Spartans Slam Huskies: Three Insights from the Blowout
Michigan State flew cross-country and delivered an 80-63 rout of Washington, showcasing the Spartans’ depth and defensive prowess. Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. seized control after a tight stretch, erupting for 14 second-half points and sparking a decisive 12-2 run. Reserve guard Denham Wojcik, long maligned by fans, chipped in a solid two points, two assists, a key defensive stop and a plus-3 plus/minus in just 11 minutes—exactly the lifeline MSU needed when its stars caught a breather. Meanwhile, Michigan State’s perimeter defense tightened even more in conference play: Washington missed 84% of its threes, dropping MSU’s opponents’ three-point clip to 27.5% in Big Ten games, the best mark in the league and a reason to pencil in that January showdown against Michigan as a fireworks display in the making.
In a stunning act of unprovoked athleticism, MSU’s bench hero Denham Wojcik apparently snuck onto the court from the Spirit Squad, bewildering Washington into thinking it faced a real basketball player. Jeremy Fears Jr. single-handedly reminded everyone that “leadership” isn’t just a nice word in coaching manuals, but also the perfect excuse to hog the ball. And that perimeter defense? It’s so suffocating the Huskies may start emigrating west for some sunshine—preferably somewhere Kevin Durant isn’t lurking. Coach Tom Izzo must be carving “National Champions” on his victory cigar, but between travel fatigue and opponent complacency, even a statue of Wojcik might be on the horizon if he shows up again.
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