-high four 3-pointers as MSU (21-5, 11-4 Big Ten) went 14-for-27 from 3-point range, a season high for makes behind the arc. Jordan Scott went 3-for-3 in the first half beyond the arc as the Spartans’ lead grew as big as 24 points before halftime. They added to it throughout the second half, during which sophomore Kur Teng hit all three…

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Publish date : 2026-02-18 11:13:00

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