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Tensions were high between two rivals Sunday as the Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team defeated the Michigan State Spartans, 90-80.
Spartans star Jeremy Fears Jr. drew attention in the first half of the match when he delivered a kick toward opponent Elliot Cadeau’s groin. 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) sets up 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 request a replay.
“I made a mistake, I probably should have fallen,” Fears said after the match. “It’s an unfortunate situation.”
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said he did not believe Fears intentionally kicked Cadeau, but added that he “harassed him about 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 in-game interview with CBS that Fears was under a microscope because of what was said after the previous match.
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 explained more after the match.
“I’m tired of it being one-sided,” he said. “That’s what upset me the first time. The Fears will get their lunch from me. I wonder if some of their guys will get their lunch from what happened in the first game that wasn’t made public.”
Fears, during a game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, swung his leg back to hit Langston Reynolds’ groin area and was called for a foul. He received a technical foul on an exam.
He came under scrutiny again against the Illinois Fighting Illini when coach Brad Underwood asked officials to look into whether Fears intentionally tripped David Mirkovic after stopping in front of him. Underwood did not win the appeal.
Fears had a breakout season in his third year with the Spartans. He averages 15.1 points per game and leads the country 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 call 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 this 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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