Spartans Survive Rutgers Scare in OT, Extend Win Streak to Seven
Michigan State’s East Coast swing wasn’t nearly as smooth as its recent West Coast conquest, but when it mattered most, the Spartans leaned on their veterans and found a way. After trailing nearly the entire game, MSU clawed back to force overtime and then dominated the extra session to escape Piscataway with an 88-79 win over Rutgers.
It wasn’t pretty, but it was gritty-and it keeps the Spartans rolling with their seventh straight win, pushing them to 19-2 overall and 9-1 in Big Ten play.
A Wake-Up Call Before Michigan
Head coach Tom Izzo knew the timing of this one was tricky. With a rivalry clash against Michigan looming on Friday, he huddled with his four captains ahead of Tuesday’s game to make sure the team didn’t overlook a struggling Rutgers squad riding a three-game losing streak.
Message delivered-eventually.
The Spartans started flat and spent most of the night playing catch-up. But when crunch time hit, that leadership core-Jeremy Fears Jr., Carson Cooper, Coen Carr, and Jaxon Kohler-took over.
Twenty-one of MSU’s final 24 points in regulation came from that group, and the other three? A massive, ice-in-his-veins triple from Divine Ugochukwu with 11 seconds left to send the game to overtime.
From there, MSU outscored Rutgers 15-6 in OT, flipping the script on a night that looked like it might slip away.
Fears Puts the Team on His Back
One game after setting a career-high in assists, Jeremy Fears Jr. added another chapter to his breakout season. The redshirt sophomore dropped 29 points, nine assists, and four rebounds-and he did it with style and toughness.
Fears scored 10 of MSU’s 15 points in overtime, including a tough layup in traffic and six clutch free throws to seal it. When the game turned chaotic, Fears was the calm in the storm.
Cooper, meanwhile, delivered a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds, while Carr added 13 points and eight boards. Kohler chipped in 10 points and four rebounds, and Ugochukwu finished with nine points, six assists, and six rebounds-including that game-saving three.
A Clunky Start in a Tough Building
The first half? Let’s just say it wasn’t one for the highlight reel.
MSU looked out of sync from the jump, and Rutgers took full advantage. Five straight points from Dylan Grant gave the Scarlet Knights an early lead, and a 16-5 run midway through the half blew the game open. Turnovers were a killer-10 in the first half alone, leading to 17 Rutgers points-and the Spartans shot just 37.5% from the field.
Foul trouble didn’t help either. Kohler picked up his second with just under six minutes left in the half, and Fears joined him on the bench 35 seconds later. Rutgers took a 37-28 lead into the locker room, and MSU had plenty to clean up.
Rutgers Keeps Swinging
The Scarlet Knights came out of the break with energy, and a Jamichael Davis three pushed their lead to 12-the biggest of the night. MSU tried to chip away with some familiar tools: a Cooper alley-oop, Kohler working inside, Carr getting downhill. But every time the Spartans got close, Rutgers had an answer.
Harun Zrno was especially tough, knocking down four threes and finishing with 16 points. Tariq Francis led the way with 23 before fouling out, and his shot-making helped Rutgers maintain control deep into the second half.
With under 10 minutes to go, MSU still trailed by 12. That’s when the veterans stepped up.
The Comeback
Ugochukwu hit a big three to spark a 9-2 run, capped by two straight buckets from Cooper off Fears assists. That cut the deficit to five, but Zrno responded again with a wing three to quiet the momentum.
Still, MSU kept coming. Carr hit a three, then a layup.
Fears began attacking the rim relentlessly, drawing fouls and finishing through contact. With 1:16 left, it was all tied up at 67.
Rutgers edged back ahead, 72-69, with under 20 seconds left. Fears hit one of two at the line, then Davis did the same on the other end. That set the stage for Ugochukwu, who calmly drilled a deep three to tie it at 73 with 11 seconds left.
Rutgers had one last shot in regulation, but it came up short. Overtime belonged to the Spartans.
Overtime Domination
Kohler gave MSU its first lead since early in the first half with two free throws to open OT. A few minutes later, he converted a three-point play to make it 78-73.
Rutgers got two free throws from Francis, but Fears answered with a tough layup and then hit two more from the stripe. From there, it was all Fears at the line-six straight free throws to ice the game and complete the comeback.
Looking Ahead
MSU now turns its focus to Friday’s rivalry showdown with Michigan-the first of two meetings between the in-state foes this season. The Spartans will take the court with momentum, confidence, and a battle-tested group that just proved it can win ugly on the road.
They didn’t play their best basketball Tuesday night, but they played with heart. And sometimes, that’s enough.