Jeremy Fears Jr. made historical past however did not make any new pals in Large Ten nation Saturday. The Michigan State level guard etched himself in Spartan lore with a 26-point, 15-assist displaying to assist No. 10 MSU outlast No. 5 Illinois 85-82 in an time beyond regulation thriller.
For a program that has housed legendary level guards like Magic and Cleaves and Cassius and Valentine, it is Fears who will stand alone as the primary Michigan State participant ever to notch a number of 15-dime video games.
He did it within the final two weeks.
The identical 14-day span the place Fears has was a reputable All-American contender and certainly one of school basketball’s largest villains after quite a few acts that span between reckless, shady and downright soiled.
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Fears tried to journey Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg on Jan. 30 in a transfer that Wolverines coach Dusty Could dubbed intentional. He kicked Minnesota’s Langston Reynolds within the groin in Michigan State’s 76-73 loss in a transfer that earned him a technical, a tongue-lashing from Tom Izzo and a warning that he won’t even begin in opposition to Illinois.
However on gameday, Fears was again within the beginning 5 and concerned in one other controversy. Fears drew 14 fouls, however it was a play that did not earn a whistle that had Illinois’ bench riled up. Fears appeared to journey Illini massive man David Mirkovic on a runout within the open ground, however after evaluate, it was not upgraded to a flagrant foul.
“There was nothing on the journey, they checked out it,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood stated within the postgame press convention. “It is all the time going to be a judgmental factor. He stops. It is what he does. However yeah, he was terrific. We did not do an excellent job of squaring him up. He performs with nice velocity and tempo. I used to be disenchanted in the truth that we fouled him that a lot. He is not an excellent shooter, and we wished him to should shoot the ball in even when it was a layup. He is artful, he is sensible and did a pleasant job tonight.”
This saga feels removed from over, however one factor is evident: Fears’ debt to his group has been repaid.
His actions in opposition to Minnesota objectively value his group the sport, however the Spartans do not beat the massive, dangerous Illini with out him.
“To be sincere, it was sort of tough,” Fears informed Fox in a postgame, on-court interview. “That is not my character. That is not who I’m. I would like to have the ability to assist my group. I wasn’t capable of assist my group in the previous couple of video games. I wished to assist my group get the win right this moment. It doesn’t matter what.”
Fears scored 22 of his 26 after halftime, together with a outstanding 11 factors in time beyond regulation. Illinois battled brilliantly within the Breslin Heart till the final second, displaying it has what it takes to be heard from within the chase for a Large Ten Championship and a Ultimate 4, however it couldn’t defend with out fouling within the closing moments. For Fears, drawing fouls is an artwork of kinds, even when it drives the opposition right into a tizzy (or to a different swig from the bottle).
Fears informed CBS Sports activities at Large Ten Media Days that he research the rulebook intently, making an attempt to grasp and/or uncover any tips of the commerce that may get him to the free throw line. He shot 13 extra free throws in Saturday’s victory, bringing his season whole to a whopping 148. It is the fifth time this season that Fears has double-digit makes an attempt from the charity stripe, and no Large Ten participant is drawing extra fouls per 40 minutes than Fears (7.2), in keeping with KenPom.com
“This group has confidence in one another; we have performed dangerous, we obtained controversy, distractions,” Izzo stated. “One of the best ways to stay forward is keep away from dirtbags and distractions.”
Let the bobbing and weaving start much more as a result of the microscope on Fears is not going away.
Someplace, in one other life, Fears simply toed the free-throw line but once more.
Money.
