A streak was going to be broken Sunday in Evanston, Illinois.
Michigan State was riding an eight-game win streak while Northwestern had yet to lose at home this season at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
In the end, the Spartan streak continued as the better team ended up on top, while showing they can win in different ways.
“We came out and played maybe our best half of basketball,” Izzo said following the Spartans' 78-68 win over Northwestern. “We did what we had to do. We didn’t play as good the second half; I think they had something to do with it, but I think we had something to do with it. This is a big road win for us.”
A sloppy second half in Evanston didn’t stop the Spartans from finishing the game feeling like they played a dominant brand of basketball. Their physical play on both ends in the first half set the tone for the victory and they did enough against a good Northwestern team to make sure the victory was never in question.
“That team was one of the most physical teams we played, and I (give) all of the credit to Chris (Collins) on that,” Izzo said. “Finishing games is a big key and I did not like the way we finished.”
MSU struggled to find their rhythm after halftime because of the adjustments the Wildcats were able to make, shooting 62 percent in the first half, compared to just 36 percent in the second. Still, it felt like each time Northwestern gained a bit of momentum it was always halted abruptly - on offense and defense - from the Spartans.
Two of the catalysts to the victory came from the Spartans’ youth in the backcourt, as Izzo gave praise to Jeremy Fears Jr. and Jase Richardson for their strong play throughout the game. Fears finished with 12 points and eight assists, while Richardson chipped in with 13 points off the bench.
“I thought Jeremy and Jase were unbelievable to spark this,” Izzo said.
The relationship between Izzo and his starting point guards has always been an important aspect of his teams' success - and this year's team is no different. It’s not easy to be the player Izzo asks to be the extension of himself on the floor, but Fears seems to pass that test with flying colors.
“As we all know, he went through a tough time with the injury,” Izzo said about the redshirt freshman’s progress a year after his season ended. “I told him and his family that you’ll probably start seeing the real Jeremy after Christmas. I’ve been thoroughly impressed with how he’s guarded, ran my team, and how he is on the bench.”
For Fears, this was somewhat of a homecoming for him. Growing up in Joilet, Illinois, about an hour outside of Chicago, Fears had friends and family in the stands.
As Izzo alluded to, Fears’ ability to motivate the team not only on the court, but on the bench, has been a huge positive so far this season. His absence for a large portion of last season, in retrospect, may have been a bigger loss overall because he’s just such a good guy to have around the team.
“Last year I didn’t get to travel (here), and we lost," Fears said after the game. "I had a lot of family and friends that came out to support me (today) but just wanted to get a win by any means. We kind of knew that they were going to make a run … we knew they weren’t going to stop playing.”
Although the offense starts with Fears at the point, he has a good understanding of what defense and rebounding means for winning.
“We play defense, that’s what we take pride in,” Fears said. “We know we may not make the most shots or all the layups on the road, but defense travels.”
The chemistry between Fears and Richardson has been Brewing all year, a little more each game. While both players are cerebral, they also play with a fearlessness that’s been a nightmare lately for opponents. Richardson’s versatility has been on display since the jump, but the versatility has spread throughout the roster as the season has progressed.