How Spartans Saw Offensive Explosion Against Kentucky

The Michigan State Spartans picked up a major victory against the Kentucky Wildcats in the Champions Classic, 83-66. 

The Spartans get their first Champions Classic victory since 2022, which also came against Kentucky. MSU was in control of the game almost from the very beginning. 

One of the most encouraging parts of MSU’s victory was how well the team shot the ball from the floor. Tom Izzo’s team has struggled to score in the first few games, especially from three-point range. 

But on Tuesday night, the Spartans saw the ball go in the basket at a higher rate than they have all season. Kentucky has been a middle-of-the-pack defense in the early going of this season, and the Spartans exposed that, despite being a below-average offensive team themselves. 

How were the Spartans able to hit so many shots and have such a big offensive performance? Let’s break it all down. 

The biggest and most important part of the Spartans’ offense is how point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. sees the floor. He had 13 assists and leads the nation in that category. 

Not only does Fears put up assist numbers, but he is seeing the floor so much better than in the last few seasons. He can read the defense and find an open player without letting the defense speed him up.

According to ESPN, Fears’ 13 assists are the most by a Spartan against an AP-ranked team since Mateen Cleaves in 1999. It is clear that Fears is on the path to becoming one of the best Spartan point guards, which is an exclusive list. 

The Spartans’ young, unknowns also contributed to the offensive success, as players like Kur Teng and Jesse McCulloch made big shots at key moments throughout the game. 

Kentucky went on a 13-4 run to cut the lead to 10, but McCulloch nailed a three-pointer from the corner to push the lead back to 13. The Spartans eventually continued to extend the lead after McCulloch hit that big shot. 

Teng, a player the team needed to emerge as a contributor, poured in a career-high 15 points. The sophomore has always been a talented shooter, and he has the opportunity to show he is capable of being a big-time scorer for this team. 

Teng hit three three-pointers, including a big-time shot near the end of the first half. This game can give him confidence as the Spartans continue to take on tough opponents. 

MSU finally saw the ball go in the basket at a high clip. It may not be like this every game, but the Spartans should be encouraged by what they saw on Tuesday night.

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