East Lansing- Tom Izzo is not one to shy away from a challenge, whether it’s in exhibition or non-conference play. There’s no better way to get your players ready for a long season than with a physical preseason schedule and Izzo gave his squad exactly that.
The No.6 Spartans took on fourth-ranked UConn in an exhibition at the Breslin Center as they approach their season opener Nov. 2, against Quinnipiac. MSU was outshot in the 78-70 loss to the Huskies, who are one of the nation’s best teams.
Though it didn’t seem like it at the Breslin Center, this game was just an exhibition meant to help get players ready for the season ahead and, for coaches, it’s a chance for experimentation with lineups and rotations. Here are some of the key takeaways from the Spartans exhibition:
Center Position is Still Wide Open
The center spot is a big question mark for MSU heading into this season following the departure of Carson Cooper, and Jaxon Kohler. Izzo filled the holes left at the position with transfer Anton Bonke and Ethan Taylor, but neither of them have stood out and claimed the starting role.
There were a lot of questions around Bonke coming from an American Athletic Conference team to the Big Ten and none of them were answered in the exhibition as he played just six minutes in the first half and was benched the entire second half. Taylor had 5 points in 11 minutes showing some promise but they’ll need more production from both players to have success in a competitive conference this season.
Jeremy Fears Jr. Starred against UConn
Fears was one of the best players in the country last season and, after not declaring for the NBA Draft in favor of a return to MSU, he’s banking on himself to continue his great play. He did just that against one of the best defensive teams in the country, with 23 points.
Though it wasn’t his strongest shooting performance, he was aggressive attacking the rim and earned trips to the free throw line. But what’s always made Fears stand out is not his scoring but his IQ and passing ability. He added eight assists against UConn and ran the team’s offense, putting his teammates in positions to score.
Freshman Jasiah Jervis Shows Potential
Besides Fears, Jervis looked the best player for the Spartans. The young guard was the only other double-digit scorer for MSU with 11 points and looked a threat from behind the arc as he made 66% of the entire team’s three-pointers in the game.
Jervis was a top-75 freshman recruit and is already showing flashes that he can be a big contributor for the Spartans this season.
MSU will play one final exhibition against another strong team in Marquette on Oct.25, before their season opener at home.
Key Takeaways From No.6 MSU Basketball’s 78-70 Loss in Exhibition With No.4 UConn