No. 6 Michigan State Beats Toledo 91-61 Led by Freshman Jasiah Jervis

Jasiah Jervis and Spartan Underclassmen Fuel No. 6 Michigan State Past Toledo

Breaking into the starting lineup of a Top 10 basketball team is a difficult feat. Doing it as a true freshman is even harder, and impressing a head coach while leading in points is nothing short of extraordinary. Freshman guard Jasiah Jervis did just that on a Thursday night in East Lansing, helping the No. 6 Michigan State men’s basketball team secure a 91-61 win over Toledo.

Jervis came out of the gate flying in just his second career start, opening the contest with eight points in the first five minutes. The rookie also grabbed two rebounds and a steal, prompting a classic fist pump from coach Tom Izzo. Jervis finished the first 20 minutes with 13 points and ended the night with 16 points to lead the team.

“Offensively, he moved the ball. He makes some passes. He’s starting to set people up,” Izzo said. “I’ve been very pleased with Jasiah.”

Underclassmen Production and Glass Dominance

MSU’s underclassmen posted a combined 43 points on the night. Alongside Jervis, sophomore forward Jordan Scott contributed 12 points, freshman center Ethan Taylor added eight, and freshman guard Carlos Medlock Jr. chipped in seven.

The Spartan youth movement, backed by 16 offensive rebounds, helped MSU maintain its perfect early-season record at 2-0. The team cleaned up on the glass at an exceptional rate, grabbing 29 rebounds in the first stanza alone, including six offensive boards. That hustle helped the Spartans build a 23-point lead by halftime while limiting Toledo’s second-chance opportunities.

“We defend, we rebound, and we run,” Izzo said regarding the team’s style of play. “We did run decent. We did rebound pretty good. I didn’t think we defended it as good; I just think they missed shots.”

Despite the dominant rebounding edge, the Spartans experienced trouble at the charity stripe during the opening half, shooting just over 62% from the free-throw line.

“The free throw shooting, we work on at morning, noon, and night,” Izzo said. “We shoot every night before the game; we shoot 97%, every time. I don’t know what to say about that.”

Interior Offense and Upcoming Tests

After relying partly on free throws in the first half, MSU shifted its offensive approach after the break. The Spartans started the second half exclusively in the paint, scoring their first 14 points from inside the arc and nearly dwarfing their 16 first-half interior points.

Senior center Anton Bonke drove much of that interior onslaught, finishing the game with nine points, which included three conversions from the free-throw line.

With tougher competition immediately ahead, Izzo addressed the role of his younger players, particularly Taylor, who had experienced struggles in the opening part of the schedule.

“He’s responding a little bit, which is all you want. You want guys to respond. If you get them to respond, they’ll get better,” Izzo said. “And he responded better tonight.”

The Spartans will travel to Chicago for the Champions Classic, facing No. 2 Duke at the United Center on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 6 p.m. EST in a game streamed on ESPN.

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