Brutal intensity, jaw-dropping dunks, and a legendary alley-oop propel Spartans past No. 5 Illinois in an overtime thriller.
It took nearly two and a half minutes for either team to score, but once they did, the tone was set. This wasn’t a basketball game — it was a football game in sneakers. Bruising plays around the ball, even more intensity away from it, and from the opening tip there was a fight-for-your-life feel to every possession.
Just three minutes into the game, a Spartan was already sprinting to the tunnel with blood streaming down his face. Three minutes later, Coen Carr was blocked while going up for a dunk, fell awkwardly on his tailbone, and whiplashed his head into the Breslin Center floor.
The first half was a back-and-forth battle. For the first time in a long time, the Spartans stayed within striking distance early instead of playing catch-up.
Late in the half, the scrutiny surrounding Jeremy Fears popped up again. A play that appeared to show Fears shifting left and tripping an Illinois player sent Illini head coach Brad Underwood into a fury. It’s been a hot topic all week — to the point where Tom Izzo admitted he even considered benching Fears before this game.
Then came the moment.
With 50 seconds left in the half, Fears launched a half-court lob that left everyone confused for a split second. Then, like Superman flying in from out of frame, Coen Carr rose above the rim — head over the cylinder, back to the basket — and threw down a behind-the-back alley-oop that blew the roof off the Breslin Center.
Defensively, Michigan State was outstanding in the first half, holding Keaton Wager to just two points.
The early theme of the game was offensive rebounding. Tough defense led to tougher shots, and second chances became gold. Michigan State allows opponents just 6.8 offensive rebounds per game, but Illinois finished the first half with ten.
Illinois also found itself in early foul trouble — something they’re not accustomed to — but battled through it and slowed the game enough to take a four-point lead into halftime.
The second half opened with Illinois in full control. Michigan State was playing too fast and off schedule, undoing everything they did right in the first half. But after watching Illinois seemingly make everything, the Spartans flipped the script. They cleaned up the glass, shut down second-chance opportunities, and tied the game at 47–47 with 14 minutes to go — the seventh tie of the night.
From there, it became Lob City in East Lansing.
Fears started throwing passes through the air like Jared Goff hitting receivers in stride, as Spartans finished at the rim with authority. The crowd couldn’t get enough. At one point, Michigan State had 23 fast-break points to Illinois’ zero.
Momentum-shifting shots have plagued the Spartans over the past two weeks, and that trend continued. They hit enough shots to stay close, but the ones that could blow the doors off the building kept falling short. That absence was felt even more with Divine Ugochukwu sidelined for the season — the same player who hit the game-tying shot against Rutgers earlier this year.
With four minutes left, Michigan State trailed by four in what had become an instant classic. The battle on the boards defined the game.
With 1:49 remaining, Jaden Akins stepped to the line down one and calmly knocked down both free throws to give the Spartans the lead. Breslin was rocking. Illinois responded by trying to put the game on Keaton Wager’s shoulders, but his awkward, falling shot came up empty. Michigan State grabbed the rebound and had the ball up one with 70 seconds to go.
Fears tried to deliver the dagger, but the shot came up short. Illinois answered with a layup to retake a one-point lead.
With 32.5 seconds left, Fears drove and had his shot swatted into next week, but the ball went out of bounds and stayed with Michigan State. That’s when the Kurate Kid buried a three to put the Spartans up two with eight seconds remaining. Illinois missed, but a gritty offensive rebound by Carson Cooper gave them another chance — and this time, they cashed in.
Illinois wasn’t done.
With 0.1 seconds left, Cam Ward fouled Jake Davis, sending him to the line for the most pressured free throws of his life. Davis had taken just 11 free throws all season. Calmly, he drilled both. Illinois launched a desperation heave at the buzzer that clipped the heel of the rim, sending the game to overtime.
Nothing like extra basketball in a top-10 showdown.
Michigan State struck first in OT, but Illinois answered. Then the officials took center stage — swallowing the whistle on a blatant moving screen by Illinois before calling a questionable foul on Fears. “Refs you suck” chants poured down from the stands, and rightfully so. A makeup call followed, but those situations shouldn’t happen in a game of this magnitude. Let the players decide it.
Fears tied the game at 2:22 with two free throws, and from there he went full Captain America — putting the team, the city, and Spartan Nation on his back. He converted a three-point play to give MSU a three-point lead with 90 seconds left.
Illinois forced a long three that missed, and Cam Ward tipped in a bucket to push the Spartans’ lead to five, 81–76, with 49 seconds remaining.
Illinois had one final look at a game-tying three, but a steal off a Coen Carr pass sealed it.
Michigan State survived, winning 85–82 in overtime, earning its tenth Big Ten victory and knocking off No. 5 Illinois in one of the most nerve-racking games of the season.