Jace Richardson’s Unexpected Breakout: What Really Happened in MSU’s Win Against Oregon?

AST LANSING – Michigan State basketball’s deep rotation is missing at least one starter and perhaps a key bench piece on Saturday.

Jeremy Fears Jr. Sidelined Due to Illness:
Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (illness) was ruled out as the ninth-ranked Spartans hosted Oregon at the Breslin Center and he was not in the building. Coach Tom Izzo said on his pregame radio show that Fears was unlikely to play, and ruled him out before tipoff. Forward Xavier Booker (who is also ill) was questionable for the afternoon tipoff (Fox) and sat on the bench.

Tom Izzo Highlights Depth as Key Factor:
“There’s strength in numbers,” Izzo said on his pregame radio show, “We’ll see how strong they are.” Freshman Jace Richardson made his first career start for MSU, “so we rotate the guard thing pretty evenly.” Richardson scored 10 early points and gave the Spartans a slight lead at halftime in front of a celebration of MSU basketball alumni, including the 2000 national title team in which father Jason Richardson played a key bench role as a freshman.

Fears Jr.’s Season Performance and Background:
Fears, who has started all 22 games this season, is averaging 6.2 points, 6.2 assists and two rebounds per game. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound redshirt freshman missed all but 10 games in 2023 last year after getting shot after Christmas.

Xavier Booker’s Role and Recent Contributions:
Booker has come off the bench the last 19 games after starting the first three games. The 6-11, 240-pound sophomore is averaging 6.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game.

Jace Richardson’s Rising Impact at MSU:
Richardson, a 6-3 combo guard, ranks second at MSU with 9.3 points per game while shooting 40% from 3-point range and 52.3% overall. He also adds 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists a game.