Michigan State rolls behind Jeremy Fears Jr.’s standout performance, cruises past Detroit Mercy, 84–56

What began as a homecoming for Detroit Mercy head coach and former Spartan standout Mark Montgomery quickly turned into another showcase of Michigan State’s early-season form. Powered by a career night from redshirt sophomore point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. and other veterans on the team, No. 17 Michigan State improved to 5–0 on the 2025-2026 season with an 84–56 win over the visiting Titans on Friday night at the Breslin Center.

Coming off an impressive 83–66 victory over Kentucky at Madison Square Garden, the Spartans wasted no time imposing their will in their return home to East Lansing. Fears controlled the tempo from the opening tip, finishing with a career-high 18 points and 11 assists on 7-for-12 shooting, while forwards Coen Carr and Jaxon Kohler each added 13 points. Center Carson Cooper gave steady interior production with 12 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting night, adding six rebounds.

Detroit Mercy, now 1–6, was led by Orlando Lovejoy’s 14 points and four assists, while Ayden Carter and TJ Nadeau chipped in 10 points apiece. But the Titans struggled to generate any consistent offense, especially early, shooting just 10-for-32 in the first half and falling behind quickly as MSU controlled the glass, the pace and the defensive intensity.

First Half:

Michigan State’s starters came out firing, applying immediate pressure that forced Detroit Mercy into a flurry of empty possessions. The Titans opened the game 0-for-9 from the field, unable to crack MSU’s length and activity. Even after grabbing four early offensive rebounds, Detroit couldn’t capitalize, prompting Montgomery to burn an early timeout as the Spartans opened on a commanding 7–0 run.

Carr provided the early spark, hitting the Spartans’ first 3-pointer of the night to push the lead to 10–0 going into the first media timeout. Detroit finally got on the board with 15:30 remaining when Nate Johnson floated in a mid-range jumper, but the Spartans already had full control.

Carr continued his strong start by knocking down another triple with just over 13 minutes left, giving him 11 of MSU’s first 15 points and extending the lead to 14–5. Though the Titans briefly steadied themselves with a 5–0 burst capped by a Carter 3-pointer, MSU answered with composure. Redshirt freshman big man Jesse McCulloch stopped the run with a smooth fadeaway that restored momentum.

The Spartans endured a sloppy stretch late in the half, missing shots and turning the ball over to allow Detroit to linger. Nadeau hit a corner 3-pointer to make it 31–20, but the Titans would get no closer. MSU guard Divine Ugochukwu delivered one of the half’s most pivotal sequences, converting an and-one layup, then securing the offensive rebound on his missed free throw and kicking to guard Trey Fort, who was fouled and made both free throws — a four-point trip that ballooned the margin to 37–20.

MSU continued to dominate the final minute of the half. After Detroit threw the ball away on an inbounds, freshman forward Cam Ward collected the loose ball and was fouled with under a second left to play in the half. He hit one of two to send Michigan State to the locker room leading 41–25 at halftime.

Second Half :

If the first half belonged to Carr, the second half belonged entirely to Fears the way he dictated the game.

Fears wasted no time picking up where he left off, drilling a 3-pointer on the first possession of the half — notably, MSU’s first triple of the night not made by Carr. Cooper quickly added an and-one putback to push the lead to 20 points, and from there the Spartans’ offense blossomed.

Fort knocked down his first shot of the game, a wing 3-pointer, before Kohler joined in with one of his own. Suddenly, MSU’s perimeter attack looked reminiscent of its sharp shooting display against Kentucky, and Detroit had no answers.

One of the highlight of the night came with just over 15 minutes remaining when Fears floated a perfect alley-oop to Cooper, who hammered it home to make it 55–31. Detroit, struggling to contain the Spartans’ pace and passing, switched to a zone midway through the half, but the adjustment offered little relief.

Fears responded by hitting his second trey of the night to stretch the lead to 64–39. On the very next possession, he lofted another alley-oop — this time to Carr, who double-clutched mid-air before flushing it with authority, to the delight of the Breslin crowd. The Titans were forced to take another timeout as MSU’s bench spilled out onto the floor in celebration.

A few minutes later, Fears added an exclamation point by connecting with Cooper yet again, this time for an and-one. Fears finished with more assists (11) than Detroit had as a team (nine), continuing to show his evolution into becoming the country's leader in assists.

A blowout would not be complete without a late timeout called by MSU head coach Tom Izzo with the game well in hand, as frustration came when his team allowed four-straight baskets on defensive lapses late in the half. But Michigan State closed strong with its depth and effort players controlling the final stretch. Fan favorite guard Nick Sanders buried a 3-pointer to trigger one of the loudest ovations of the night and send Izzo to the bench to sub in the remaining reserves.

Ugochukwu capped the scoring with a triple of his own from the right wing in the final seconds, sealing MSU’s 84–56 win and another all-around performance to support its undefeated start.

Homecoming Overshadowed

The night held emotional significance for Montgomery, who spent four years playing at Michigan State from 1988 until 1992 and later served as an assistant under Izzo for 13 combined season across two different stints. His return marked his second trip back to East Lansing as an opposing head coach, the first being an 88–60 loss with Northern Illinois back in 2018.

But this one played out much the same - MSU improved its all-time record over Detroit Mercy to 47–16 in the 63rd meeting between the programs. It’s only the second matchup between the in-state programs in the 21st century, however.

Spartans Stay Hot

Michigan State dominated statistically, shooting 26 free throws to Detroit’s eight, out-rebounding the Titans, and holding them to 32% shooting. Guard Kur Teng — coming off a 15-point breakout against Kentucky — had a quieter night with only two points on 1-for-6 shooting, but MSU’s depth ensured there was no drop-off.

Through five games, MSU has shown sharpness, depth and a rapidly developing identity — one driven by defense, pace and the steady hand of Fears. If performances like Friday’s continue, the Spartans' ceiling will raise.