Michigan State senior point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. delivered a masterclass performance to lead the fifth-ranked Spartans to a 79-73 upset over No. 2 Duke at the Champions Classic on Tuesday night at the United Center.
Fears finished with 18 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds and four turnovers, scoring 12 of his points from the free-throw line after drawing fouls on the Blue Devils. The Joliet, Illinois native erupted in the second half after a quiet first half, showcasing the competitiveness and playmaking that made him a preseason national player of the year candidate.
Izzo's Challenge Answered
Head coach Tom Izzo revealed he had challenged Fears during the week leading up to the game. "I thought Jeremy was challenged this week a lot, and because you're given a rank, you have a responsibility to live up to that ranking," Izzo said. "I thought he was OK in the first couple games. I didn't think he was Jeremy-like. Tonight, I thought he played hard."
Izzo earned just his fourth victory in 19 attempts against Duke. "As far as beating Duke, I'm apologizing to our fans, to my wife, to my kids because they've beaten us like a drum," Izzo said afterward. "Now, the last four or five times we've kind of gained momentum because a lot of people are saying that, so it pisses me off and maybe I've done a better job."
Defensive Standout
Sophomore forward Jordan Scott contributed five points but was described as the second-most important player on the floor with nine rebounds, six blocks and two steals, anchoring a defensive effort that held Duke to its first wire-to-wire loss since 2024.
Historical Context
Fears joins a lineage of Michigan State national player of the year winners: Shawn Respert (1995), Draymond Green (2012) and Denzel Valentine (2016). His Tuesday stat line marked the first time a men's Division I player recorded at least 18 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds against a top-two team since Dwyane Wade's triple-double for Marquette against Kentucky in the 2003 Elite Eight.
Last season, Fears led the nation with 9.4 assists per game (a Big Ten record) and became the first player since Ja Morant (2018-19) to average at least 15.0 points and 9.0 assists. He is only the third player in 30 seasons to lead the sport in assists and return for another season, joining Doug Gottlieb and T.J. Ford, the latter of whom won the Naismith Award.
