Rutgers Pushes No. 7 Michigan State to the Brink, But Falls Short in Overtime
Rutgers gave No. 7 Michigan State everything it could handle and then some-but in the end, the Scarlet Knights couldn’t close the door. Despite leading by double digits multiple times in the second half, missed free throws in crunch time opened the door for the Spartans, who stormed through it in overtime to escape with an 88-79 win.
This one had all the makings of a statement win for Rutgers. The Knights came out with energy, defensive intensity, and a clear plan to disrupt Michigan State's rhythm.
They forced early fouls, pushed the Spartans deep into the shot clock, and capitalized on some cold shooting to grab an 8-7 lead five minutes in. Then came a stretch of basketball that had Jersey Mike’s Arena rocking-a 10-0 Rutgers run, sparked by red-hot three-point shooting, that forced a Michigan State timeout with just under 10 minutes left in the first half.
Rutgers kept the pressure on. Michigan State started racking up fouls, and the Knights built a 10-point cushion with five minutes to go before halftime.
By the break, Rutgers was up 37-28, and the stats told the story: just one turnover for the Knights, compared to 10 for Michigan State. Tariq Francis led the way with 12 points, while Darren Buchanan Jr. chipped in 10 of his own.
The Spartans looked rattled. Rutgers looked ready.
The second half opened with JaMichael Davis drilling a three, and for a while, it seemed like Rutgers was going to hold off every Michigan State push. Francis stayed aggressive, pouring in seven points in the first 10 minutes of the half, and every time the Spartans got close, Rutgers had an answer.
But with 6:45 left, Michigan State had cut the lead to five, and head coach Steve Pikiell called timeout to regroup. Out of the break, Harun Zrno stepped up and buried a huge three to push the lead back to eight.
Still, the Spartans weren’t going away. An 8-2 Michigan State run brought the game within three with under two minutes to play.
Then came the turning point: Jeremy Fears Jr. converted an and-one to tie it up, and although Francis and Davis hit clutch free throws to briefly regain the lead, a missed opportunity at the line and a dagger three from Divine Ugochukwu sent the game to overtime.
Once it got there, the momentum had clearly shifted. Rutgers struggled to generate offense in the extra period, and Michigan State took full advantage, pulling away to seal the win.
The biggest difference-maker? Rebounding.
Michigan State absolutely dominated the glass, out-rebounding Rutgers 45-22. That included a 15-8 edge on the offensive boards, which translated into an 18-7 advantage in second-chance points.
It’s tough to win any game when you’re giving up that many extra possessions-especially against a top-10 team.
Fears Jr. was the star of the night, dropping a career-high 29 points for the Spartans. Carson Cooper added a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds, anchoring the paint and giving Michigan State a consistent presence on both ends.
But despite the loss, there were plenty of positives for Rutgers. The Knights forced 10 more turnovers than they committed, shot better from beyond the arc, and had five players score in double figures-every player who got on the scoreboard reached double digits. That kind of balanced scoring, especially against a team of Michigan State’s caliber, is no small feat.
The problem? Only five players scored.
Depth remains a concern, and the rebounding gap can’t be ignored. But if Rutgers can bring this same level of energy and execution-especially on defense-against the rest of the Big Ten, there’s still time to stack up some wins down the stretch.
Next up, the Knights head west for a tough road swing against USC and UCLA. First up: a Saturday night showdown with the Trojans. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., with live coverage on Peacock.