From a shocking slump to a massive upset, Michigan State navigates a tumultuous week, securing their top-10 ranking with grit and star power.
Blink-182 once sang about a roller-coaster relationship, and Spartan fans lived it this week — a dizzying ride of highs and lows that ultimately left Michigan State exactly where it began, holding steady at No. 10 in the nation.
Michigan State began the week slipping in the rankings from No. 7 to No. 10 after a loss to Michigan capped off the previous week. That momentum didn’t stop there. On Wednesday night, the Spartans traveled to Minnesota and laid an egg in a true road trap game. Not only did Michigan State drop its second straight contest, but it also lost starting guard and Miami transfer Divine Ugochukwu, who injured his foot midgame and did not return. In the blink of an eye, a season that once felt steady began to look bleak.
Saturday night felt different.
Michigan State welcomed the then-fifth-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini, now ranked eighth, to Breslin Center in what many considered a must-win game. From the opening tip, it was a back-and-forth battle that felt more like a heavyweight fight than a basketball game. Freshman Jordan Scott put top prospect Keaton Wagler in a blender all night, but Illinois leaned on its supporting cast to keep things tight. After 40 minutes, the game headed to overtime.
That’s where the Spartans took control.
Michigan State pulled away in the extra period, holding strong at home and knocking off then-No. 5 Illinois, 87–84, in one of its biggest wins of the season.
This Spartan team is propped up by everyone — from the starters to the last man on the bench — but the true engine is the man running the show. Jeremy Fears continues to prove himself as the heartbeat of the team. Sitting 15th in the Big Ten in scoring at 15.1 points per game, Fears has taken over when his team needed him most. He recognized the moment, put the team on his back, and delivered.
Fears also reclaimed pole position in the Big Ten — and the nation — in assists per game, pushing his average back into the nine range at 9.1 APG. With his leadership, poise, and late-game control, Fears has firmly planted himself in the Big Ten Player of the Year conversation — and rightfully so.
Down low, Jaxon Kohler, better known as the Kohler Bear, remains second in the Big Ten in rebounding at 9.4 boards per game. Kohler may not be the biggest body on the floor, but his relentless, scrappy style shows up every possession. No rebound was bigger Saturday night than his offensive board off a missed Kur Teng shot while Michigan State trailed. Kohler muscled for the rebound, kicked it right back out to Teng, and Teng buried the biggest three-pointer of the night for the Spartans. While Kohler’s shooting has dipped slightly from the opening stretch, he still leads Michigan State with 1.7 made threes per game.
Veterans Carson Cooper and Coen Carr round out the starting group and continue to provide steady production. Cooper worked his way out of a recent slump with timely buckets against Illinois. Carr is still searching for consistency from beyond the arc, but his mid-range game continues to improve — and his athleticism remains unmatched.
There was no bigger moment Saturday, or arguably all season, than when Carr caught a lob from Fears that sailed from near half court. Carr elevated with his head above the rim and threw down a monstrous, behind-the-back, two-handed slam that brought Breslin Center to its feet.
Freshman Jordan Scott, who earned his second straight start, deserves his own spotlight. Tasked with guarding Illinois star Keaton Wagler, Scott went man-to-man and held the top prospect to just 2-for-16 shooting from the field in a statement defensive performance.
Now, the Spartans turn their attention forward.
Michigan State will enjoy a rare five-day break before a Friday night showdown in Madison, Wisconsin, tipping off at 8 p.m. EST against the 16–7 (8–4 Big Ten) Wisconsin Badgers. It’s a game that won’t be taken lightly and one that carries serious weight for both teams as the home stretch of the college basketball season approaches.
After everything this week threw at them, the Spartans proved one thing loud and clear — they’re not dead yet.
Staying at No. 10 in the rankings will only add fuel to the fire for this Tom Izzo-led group.