Jasiah Jervis and Jeremy Fears Shine Despite Spartans' Loss

The Spartans did not get the outcome they were looking for Tuesday night, falling to UConn 78-70.

First-half problems, shooting woes and a lack of stamina all played a part in the Spartans' loss. However, massive dunks, a few rare threes and outstanding defense did shine through.

Michigan State's second-half performance looked night and day different from its first-half appearance. If the Spartans can learn how to start strong, this team will truly be a top-six team all year.

Here are five guys who stood out to me, good or bad, in the Spartans' exhibition loss to UConn.

Jasiah Jervis showed flashes of what he can bring to Michigan State, knocking down a big three-pointer early in the game. He seemed to be everywhere on the court, too. On one play, after Scott missed a corner three, Jervis came flying through the air for a tip-in attempt. Although that shot also didn't fall, Jervis was able to draw the foul and get to the free-throw line. He looks like a true ballplayer.

Jervis continued to make big plays in the second half, knocking down a big three with 15 minutes remaining to pull the Spartans within four. It was a clutch shot at a crucial moment. He also connected on all three of his free throws on another trip to the line, pulling Michigan State within six at the time.

However, there were a couple of moments when it looked like Jervis was trying to impress his new team just a little too much. Nothing was terrible, but he had some good drives that drew the attention of the defense and created passing opportunities. Instead of making the pass, he occasionally tried to put up a hail-mary shot that may have worked last year, but not in college.

Jervis finished second on the team in points with 11 and free throws made with five. He also led the team in three-pointers made, connecting on two.

Jordan Scott brought tremendous defense to the court, starting with a great steal early in the game. He also showed off his offensive ability with a beautiful reverse layup in the first half.

Scott was aggressive and fearless on the boards, providing fantastic rebounding throughout the game. He added a big block in the final minute of the first half and continued to play stellar defense all game long.

Scott finished tied with Cam Ward for the team lead in rebounds with six, while also contributing seven points. His defense, rebounding and willingness to make plays helped him stand out despite the Spartans' loss.

Anton Bonke had a difficult night against UConn. After missing a defensive assignment, he was quickly taken out of the game in favor of McCullough.

Bonke returned with six minutes remaining and drew a foul, but he was unable to hit the first free throw of a one-and-one opportunity. Defensively, he appeared to move better laterally when he came back in, making sure to stick with his assignment. He also had a big block that was wiped away because of a foul from behind by Jervis.

With four minutes remaining, Bonke grabbed his first offensive rebound of the game and put it back in for two points. It was a positive moment in an otherwise difficult performance.

Bonke looked very slow and tired throughout the game. He did not appear ready to run consistently, and he was slow to get his hands up to contest shots, grab quick rebounds and catch quick passes from Fears.

Overall, Bonke looked bad in his limited opportunities, and he will need to improve his pace and conditioning to keep up with the speed of college basketball.

One thing I noticed early from Jesse McCullough was his inability to secure some of the tougher rebounds. There were two rebounds I thought he had a chance to grab but couldn't come down with.

He also had a miscue on a handoff to his roommate and best friend, Kur Teng. However, McCullough responded well on the next possession. He had an open three-point shot, pump-faked and dished the ball back to Carlos Medlock Jr., who was running the point. Medlock quickly got the ball back to McCullough, who put up a great floater for two points.

As the game went on, McCullough started to look better on the boards. He also showed that he can shoot the ball from just about anywhere, displaying a soft touch in the lane.

McCullough finished 4-for-5 from the field, tying for the team's third-most points with eight. His five rebounds also tied for third on the team in that category. Despite a few early mistakes, McCullough showed plenty of positives with his shooting touch and ability to contribute on the boards.

Jeremy Fears played very good defense throughout the first half, but his offense was largely missing until the six-minute mark, when he slammed it home.

Fears drove through multiple Huskies and finished with authority, electrifying the Breslin Center. Normally, it's Coen Carr who has to excite the Izzone with a dunk, but Tuesday night, it was Fears.

On the ensuing UConn possession, Fears positioned his feet perfectly and drew an offensive charge, getting the Spartans the ball back while trailing by three.

Later, on a fast break, Fears drove to the basket and was hit as he finished. He came down holding his left leg and began hobbling off the court. His foot had come down on the chest of a UConn defender, but he returned after spending just about a minute off the court.

Fears also showed off his wide receiver skills on a short pass from Scott, having to Moss a defender and pull down the pass. With 11 minutes remaining, he came up with a big defensive steal, gained possession and fed Carr for a left-handed layup. He followed that up with a reverse layup of his own.

Fears finished with a team-high 23 points as he came alive in the second half. He also led the team with eight assists. However, he led the Spartans with four turnovers, something that needs to be cleaned up a bit.

Despite the turnovers, Fears showed just how impactful he can be when he gets going offensively. His second-half performance gave Michigan State a spark, and the Spartans will need that version of Fears moving forward.