Jeremy Fears dominates as Michigan State basketball cruises in NCAA Tournament opener

Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. had 11 assists to lead the 3-seed Spartans to a 92-67 blowout win over 14-seed North Dakota State.

Mar. 20, 2026 at 9:08am

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Jeremy Fears Jr. made it look easy from start to finish as 3-seed Michigan State basketball routed 14-seed North Dakota State 92-67 in the NCAA Tournament opener. Fears had 11 assists, setting up his teammates for open looks throughout the game, while taking just 7 shots himself. The Spartans led by 20 at halftime and extended the lead to as many as 28 points in the second half, getting contributions from across the lineup.

Why it matters

When Jeremy Fears Jr. is distributing the ball and elevating his teammates, Michigan State's offense becomes nearly unstoppable. The Spartans' ability to share the ball and get open looks for multiple scorers makes them a tough out in the NCAA Tournament.

The details

Fears had 9 assists by halftime and finished with 11, setting up easy looks for teammates like Carson Cooper (20 points, 10 rebounds), Cam Ward (13 points), and Jaxon Kohler (12 points, 3 3-pointers). Michigan State also played stifling defense, holding North Dakota State to just 6-of-25 shooting from 3-point range after the Bison entered the game making 36.5% of their 3-point attempts per game.

  • Michigan State opened a 20-point halftime lead over North Dakota State.
  • The Spartans extended their lead to as many as 28 points in the second half.

The players

Jeremy Fears Jr.

A third-year sophomore point guard for Michigan State who was named a second-team All-American by The Associated Press after earning first-team All-Big Ten honors.

Carson Cooper

A senior center for Michigan State who tied a career high with 20 points and added 10 rebounds.

Jaxon Kohler

A freshman forward for Michigan State who scored 12 points, including three 3-pointers.

Cam Ward

A freshman guard for Michigan State who scored 13 points.

David Richman

The head coach of North Dakota State.

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What they’re saying

“There were times where I saw three people on Fears, and he was able to make the right decision at the right moment. Honestly, I imagine it's frustrating having three guys on you. But that just show you the respect that people have for you. I mean, he's an All-American. But the way he was able to find people at the right time and give them assists, it's incredible, to be honest. And to see the whole court and know where guys are through three defenders at times?”

— Jaxon Kohler, Michigan State forward

“At the end of the day, we can sit here and spin this any way. Michigan State was clearly the better basketball team today.”

— David Richman, North Dakota State head coach

What’s next

Michigan State will face 6-seed Louisville on Saturday (2:45 p.m., CBS) with a chance to advance to the Sweet 16 for the second straight year.

The takeaway

When Jeremy Fears Jr. is distributing the ball and elevating his teammates, Michigan State's offense becomes nearly unstoppable. The Spartans' ability to share the ball and get open looks for multiple scorers makes them a tough out in the NCAA Tournament.