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Michigan State

Tom Izzo on Jeremy Fears technical foul vs. Rutgers: 'I've never heard of something like that'

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby: Grant Grubbs03/06/26grant_grubbs_

In Michigan State‘s 91-87 win over Rutgers on Thursday, guard Jeremy Fears was assessed a technical foul after he pointed at the Jumbotron in the Breslin Center, attempting to direct the referees’ attention to the instant replay. After the game, Spartans head coach Tom Izzo reflected on the unusual technical foul.

“I never heard of something like that,” Izzo said. “But the ref told me that that’s right in the rule book. So that is my fault. I should be able to relay the rules to my players. And if I don’t, why should they know it if I didn’t know it? And that’s what I told the official. But I didn’t argue it because of that. But I think it taught him and I a lesson that you still can’t do that. It was a five-point play, and a lot of things changed.

“But before you blame him, I’m not protecting him. I don’t protect him ever. He’s a quarterback. I’m the coach. We’re the two guys that get the most crap and deserve it because of the positions we’re in. But that was not his fault. He wasn’t boisterous about it. He, man, just pointed, I guess. I said, did he flamboyantly did it? Maybe you saw it differently. He said nobody pointed at it. So that is the rule, and it was called correctly.”

Fears didn’t allow the technical foul to prevent him from having a spectacular outing. The sophomore guard recorded 21 points and eight assists, while shooting 7-10 from the field.

Jeremy Fears is averaging 9.1 assists per game this season, the most in the country. While Fears has regularly produced for the Spartans, he also occasionally caused trouble.

After Michigan defeated Michigan State in late January, Wolverines head coach Dusty May criticized Fears, insinuating he made dirty plays in the game. In MSU’s next outing, Fears was received a technical foul after kicking Minnesota guard Langston Reynolds in the groin area. Tom Izzo reprimanded Fears for his actions.

“I did not see what happened in the play,” Izzo said. “I saw him get pushed and I saw his leg come up and I didn’t think he hit anybody, but if he did, then he deserves it, I guess.

“Are they baiting him? Well, of course, of course. When you go public with something, you should get baited, and it’s his fault. And, I make no bones about it. I sat him for a while. I don’t even know if I’m going to start him the next game.”