Think about how good Jeremy Fears Jr. has been for Michigan State this season: 12 points per game, nearly 10 assists per game, and some great defense. Then think about how Fears has two more full seasons of college basketball in front of him after this season is over.

Michigan State Spartans basketball coach Tom Izzo praised forward Coen Carr’s toughness after he fought through a painful groin injury.

Tom Izzo said No. 21 Michigan State basketball must sharpen its focus with a visit Saturday at Breslin Center by John Calipari and No. 15 Arkansas.

There are not many teams that can just pencil themselves into the bracket every single year. Only three teams enter this season with active streaks of at least 10 years: MSU, Gonzaga (26), and Purdue (10). Technically, Kansas has made the last 35, but its 2018 appearance was vacated, making the Jayhawks' actual current streak just six.

Tom Izzo kept it real after Michigan State’s win, and his message shows the Spartans have work to do before facing Kentucky.

Taylor, 7-foot-1 and 244 pounds, is the No. 2 center and No. 23 player overall in the class. He picked the Spartans over his other finalists, Oregon, Kansas, Indiana and Oklahoma, while calling it “a pretty easy choice” due to Izzo and the fan base.

UNC gave up two scoring stretches to MIchigan State and shot a season-low 17 percent from 3-point range in the loss.