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Tensions rose between two rivals on Sunday when the Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team beat the Michigan State Spartans, 90-80.
Spartans star Jeremy Fears Jr. came under scrutiny in the first half of the game when he kicked into the groin of opponent Elliot Cadeau. He was called for a technical foul as video review showed he swung his right leg back toward Cadeau.
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Michigan St. guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) makes a shot between Michigan guard Roddy Gayle Jr, left, and Michigan center Aday Mara in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Lon Horwedel)
Cadeau immediately walked to his bench and called head coach Dusty May to ask for a replay review.
“I got fouled, I probably should have gone down,” Fears said after the game. “It’s an unfortunate situation.”
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said he did not believe Fears kicked Cadeau on purpose, but added that he “reprimanded him for it” during the game.
“No one is harder on him than me,” he said. “No one will be harder on him than me.”
Izzo said during an interview with CBS during the game that Fears is under the microscope because of what was said after the previous game.
Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts during the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena on January 2, 2026 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
He gave more details after the game.
“I’m tired of this being one-sided,” he said. “That’s what bothered me the first time. Fears will get his lunch from me. I wonder if some of his guys will get their lunch from what happened in the first game that wasn’t made public.”
Fears, in a game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, swung his leg back to hit Langston Reynolds’ groin area and was called for a foul. Received a technical foul in a review.
He came under scrutiny again against the Illinois Fighting Illini when coach Brad Underwood asked officials to investigate whether Fears intentionally tripped David Mirkovic after stopping in front of him. Underwood did not win the appeal.
Fears has had a great season in his third year with the Spartans. He averages 15.1 points per game and leads the nation with an average of 9.1 assists per game.
Michigan State finished the regular season with a 25-6 record and a 15-5 record in the Big Ten Conference.
Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) reacts to a personal foul against him during the second half against Michigan at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Junfu Han/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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Michigan, with the victory, solidified its Big Ten regular season title. The Wolverines are 29-2 this season and 19-1 in conference play.
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