Michigan State looks like a national title contender, and Jeremy Fears is the reason why

CHICAGO — Jeremy Fears Jr. was on a mission playing in front of his hometown crowd at the Champions Classic.

Led by a brilliant effort from Fears, the National Player of the Year frontrunner, No. 5 Michigan State hit No. 2 Duke hard with the first punch and never relented during a convincing 79-73 victory on Tuesday night. While the opening matchup of college basketball’s annual November showcase looked like it might be one-sided in favor of the Blue Devils — who entered the game as nearly 7-point favorites — the Spartans opened the game on an 11-2 run, never trailed and led by double-digits for stretches of the second half.

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Fears put forth a strong opening salvo for an awards campaign — finishing with 18 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds while completely overshadowing a beleaguered Blue Devil backcourt. Perhaps most importantly, Michigan State looked like a serious national title contender with Fears receiving plenty of help from a variety of sources on both ends of the floor.

The Spartans stood out in multiple ways with its impressive Champions Classic win over Duke. As Tom Izzo stood on the sidelines smiling and winking with Michigan State controlling nearly all 40 minutes, it’s clear the Spartans could be a force this season.

Fears elevates his game

The redemption arc was clear for Fears entering the Duke matchup at Champions Classic. Facing the Blue Devils in a non-conference game last season at the Breslin Center, Fears went a miserable 0-for-10 in a Michigan State loss — finishing with six points and 13 assists.

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It would have been natural for Fears to aggressively hunt his own offense early to show Duke (and the nation) how he’s evolved as a player. Instead, Fears leaned into playing his own game, finding his teammates and letting his own offense come to him later.

Finishing with only three points in the first half, Fears focused on working the ball to Michigan State’s other weapons, finishing the first 20 minutes with eight…

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Publish date : 2026-11-12 17:50:00

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