Last season, it was Jeremiah Fears lighting up college basketball with Oklahoma, turning heads every night. This year, his brother Jeremy Fears Jr. has picked up the torch and made sure the name “Fears” still sends a chill through opponents. The Michigan State guard was huge in their win over North Carolina, and the legendary coach Tom Izzo couldn’t help but praise him.

“You know, when he’s aggressive offensively, he played within himself. I thought that was the best game he played,” Tom Izzo said about Fears in an interview with Jimmy Jackson of FOX Sports. “Sure, he scored some points, but he was pretty good defensively; he was really good in the huddles. He’s starting to become the leader that I think is very important. And that’s what culture gets — a guy that’s been in the program a little while, and he’s leading.”

Fears Jr. put on a show with 19 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds on a blistering 8-of-10 shooting night, guiding Michigan State to a 7-0 start after a commanding 74-58 win over North Carolina — the Tar Heels’ first loss of the season. And for a team that’s been enjoying life with Caleb Wilson leading the way, it was Fears Jr.’s all-around brilliance that finally brought their unbeaten run to an end.

After coming to Michigan State as one of the nation’s most coveted recruits, Fears Jr.’s freshman year was derailed when he was shot in the thigh on Dec. 20, 2023. He underwent surgery, then spent months grinding through rehab and long practice sessions, slowly rebuilding himself. All that work paid off as he earned a spot in Tom Izzo’s starting lineup in his sophomore year.

This season, he’s been the best playmaker in the country, leading everyone in assists, and has also put in some big performances. He dropped 13 assists against No. 19 Kentucky, handed out 11 more against Detroit Mercy, added 9 against No. 22 Arkansas, and now delivered another gem against North Carolina. It’s a clear testament to the work he’s poured in over the years,  and the trust Tom Izzo has continued to place in him.

That said, Coach Izzo was just as pleased with the defensive effort his team brought to the floor.

Tom Izzo Applauds Michigan State’s Overall Showing in the Win

Thursday’s win wrapped up a perfect two-game run in Fort Myers, coming just two days after the Spartans rolled past East Carolina. Declared by Fears as “the best coach in the country,” Izzo broke down the Spartans’ performance in the same courtside interview with Jimmy Jackson.

“I thought the first early part of the game they were taking it to us,” Izzo said. “They were bumping us on cuts, I didn’t think we handled it very well so give credit to them. They were physical with us, and that’s normally our game. But we decided halfway through that we needed to do a better job at cutting. I don’t think we were sharp offensively but defensively we got better and we tried to keep up. We kept them off the sidelines like we talked about for the most part. And we rebounded the ball pretty well.”

The Spartans controlled the game on both ends. They pulled down seven more rebounds, shot 52% to North Carolina’s 38%, and put together a defensive clinic, holding a team that usually scores nearly 90 a night to just 58 points. That says a lot about the team Izzo has built this season, and it’s clear the Spartans are shaping up to be real contenders when the big dance rolls around.