Michigan State Basketball: Spartans Set to Tip Against Toledo

“You can never replicate game reps in practice.”

That is a common saying within the athletics world, and it has not seemed to apply to a Michigan State basketball team more than head coach Tom Izzo’s current squad.

In a definitive 37-point win in the Spartans season opener against Quinnipiac, Michigan State seemed to have their best outing yet as a complete squad.  Eight Spartans had at least nine points by the end of the game, and some specific players seemingly shattered the question marks surrounded by their performances in the exhibition games, prior to the season.

Coming into the season, MSU had every bit of confidence surrounding their backcourt as possible.  Jeremy Fears Jr., a preseason National All-American, led the way with rising star Jordan Scott and promising freshmen Jasiah Jervis and Carlos Medlock Jr. following his steps.

The real question marks were around the frontcourt for the green and white.  Of course, redshirt sophomore Jesse McCulloch inspired a lot of spirit and hope with his 20-point performance the first exhibition game, but Charlotte transfer Anton Bonke and freshman Ethan Taylor did not look promising to many Spartan fans and alumni in the two exhibition games.

McCulloch was out against Quinnipiac with a minor concussion.  In his place, Bonke and Taylor split reps at the five position to get quality game reps.  The first half did not look promising for the new Spartans, as three minutes in the game, Izzo pulled Bonke out, gave him a classic Izzo “pep talk,” and then put Bonke right back in after just thirty seconds, and sat Taylor back down on the bench.

Moving to tonight’s matchup, Izzo and his staff have announced that McCulloch is expected back on the court to play in his first accounted contest of the 2026-27 season.  We still do not know yet if McCulloch will be in the starting lineup, or come off of the bench at any point in the game.