Spartans overcame a sluggish start and Oregon's early zone to secure a dominant second-half surge, completing their West Coast sweep with their fifth straight win.
Michigan State continued its two-game road trip in Eugene, Oregon on Thursday night against a Ducks team with just one conference win on the season. Plagued by two major injuries, Oregon has looked like a shell of what many expected entering the year. Still, injuries bring opportunity, and the Ducks were never going to simply roll over against Tom Izzo’s Spartans.
Michigan State entered the matchup riding the momentum of a 17-point win over Washington, arguably the most complete road performance the Spartans have put together this season. Even so, the challenge was clear. Second games on West Coast road trips are rarely easy, and this one was no exception.
The first half reflected that reality. Sluggish offense, sticky defense on both ends, and long, grinding possessions defined the opening 20 minutes as neither team could find a consistent rhythm. Michigan State survived the grind and went into the locker room with a slim lead, knowing it would take a different gear to pull away.
That gear arrived after halftime. The Spartans found their groove offensively, leaned into their depth and rebounding identity, and gradually wore Oregon down. The result was a convincing second-half surge that pushed Michigan State to its fifth straight win and completed a West Coast sweep of Washington and Oregon.
To start the game Oregon came out deploying the same zone-matchup look that gave Michigan problems earlier in the season, and it immediately disrupted Michigan State’s rhythm. Despite the Spartans jumping out to a 13–4 lead five minutes in, their biggest concern entering the game—turnovers—surfaced early and often. An 8–0 Ducks run over the next four minutes erased the cushion, and Oregon eventually tied the game at 20 before taking its first lead at 22–21 with 6:32 remaining.
The Ducks were sharp from deep early, hitting 4 of their first 7 threes, while Michigan State struggled to generate momentum in the half court. Trey Fort briefly steadied things with back-to-back midrange jumpers, baskets that proved vital in a half where offense was at a premium. Fort’s four points ended up being the only scoring Michigan State received from its bench in the opening half.
Defensively, the Spartans leaned into their identity. Known as the best defensive rebounding team in the country, Michigan State limited Oregon largely to one-shot possessions and won the rebounding battle, a major reason they carried a slim lead into halftime. Cooper logged a team-high 19 minutes, posting 9 points and 5 rebounds, while Carr was active all over the floor with 8 points and 5 boards, knocking down 2-of-4 from three, tying a career-high.
Michigan State finished the half just 3-of-12 from deep and committed seven turnovers, including three possessions where the shot clock expired entirely. Still, rebounding and timely shot-making were enough to survive a bruising first half against a locked-in Oregon defense.
The second half opened with questions surrounding Jaxon Kohler, whose two early fouls limited him to just seven first-half minutes. Michigan State needed an offensive spark, and it came from Coen Carr, who knocked down a career-high third three to give the Spartans a 33–31 lead. It was a moment that validated Tom Izzo’s recent defense of Carr, saying earlier in the week, “It’ll be a cold day in hell when I give up on Coen Carr,” despite teams daring him to shoot.
Oregon kept it tight early, briefly reclaiming a 38–35 lead as Michigan State continued to turn the ball over. Trey Fort once again delivered in a pressure moment, calmly drilling a deep jumper off the bench to swing the lead back. With 11:30 remaining, Michigan State’s top two scorers, Kohler and Jeremy Fears, had combined for just four points, yet the Spartans stayed composed.
That composure turned into separation. Cooper began to look like the best player on the floor, scoring on consecutive possessions to open up a five-point lead. Fears then found his rhythm, knocking down a three that sparked an 11–1 run. After struggling in the first half, Izzo praised his guard’s response, saying, “Jeremy wasn’t really good in the first half, but he was in the second half. The body goes as the head goes.”
As the lead grew to double digits, Oregon’s three-point shooting turned rushed and desperate. Michigan State pushed the advantage to a game-high 16 and closed out a 68–52 win. Cooper finished with 19 points and seven rebounds, Carr added 17 and eight boards, and Fears poured in 12 second-half points to finish with 14 and five assists. Izzo summed it up plainly afterward: “We didn’t look very good, but maybe it’s the road trip. Maybe I’ll find an excuse.”
Now 17–2 overall and 7–1 in Big Ten play, the Spartans head home to face Maryland on Saturday.