Michigan State redshirt sophomore point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. has always played with a chip on his shoulder. Fears is often seen getting on his teammates, hyping up the crowd and conversing closely with head coach Tom Izzo on the sidelines during his brief breaks from action.

The role of captain and point guard has always been the right fit for Fears, but it seems as if that statement rings a little more true this season specifically.

"I think I got older, matured a little bit more," Fears shared. "There's certain things you can and can't do. Like knowing when to use my fiery emotion and also when to kind of stay calm and cold."

Fears isn't alone in noticing that change. Fellow veteran player Coen Carr shared he feels Fears has "been more positive" this year.

"He's just learning how to talk to people and the right way to talk to certain people," Carr said about Fears. "Everybody doesn't respond the same way to the same type of talking to. So he just has learned how to navigate that."

With the different makeup of their team this season, Fears has had to lead by example and vocally for the Spartans more than ever before. While home-court advantage is a major plus for MSU, Fears mentioned how difficult it is sometimes to play in the loud environment of the Breslin Center and communicate with teammates, and how he has had to work to remain "cool" during unsettling moments when the Breslin Center crowd rages around them.

Regardless of the score or the rotation of players on the court, Fears has focused on remaining a steady presence for his team to rely on.

Photo Credit: Marvin Hall/Spartans Illustrated

Heading into the second half of Michigan State's matchup versus San Jose State on Thursday, it seemed as if MSU would have smooth sailing to an easy victory. However, a poor shooting and defensive performance in the second half allowed San Jose State to bring the game within 10 points at one point, leaving everyone unhappy, including Fears.