Myron MedcalfFeb 5, 2026, 12:39 AM ETClose Covers college basketball Joined ESPN.com in 2011 Graduate of Minnesota State University, MankatoFollow on XMultiple Authors
Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr. gets tech for kick to the groin (0:28)Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr. is issued a technical foul after a backward kick to the groin area of Minnesota’s Langston Reynolds. (0:28)
With his star point guard accused of employing dirty tactics for the second game in a row, Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo called him out.
Izzo said Jeremy Fears Jr., who ranks second in the nation at 8.8 assists per game, “has got to grow up a little bit” after he was hit with a critical technical foul in the second half of the No. 10 Spartans’ 76-73 upset loss at Minnesota Gophers on Wednesday.
“I don’t even know if I’m going to start him the next game,” Izzo said after the loss, which dropped Michigan State to fourth in the Big Ten standings.
In Michigan State’s loss to rival Michigan in East Lansing on Friday, Dusty May said there is “40 minutes” of footage that showed Fears crossing the line after he was accused of trying to trip star Yaxel Lendeborg in that game. May said Fears’ actions were both intentional and “dangerous.”
On Wednesday, Izzo referenced May’s comments and said the aftermath of Friday’s game was handled “poorly,” suggesting that May’s comments had encouraged opposing players to “bait” Fears. He added, however, that Fears had brought the backlash onto himself,
Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr. gets tech for kick to the groin (0:28)Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr. is issued a technical foul after a backward kick to the groin area of Minnesota’s Langston Reynolds. (0:28)
Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr. is issued a technical foul after a backward kick to the groin area of Minnesota’s Langston Reynolds. (0:28)
Myron MedcalfFeb 5, 2026, 12:39 AM ETClose Covers college basketball Joined ESPN.com in 2011 Graduate of Minnesota State University, MankatoFollow on XMultiple Authors
Close Covers college basketball Joined ESPN.com in 2011 Graduate of Minnesota State University, MankatoFollow on X
Izzo said Fears’ actions could impact his playing status in the near future.