Michigan State Sets New Record, Surpassing Magic Johnson’s 1978 Achievement
Michigan State dominated North Dakota State 92-67 in the NCAA Tournament first round in Buffalo on March 19, 2026. The Spartans dished a program-high 26 assists in a single tournament game. That one more assist topped the previous tournament mark set in 1978 against Western Kentucky.
Fears leads the way
Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. had nine assists in the first half. He finished with 11 assists and seven points. The 11 assists left him three short of Magic Johnson’s 14-assist tournament game from 1978.
Fears owns the program single-season assist mark at 305. He leads the nation at 9.2 assists per game. He passed Cassius Winston’s 2018-19 season total to set the new school record.
Playmaking and recognition
Fears recorded six assists before the second media timeout. He had led the team in assists solo in 31 of 33 games this season. He is one of five finalists for the Bob Cousy Award.
Balanced offense and supporting cast
Seven Spartans had multiple assists. Nine players logged at least one assist in the game. Michigan State entered the matchup ranked seventh nationally at 18.5 assists per game.
- Carson Cooper: 20 points, 10 rebounds; tied a career high.
- Jaxon Kohler: 12 points, 9 rebounds.
- Kohler and Cooper combined for five assists in the game.
Cooper and Kohler have built chemistry over four seasons. Fears and Cooper have a three-season lob connection.
Team identity and transition play
Michigan State pushed the pace in the second half. The Spartans scored well in transition. Coach Tom Izzo said he prefers fast-break offense to rigid sets.
Context and next steps
The 26 assists now stand as Michigan State sets new record for team assists in an NCAA Tournament game. The mark carries added weight by surpassing Magic Johnson’s 1978 achievement from the same tournament.
Michigan State will face Louisville next. FanDuel listed the over/under at 150.5 for the upcoming matchup.
Photo credit: Jacob Hamilton, Filmogaz.com.
