Jeremy Fears Jr. answered a challenge from coach Tom Izzo with 18 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists Tuesday night, guiding No. 5 Michigan State to a 79-73 victory over No. 2 Duke in the Champions Classic in Chicago. The Spartans never trailed and stretched their advantage to 14 points in the second half.
Fears began his senior season as the player of the year front-runner after earning second-team All-American honors and leading the nation in assists. An uneven preseason and inconsistent performances in Michigan State's opening two games prompted Izzo to demand more from his point guard. Against Duke, Fears became only the second Division I player in the past five seasons to record at least 15 points, five rebounds and 10 assists against a top-five opponent, according to ESPN Research.
The guard established an aggressive approach early, drawing a foul on a drive during Michigan State's second possession and collecting three assists before the first media timeout. The Spartans built an 11-2 lead, and Duke remained at least three points behind thereafter. Fears scored just three points before halftime but added 15 after the break, bringing his season assist total to 31 through three games.
The performance followed a difficult shooting night against Duke last season, when Fears missed all 10 of his field goal attempts while registering 13 assists. This time, he said Izzo's emphasis on increasing the tempo shaped his approach. Duke coach Jon Scheyer credited Fears' control of the game while criticizing his team's pick-and-roll defense and the freedom it allowed him. Fears attempted 17 free throws.
Jordan Scott supplied Michigan State's defensive spark. The 6-foot-8 sophomore collected nine rebounds, six blocks and two steals despite struggling with his jump shot. Duke managed only 25 first-half points and shot 26% from the field, its lowest first-half shooting percentage under Scheyer, according to ESPN Research. Cam Ward contributed 14 points and six rebounds for the Spartans and praised Scott's ability to influence the defense.
Michigan State's pressure and physical play helped force nine Duke turnovers before halftime. The Blue Devils also struggled from long range, finishing 7-for-29 after missing their first eight 3-point attempts and seven of their final eight. Duke never reduced its second-half deficit below five points.
The result ended a run of 79 games in which Duke either led or was within one possession of the lead during the final minute. That stretch included all 77 games across the previous two seasons. Scheyer accepted responsibility for Tuesday's performance, saying his players lacked connection. "That wasn't Duke basketball," he said.
The victory was Michigan State's first against Duke in five Champions Classic matchups. Duke still holds an 11-3 advantage in the series since 2010, a stretch that includes wins in the 2022 NCAA tournament and the 2023 Champions Classic in Chicago. Izzo acknowledged the frustration those defeats had caused his family and Michigan State supporters.
Duke now faces three more top-five opponents over the next three weeks: Illinois on Nov. 17, UConn in Las Vegas on Nov. 25 and Florida on the road on Dec. 1. Scheyer described that schedule as both difficult and an opportunity as his team addresses the problems exposed by Michigan State.
