EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State’s preseason test against No. 4 UConn ended in a 78-70 exhibition loss Tuesday night at the Breslin Center, with the Spartans struggling with turnovers and perimeter shooting in a game that highlighted areas Tom Izzo’s team must tighten before the regular season.
Early deficit, late charge, decisive run
The Spartans trailed by eight at halftime, down 30-22, then trimmed the margin to two in the opening minutes of the second half. Redshirt junior guard Jeremy Fears Jr. paced Michigan State with 14 points, seven assists and three steals, and freshman guard Jasiah Jervis added 11 points.
Michigan State’s comeback bids were repeatedly thwarted by UConn runs. A three-point play by Colben Landrew increased the Huskies’ lead to seven late in the first half. After MSU narrowed the gap to four multiple times in the second half, a 11-2 burst capped by a 3-pointer from Nils Machowski pushed UConn in front 64-50 with 6:53 remaining — a margin the Spartans could not erase.
Turnovers and cold shooting bite Spartans
Statistically, the game underscored several problem areas for Michigan State. The Spartans committed 12 turnovers, with 10 of them coming in the first half. MSU managed only 22 first-half points and shot 36.4 percent (8-of-22) from the floor in that period. From long range the Spartans were especially ineffective, converting just 3-of-20 attempts (15.0 percent).
| Key stat | Michigan State |
|---|---|
| Final score | MSU 70 — UConn 78 |
| Leading scorer | Jeremy Fears Jr., 14 points |
| Assists | Fears Jr., 7 |
| Turnovers | 12 (10 in first half) |
| 3-point shooting | 3-of-20 (15.0%) |
Individual moments and bench contributions
Freshman center Ethan Taylor converted a first-half layup and later hit a jumper that helped narrow the gap in the second half. A late alley-oop to redshirt sophomore forward Jesse McCulloch brought the Spartans within seven in the final minute, but Michigan State could not convert enough stops or trim the deficit further.
- Top performers: Jeremy Fears Jr. (14 points, 7 assists, 3 steals); Jasiah Jervis (11 points); Ethan Taylor (key interior scoring).
- Problems to fix: ball security, 3-point accuracy and closing out after opponent scoring runs.
- Next game: Final exhibition at Marquette on Sunday, Oct. 25 (1 p.m. ET), streamed on YouTube.
What the loss means going forward
As an exhibition, the result does not count toward the Spartans’ record, but the performance delivers tangible coaching points ahead of the regular season. Turnovers and poor spacing on the perimeter left MSU vulnerable to UConn’s runs, and the inability to sustain efficient shooting hampered several comeback attempts.
For a Tom Izzo program that has built recent expectations around tournament runs and balanced offense, the game offered a reminder that early-season slippage — especially against high-level competition — can expose vulnerabilities that require disciplined practice and lineup adjustments.
Local impact and game-night operations
Exhibition matchups between top teams bring more than scouting value; they also matter to event staff, vendors and campus operations that support large nights at the Breslin Center. While this report does not include attendance figures, the Spartans’ preseason slate often shapes staffing and scheduling for arena workers and season-ticket operations as the program shifts from preparation to regular-season play.
MSU will close exhibition play Sunday at Marquette. The Spartans’ next public tune-up provides another opportunity to address turnovers, test rotational depth and adjust perimeter offense before league play begins.
The immediate takeaway from Tuesday: Michigan State has playmakers and depth, but teams in the top tier will punish lapses. Reducing mental mistakes and improving three-point accuracy will be essential if the Spartans want to match the nation’s best when the regular season tips off.
