Spartans' recent struggles test their mettle. Can Fears, Kohler, and Cooper reignite their fire against No. 5 Illinois in a pivotal showdown?
WHO: No. 10 Michigan State Spartans (19-4, 9-3) vs. No. 5 Illinois Fighting Illini (20-3, 11-1)
WHERE: Breslin Center — East Lansing, MI
WHEN: Saturday, January 7th — 8 PM EST
WATCH: FOX
Maya Angelou once said, “You can’t really know where you are going until you know where you have been.”
For the Spartans, the goal was clear from the beginning of the season. And through the first 20 games, Michigan State was right on track. Everything was lining up exactly how it needed to for what this team wanted to become later.
Then the last three games happened.
Two losses — Michigan and Minnesota — and a win that had absolutely no business being a win. The Spartans hit improbable shots, committed perfectly timed fouls, and clawed their way back into relevance before burying a game-tying three at the buzzer to force overtime. Michigan State eventually escaped with the win, but it wasn’t pretty.
These last three games have been brutal. But if you’ve followed Tom Izzo long enough, you know stretches like this often end up helping his teams more than hurting them. This time around, though, the struggles need to resonate with three specific players: Jeremy Fears, Jaxon Kohler, and Carson Cooper — the lifeblood of this roster.
Early in the season, everything clicked. Kohler was aggressive, confident, and lights out from beyond the arc. Cooper was a dog inside, bullying opponents with his frame. And Fears was the engine — controlling the game with his passing before seamlessly adding scoring.
Right now, all three look like shadows of those versions.
Kohler no longer remembers how to shoot from deep and seems to have lost some of that Kohler Bear intensity. It feels like he’s in his own head instead of just playing basketball and having fun. Cooper has gone from rottweiler to lost puppy, finishing games with more turnovers than rebounds and getting outmanned inside.
Then there’s Jeremy Fears.
Statistically, he’s still putting up godly numbers. But he’s also found himself at the center of conversations about dirty play. Being labeled Michigan State’s Grayson Allen is not something anyone wants. Fears is scrappy, undersized, and knows how to use every edge available — that’s part of what makes him good. But when kicking, tripping, and hard fouls become the talking points, it’s time to dial it back.
Anyone who’s watched MSU this season knows how smart and talented Fears is. But when multiple coaches and the entire social media world are pointing out moments that look dirty, the message is clear: cool it, clean it up, and get back to winning ethical basketball.
Now Michigan State brings its first losing streak of the season back home for a top-10 showdown that could make or break the year.
If the Spartans come out flat, dig a first-half hole they can’t escape, and lose their third straight game — their second in three tries against a top-five opponent — the writing may be on the wall. A lack of perimeter shooting would confirm fears that this team just isn’t elite. A loss likely cements MSU in the Big Ten’s second tier and could even push them out of the national top 20.
But if the Spartans win? Everything snaps back into focus.
A derailment or two is nothing new for Tom Izzo, and this could be the game that salvages a tremendous season and keeps Michigan State in the conference’s top tier.
Illinois will do everything it can to keep MSU down. The Illini will lean heavily on Keaton Wagler, the Big Ten’s most dangerous three-point shooter, averaging 5.8 made threes per game while shooting 44.4% from deep. They’ll also try to win the rebounding battle behind David Mirkovic, who averages 8.2 rebounds per game — fifth best in the conference.
Michigan State will counter with Jeremy Fears, who leads the team with 14.7 points and 8.9 assists per game (tied for best in the Big Ten), along with Jaxon Kohler, who ranks second in the conference at 9.1 rebounds per game.
This isn’t a trap game. Both teams will come out swinging for ten rounds, and only one will be standing at the end. Both understand the magnitude of this matchup, but for Michigan State, it feels like the entire season hangs in the balance.
Illinois may look better on paper, but paper doesn’t matter in Big Ten top-10 showdowns — especially at Breslin.
Saturday is going to be a fight. One you won’t want to blink through.
Prediction
Michigan State - 73
Illinois - 71