Things got heated early in Sunday’s rivalry matchup between the Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball and the Michigan State Spartans men’s basketball.
Just over five minutes into the game, Michigan State point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. found himself at the center of controversy after making contact with Michigan guard Elliot Cadeau.
What happened
During the sequence, Cadeau was initially called for a foul. However, as the play concluded, Fears’ right leg flared backward and struck Cadeau in the groin area.
Jeremy Fears Jr. has a thing for kicking people in the ball, why does he do this?
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) March 8, 2026
😭😭 pic.twitter.com/sF6xBzzK8F
Officials immediately reviewed the situation and assessed a dead-ball technical foul on Fears.
The ruling changed the entire sequence:
- Michigan was awarded two free throws
- The Wolverines made both attempts
- Michigan then retained possession of the ball
The call quickly became a talking point among fans watching the rivalry clash.
Early drama in rivalry matchup
Tensions are rarely low when Michigan and Michigan State meet, especially in the final Big Ten Conference game of the regular season.
Michigan entered Sunday’s contest with a 28-2 record and the Big Ten title already secured, while Michigan State came in 25-5 and looking to solidify its positioning ahead of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament.
But before the game even reached the midway point of the first half, controversy had already arrived in Ann Arbor.
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