Jeremy Fears breaks Michigan State basketball assist record in loss to UCLA

Spartans star point guard sets single-season assists mark despite defeat

Mar. 14, 2026 at 7:04pm

Jeremy Fears Jr. of the Michigan State Spartans broke the program's single-season assists record on Friday night, recording 13 assists in a loss to UCLA. Fears now has 294 assists on the year, surpassing the previous record of 291 set by Cassius Winston during the 2018-19 season. However, the Spartans' loss overshadowed Fears' historic achievement.

Why it matters

Fears' record-breaking performance is a bright spot for Michigan State, which is looking to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans have shown they can hang with top teams like Michigan and Duke, but need to find a way to close out games. Fears' leadership and playmaking will be crucial if Michigan State wants to make a championship push.

The details

Fears recorded 13 assists in the loss to UCLA, bringing his season total to 294 and surpassing the previous Michigan State record of 291 set by Cassius Winston in 2018-19. Fears is now just 20 assists away from breaking the Big Ten single-season record of 313 held by Purdue's Braden Smith. While the loss to UCLA was disappointing, Michigan State has proven it can compete with the top teams in the country, leading late in games against Michigan and Duke before faltering down the stretch.

  • Fears broke the single-season assists record on March 14, 2026 during Michigan State's loss to UCLA.
  • The previous record of 291 assists in a season was set by Cassius Winston during the 2018-19 campaign.

The players

Jeremy Fears Jr.

The star point guard for the Michigan State Spartans, who broke the program's single-season assists record on March 14, 2026.

Cassius Winston

The former Michigan State point guard who held the previous single-season assists record of 291, set during the 2018-19 season.

Braden Smith

The Purdue point guard who holds the Big Ten single-season assists record of 313, a mark Fears is now close to breaking.

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What’s next

Michigan State will need Fears to continue his strong play if the team wants to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament and potentially break the Big Ten single-season assists record.

The takeaway

Jeremy Fears Jr.'s record-breaking performance in Michigan State's loss to UCLA is a testament to his elite playmaking abilities, but the Spartans will need him to lead the team to tournament success if they want to truly capitalize on his historic season.