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EAST LANSING, Mich. — Jeremy Fears Jr. played one of his best games to help No. 10 Michigan State earn a much-needed win after his coach thought about benching him.
Fears started the game and finished with 26 points — 11 in overtime — and 15 assists in 42 minutes, lifting the Spartans to an 85-82 win over No. 5 Illinois on Saturday night. Coach Tom Izzo had debated whether to discipline the standout point guard after his sportsmanship was called into question in two straight games.
Late in the first half, Fears was scrutinized again.
Fighting Illini coach Brad Underwood asked officials to review whether Fears intentionally tripped David Mirkovic after stopping in front of him. Underwood lost the appeal.
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“They looked at it,” Underwood mentioned. “It’s always going to be a judgment. He stopped. It’s what he does.
“He was terrific. We didn’t do a very good job of squaring him up.”
Izzo mentioned on the pregame radio show that he doesn’t condone what Fears has done, adding he hasn’t done anything to merit a suspension.
“He’s remorseful,” Izzo mentioned.
In a 76-73 loss at Minnesota on Wednesday night, Fears swung his leg backward into Langston Reynolds’ groin area after the whistle when Reynolds was called for a foul on Fears. Officials gave Fears a technical after reviewing the play.
In last week’s 83-71 loss to rival and second-ranked Michigan, Fears appeared to intentionally trip preseason All-America forward Yaxel Lendeborg.
On Friday. Izzo mentioned he was still considering benching Fears for at least a portion of the game against the Fighting Illini. Izzo mentioned the redshirt sophomore needed to “grow up a little bit.”
Entering the game against Illinois, Fears led the nation with 204 assists and was averaging nearly 15 points a game as Michigan State’s leading scorer.
While Izzo was considering disciplining Fears, Izzo has made clear that he remains upset about Michigan coach Dusty May’s public criticism of Fears. May accused the Spartans of “several plays that are very dangerous” during a news conference.
“Things got blown up,” Izzo mentioned.
Fears has had a breakout season in his third year at Michigan State.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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