MSU Basketball Hits a Wall - and Illinois Is Barreling Toward Them
Tom Izzo isn’t one to sugarcoat things. He’s been through enough Big Ten battles to know that rough patches are part of the journey.
“I think everybody has some [rough stretches], unless you have a phenomenal year,” he said on Monday. And right now, Michigan State is stuck in one of those stretches - the kind that tests a team’s identity and resolve.
The Spartans’ latest stumble came in a 76-73 loss to Minnesota, and frankly, it wasn’t as close as the final score suggests. For 36 minutes, Michigan State looked out of sync, turning the ball over with little pressure, failing to execute in the halfcourt, and struggling mightily on the defensive end. Minnesota didn’t just outplay them - they pushed MSU around and dictated the tempo.
The Gophers’ physicality exposed a major concern for the Spartans: the lack of consistent production from their frontcourt. Senior forward Jaxon Kohler posted a pedestrian nine points and nine rebounds on 3-for-9 shooting, while senior center Carson Cooper went scoreless for the first time this season, finishing with just five boards and an 0-for-3 line from the field. That kind of output simply won’t cut it - not in the Big Ten, and certainly not against what’s coming next.
To their credit, MSU didn’t fold. Down 67-51 with four minutes to play, the Spartans sparked a late-game surge that briefly gave fans flashbacks to their comeback win over Rutgers.
Coen Carr came alive, pouring in 10 of his 16 points in the final four minutes. Jeremy Fears added 10 points and 11 assists, and Jordan Scott chipped in with a career-high 15 on efficient shooting.
But the rally came too late. Minnesota hit its free throws, and the hole MSU had dug was simply too deep.
This wasn’t just a bad game. It was the third straight underwhelming performance from a team that’s now staring down a full-blown slump.
Two losses in that stretch, and a growing list of questions that only the Spartans themselves can answer. The biggest one: how do they climb out of this?
We’ll get a very real answer on Saturday night when No. 5 Illinois rolls into East Lansing.
If this all feels familiar, it should. Around this time last year, Michigan State found itself in a similar funk - three losses in four games, momentum slipping away, and the season teetering on the edge.
Then came a must-win game against Illinois. The Spartans responded, snapped the skid, and rode that momentum to an undefeated finish in the regular season.
Now, here we are again. Same situation.
Same opponent. But this year’s Illinois squad?
They’re a different beast.
The Fighting Illini aren’t just good - they’re scorching. Winners of 12 straight, sitting at 20-3 overall and 11-1 in the Big Ten, they’ve been steamrolling opponents with a balanced, efficient, and unselfish brand of basketball.
They average 84.6 points per game (26th in the country), allow just 67.2 (25th), rebound at a 58% clip (5th), and turn the ball over fewer than 10 times per game (17th). That’s not just winning basketball - that’s championship-caliber basketball.
What makes Illinois so dangerous isn’t just the stats. It’s the way they play together.
The chemistry is undeniable. There’s a rhythm to their offense, a trust in their rotations, and a cohesion that feels like it’s been years in the making.
Watching them, you’d think this group has been playing together since AAU.
At the heart of it all is freshman sensation Keaton Wagler. The 6'4" guard has taken the Big Ten by storm, averaging 18.1 points, five rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game.
He came in as a four-star recruit with modest expectations, but he’s blown past those with poise and polish well beyond his years. Wagler dropped 46 points on the road at Purdue - the second-highest single-game total in Illinois history - then followed it up with 28 at Nebraska.
He’s not just a star in the making; he’s already one of the most complete guards in college basketball.
But Illinois is far from a one-man show. Kyland Boswell chips in 14.3 points per game with steady guard play.
Andrej Stojakovic adds another 13.3, and David Mirkovic brings 12.4 from the forward spot. And then there are the Ivisic twins - Tomislav and Zvonimir - a pair of 7-foot-2 Croatian towers who protect the rim like sentinels.
Zvonimir averages 7.2 points, five boards, and 2.3 blocks, while Tomislav contributes 10.1 points and 5.3 rebounds. Together, they give Illinois a size and presence few teams can match.
This is the challenge staring Michigan State in the face. A top-five team firing on all cylinders, coming into the Breslin Center with momentum and confidence.
For the Spartans to pull off the upset and stop the bleeding, they’ll need to be dialed in from the opening tip. That means smarter guard play, fewer turnovers, and a frontcourt that shows up with force.
They’ll need to bring the kind of physicality that defines Michigan State basketball - not just in flashes, but for 40 minutes. Defensively, they’ll have to stay connected and disciplined, especially against a team that thrives on ball movement and spacing.
Contain Wagler. Battle the Ivisic twins.
Win the rebounding war. And above all, play with urgency - not desperation.
Izzo has seen this movie before. He knows slumps happen.
But he also knows what it takes to snap out of them. Saturday night at the Breslin Center isn’t just another game.
It’s a gut check. A measuring stick.
A chance for Michigan State to remind everyone - and maybe themselves - who they are.
Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. on Fox. Buckle up. This one could define the Spartans’ season.