Fears ignites Michigan State's dominant win, showcasing dominant offense and gritty team play against Washington.
When you think of West Coast trips, you think sightseeing and cruising the coast. But for Michigan State, this West Coast swing meant war — two battles against teams willing to throw everything they had at Goliath.
The No. 12 Spartans traveled across the country to open the trip in Seattle against the Washington Huskies, marking Michigan State’s first visit to Seattle since 1957. The Spartans entered the matchup coming off a 21-point home win over Indiana, while Washington looked to bounce back after a close loss to Michigan.
First Half
A loud “Go Green, Go White” chant broke out early as the game tipped off.
The opening minutes were back and forth, with both teams trying to lob the ball over defenders to their respective big men — a chess match of size and timing. Whether it was Hannes Steinbach, Jaxon Kohler, or Carson Cooper, all three showed just how long and athletic they are, arms stretching like Mr. Fantastic.
Kur Teng has been a huge sixth man for the Spartans over the past month, and he showcased it again off the bench. With the game in a tug-of-war, Teng delivered two quick three-pointers that felt like early daggers, sparking a 10–0 Michigan State run and a 21–13 lead.
The big men were the storyline entering the game, with Kohler and Steinbach both averaging double-doubles and ranking as the top two rebounders in the Big Ten. But it was the third big man who stood out early. Carson Cooper knocked down long twos just inside the three-point line, making it look effortless.
With my frequent criticism of Michigan State’s shooting in past articles, it was refreshing to see scoring come from players not named Fears or Kohler. Against Indiana, those two combined for the first 17 points. In this game, they accounted for just seven of the Spartans’ first 36.
One possession perfectly summed up Spartan basketball. Cooper missed a long two he’d been hitting all night, but Coen Carr outjumped two defenders for the offensive rebound. Carr kicked it out, another three was missed, but Teng tracked down yet another offensive board and found Jesse McCulloch, who drilled a three. It was gritty, selfless basketball — everyone willing to do whatever it took.
Michigan State pushed the lead into double digits, where it stayed for most of the half. Washington capitalized on a few late Spartan miscues as Michigan State tried to speed things up, but the Spartans still carried a 39–31 lead into halftime.
Second Half
Coen Carr opened the second half with a smooth-looking three-pointer — an encouraging sight for a part of his game that’s been a struggle. Teams have often dared him to shoot from deep, and this make could be a turning point.
Both teams are strong second-half squads, making the Huskies’ task of overcoming the eight-point deficit a tall one.
Michigan State’s offense wasn’t as fluid early in the second half. Kohler, who had been quiet, continued to battle through a slump as shots refused to fall. As the Spartans stalled, Washington tightened the gap to five behind stifling defense.
With scoring hard to come by, Michigan State leaned on Jeremy Fears attacking the lane and drawing fouls. Those free points helped steady the Spartans, and soon the offense found its rhythm again. The MSU defense also locked in, and the Spartans dominated the offensive glass, winning the offensive rebound battle 11–1 with eight minutes remaining.
That effort allowed Michigan State to pull away, stretching the lead to 15 with eight minutes to play. From there, there was little doubt.
The Spartans closed out an 80–63 win, and fittingly, the game ended the same way it began — “Go Green, Go White” chants echoing through the arena.
Jeremy Fears followed up his career-high 23-point performance with another strong showing, finishing with 19 points and delivering one of his best defensive performances of the season. He continues to make a case as one of — if not the — best player in the Big Ten.
Jaxon Kohler finished with seven points and seven rebounds. Carson Cooper added 10 points and six boards. Carr delivered his annual levitating dunk and finished with six points. The bench played a key role early, with Kur Teng scoring 11 points and Cam Ward adding six points and seven rebounds.
This was as complete a team win as Michigan State has had all season. There was no need to rely solely on Fears or Kohler — contributions came from everywhere. That kind of effort wins road games and pays dividends late in the season.
A dominant performance from top to bottom, Michigan State now turns its attention to two games next week: Tuesday at Oregon at 9 PM EST and Saturday at home against Maryland at 12 PM EST.