Nick FaberThu, November 27, 2025 at 11:42 PM UTC·4 min readNothing new for Spartan fans. Another ranked opponent, another win, and bragging rights stay in the back pocket as we get ready for next week.
Second Half Start
Michigan State carried a five-point halftime lead into the second half and wasted no time adding to it. A quick three pushed the advantage to 36–28—MSU’s largest lead to that point.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBut nobody expected this thing to be over with 19 minutes still on the clock. UNC struck back with a two, then capitalized on a turnover with a three to slice the lead to 36–33.
Carson Cooper quieted the Tar Heel crowd with a dunk, but UNC kept swinging. Every single time the Tar Heels cut the lead down, the Spartans ripped it right back open. No bandages, no stitches—Dr. Spartan wanted this one bleeding all night.
After multiple players slipped on the same spot, officials stopped the game for a floor check.
15:53 remaining – MSU 40, UNC 35
Out of the timeout, UNC again cut it to three… and again the Spartans answered with back-to-back buckets. The teams traded blows, but MSU stayed in control.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAt 13:40, UNC turned up the pressure—disastrously. Jeremy Fears Jr. sprinted out on a 4-on-1 fast break.
Points continued to fly both ways. UNC played like a team in a football two-minute drill, while Michigan State looked like a team protecting a lead and bleeding the clock.
Cooper nearly detonated the arena with a monstrous dunk attempt—impressive even next to human highlight reel Coen Carr—but the ball ricocheted off the rim and shot ten yards into the air.
After a UNC miss, Jaxon Kohler buried a dagger to give MSU its biggest lead: 53–44.
UNC briefly responded.
10:43 remaining – MSU 53, UNC 47
The Tar Heels came out of the commercial break furious and lived at the free-throw line. Carr fouled a three-pointer, UNC hit all three, and the lead shrank again to three.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAs he had all game, Jeremy Fears Jr. refused to let it stay there, scoring immediately.
UNC trimmed it to three once more before MSU drew a foul.
7:49 remaining – MSU 55, UNC 50
UNC scored again, and again cut it to three, but freshman Cam Ward pushed it back to five. Then came the knockout sequence: Fears drilled a three, drew a foul, and after another UNC miss, Coen Carr converted a layup. MSU led 62–52 with six minutes left.
UNC missed again, and the urgency was written all over the Tar Heels’ faces. Michigan State, meanwhile, calmly drained nearly a minute off the clock before Cooper scored to make it a 12-point game.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement5:24 remaining – MSU 64, UNC 52
The arena in Fort Myers sounded a lot like East Lansing.
Caleb Wilson finally broke a long scoring drought to bring the lead back under ten, but MSU kept matching every push. Fears hit another jumper. UNC answered. Then Carr soared again for a thunderous dunk to restore the 12-point lead.
2:46 remaining – MSU 68, UNC 56
Henri Veesaar went to the line but couldn’t convert, while Fears drew free throws on the next possession and continued dominating the game. His command of the floor—tempo, vision, shot-making—earned him clear Player of the Game honors.
A few more baskets sealed it. Michigan State rolled out of Florida with a 74–58 win, a 7–0 record, and their third ranked win of the young season.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis Spartan team is playing as dominant as it gets.
Next up: Iowa on Tuesday at 7 PM and Duke on Saturday at noon, both at the Breslin Center.
Spartan Stats
Starters
Jaxon Kohler: 10 pts, 11 reb, 2 ast
Coen Carr: 8 pts, 4 reb
Carson Cooper: 14 pts, 6 reb, 1 ast
Jeremy Fears Jr.: 17 pts, 5 reb, 7 ast
Trey Fort: 3 pts, 1 reb, 3 ast
Bench
Cam Ward: 11 pts, 2 reb
Kur Teng: 6 pts, 3 reb, 1 ast
Divine Ugochukwu: 3 pts, 1 reb
