Now, 25 years later, Jase is playing on the same court where his father once played. With his performance against Oregon, he showed his ability to contribute at a high level and helped Michigan State secure an important win.

After missing the second half against UCLA, Richardson returned strong against Oregon, setting career highs in nearly every category. He led No. 10 Michigan State University basketball (19-4, 10-2 Big Ten) to an 86-74 comeback win over Oregon (16-8, 5-8 Big Ten) after trailing by 14 at halftime in a season-defining victory.

The win marked MSU head coach Tom Izzo’s 353rd Big Ten victory, tying Bobby Knight for the most in conference history.

Richardson’s breakout performance — 29 points on 9-for-13 shooting — helped MSU remain unbeaten at home. He knocked down three three-pointers, went 6-for-8 from the free-throw line and committed zero turnovers while adding five rebounds and a momentum-shifting block in 35 minutes.

MSU’s first half was arguably its worst of the season. The Spartans surrendered 50 points, including 10 three-pointers, while attempting 13 fewer shots than Oregon. At the break, MSU accumulated nine turnovers, leading to Oregon’s 21 points off of turnovers.

MSU’s turnovers fueled Oregon’s first-half dominance, helping the Ducks build leads of 45-31 and 50-36 at halftime. In that time, Oregon looked smoother than MSU and matched its physicality. The Ducks utilized driving to the basket and getting shots in the paint but also were able to find perimeter shots, mainly from Jackson Shelstad, who had 18 points in the first half and 10 of Oregon’s first 16 points.

"That was not a pretty first half," Izzo said postgame. 

The second half was a complete turnaround. MSU opened with a 12-0 run, then surged ahead 68-64 with a 15-2 stretch in just four minutes. That lead was fueled by three-pointers, specifically from Richardson.

The second half belonged to Richardson and company. Richardson poured in 18 of his 29 points after halftime, igniting the Spartans’ comeback as their go-to playmaker. He stepped up and had a career night. He was the reason why MSU was able to stay in the game and a main part of the Spartans’ path to their win; with 13 minutes left in the game, it was unclear who would come out victorious, but with Richardson’s use, MSU looked smoother, stronger and more physical. 

"The team was the players on the floor, players on the bench, the players behind the bench and the fans in the stands. That was a team," Izzo said. "It was about a 16,000-person team victory tonight, and for me, it just doesn’t get any better than that."

On a larger scale, the game highlighted Richardson’s leadership and talent. During his first start of the season, since redshirt freshman Jeremy Fears Jr. was ruled out due to illness, he took initiative and led the team when senior guard Jaden Akins failed to, especially in the first half.

Akins’ off-game actually proved that Richardson is able to step up and get it done for the Spartans. He’s a smooth player and has been consistent this season. 

If Richardson stays another season in East Lansing — rather than declaring for the NBA draft — he’s poised to take over as MSU’s leader.

"There’s not many times that you have a run like that, a defense like that, rebounding like that, a performance by an individual like Jase gave us and a fan base that was out of their freaking minds," Izzo said. "So that’s a hell of a combination. I’m really happy for (Richardson). He’s fought the fight, and he just keeps battling."

MSU will host Indiana at Breslin Center on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 9 p.m. The game will air on Peacock.