Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo reacts to a referee call during the second half against Duke at Breslin Center in East Lansing on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What’s Ahead for Michigan State Basketball

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Luke Joseph | Last updated Dec 8, 2025 12:00 PM ET

Michigan State basketball has just suffered its first loss of the season with a six-point heartbreaker against the fourth-ranked Duke Blue Devils. In the final few minutes, Michigan State seemed to have run out of gas, with only one field goal made in the final five minutes of the game.

Carson Cooper had arguably the best game of his career with a team-high 16 points and 16 rebounds, while Jaxon Kohler had a good game beyond the arc with four threes and finished with 14 points.

Holding Camron Boozer to only two points in the first half was a big achievement for Michigan State heading into halftime. Unfortunately, he is just so dominant as a player that he was able to adjust and score 16 in the second half and grab 15 rebounds.

In the end, Michigan State seemed to just run out of gas, only having one made field goal in the final five minutes against the fourth-ranked team in the country, isn't going to get you the win.

What Needs To Be Fixed

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The biggest problem for Michigan State is that the scoring has to get better production from scoring the ball at the guard positions. Jeremy Fears has been one of the best point guards this season, which cannot be denied. However, there have been games when he couldn't find the bottom of the basket.

Against Arkansas, Fears went 0-7 from the field and 2-5 against Eastern Carolina. Jeremy fears is so good as a passer and leading the team.

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The only thing he needs to be better at is scoring. It's good that he doesn't get scared of attempting shots when they don't fall, but he just needs to make them fall to help out the front court.

It's not all on Fears to be the go-to scoring guard. Kur Teng and Trey Fort both need to be more consistent, too. The two guard spots have been a revolving door all season, with Fort having six starts and Teng with three. On the season, both Fort and Teng are averaging just over five points per game and have also had games when they have trouble finding the basket.

Whats Next

While the loss to Duke is a heartbreaker, there is no reason to give up hope on this team. Michigan State is still one of the best teams in the country, with one of the best defenses in the country. Michigan State is still one of the best teams in the country, with one of the best defenses in the country.

The Spartans will play their second Big Ten opponent as they travel to Happy Valley to play Penn State. Having a week of rest and practice should give Michigan State enough time to learn from its mistakes and get back to winning games.