Michigan State basketball: Three Takeaways as Spartans Rout Indiana

Michigan State basketball ended their home stretch on Tuesday with a massive 81-60 rout of Indiana. The Spartans were matched evenly with Indiana, until the defensive cut the light out on the Hoosiers and a pair of freshman took over for MSU. It was a game where Michigan State took a 53-53 tie into a blowout.

What can you takeaway from today’s last stop before the Michigan State basketball west coast swing?

1. “It’s Jeremy Fears Jr.’s world, we’re just living in it”

That was Jaxon Kohler’s quote from locker room availability, and that was the case tonight. It became apparent that the Hoosiers were expecting a pass-first version of Fears, and the Illinois native was glad to prove IU wrong. Fears scored 17 of the first 21 Spartan points, fueling MSU while everyone else was ice cold.

When other Spartans started scoring, Fears starting dishing the ball out. At the end of the game, Fears was able to capitalize on his career-high 23 points by dishing out his tenth assist of the night, giving him a double-double. Fears also was affective at the line, although he missed a few from the charity stripe in an uncharacteristic performance.

He did draw two lane violation calls on missed shots, too, letting him make up for two other misses by capitalizing on both.

2. Freshmen Aid Dominant Stretch

Cam Ward and Jordan Scott each went and had some of their best games as Spartans on Tuesday. Both played during a monstrous 19-0 run over IU, with Ward adding two and-ones, where he got the bonus point on one of them, and then Scott drilling two of his three shots from beyond the arc.

Scott finished with a career-high 11 points, and both had lockdown defense that Tom Izzo was raving about post-game. Overall, it is clear that these two Spartans, alongside the top incoming class in the nation, will be leading Michigan State in the very near future.

3. Seniors Stand Out

Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper showed out today for the Spartans, with the pair combining for 23 points and 17 rebounds. In total, the duo’s 17 rebounds nearly equaled Indiana’s 19 rebounds as a team.

Kohler only had one make from beyond the arc Tuesday, but countered with 4-of-5 shooting from two point range, with his lone miss being one that the Utah native tipped back in one second later.

Cooper did not start scoring until the second half, but was sent to the line late multiple times and made five of his six shots at the stripe. Overall, the two went 10-of-12 at the free throw line, and made Indiana pay when they sent the seniors to the stripe.

Additionally, Cooper managed to draw the fifth fouls on both Conor Enright and Reed Bailey within minutes of each other, sending both to the bench for the remainder of the contest. Both seniors have developed into forces of nature under Tom Izzo. Development is rare to see in college sports and the transfer portal, but Izzo’s ability to stick to his own path and his player’s ability to follow has led the Spartans to their last two resurgent seasons.

What is next for Michigan State basketball?

The Spartans begin their dreaded West Coast swing. The Spartans play Washington in Seattle at 6:00 p.m. EST on Saturday. They then travel one state south, taking on Oregon next.