Michigan State Spartans at Rutgers Scarlet Knights
· NCAA Men's Basketball
Jeremy Fears scores career-high 29 as No. 7 Michigan State outlasts Rutgers 88-79 in OT
Fears also had nine assists, including a pass to Divine Ugochukwu for the tying 3-pointer from the corner with 11 seconds left in regulation.
When the Spartans (19-2, 9-1 Big Ten) scored the first points of overtime on two free throws by Jaxon Kohler, it was their first lead since they were ahead 9-8. Michigan State pushed ahead 78-73 and led comfortably from there on the way to its seventh straight win.
Tariq Francis scored 23 points and missed a floater at the regulation buzzer that could have won it for Rutgers, (9-12, 2-8) which has lost four in a row.
Fears was 16 of 17 from the free-throw line and 6 of 12 from the field. Coen Carr scored 13 points for the Spartans, and Carson Cooper had 12 points and 14 rebounds.
Harun Zrno added 16 points for the Scarlet Knights, Jamichael Davis had 15 and Darren Buchanan Jr. scored 14.
Rutgers went the final 4:40 of regulation without a field goal. The Scarlet Knights converted 8 of 9 free throws, five by Davis, during that span.
The Scarlet Knights scored 17 points off 10 Spartans turnovers to grab a 37-28 halftime lead. It was the fewest points the Spartans have scored in the first half this season and just the third time they have trailed at the break.
Rutgers is at UCLA on Tuesday.
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Recent Plays
| 3rd 0:00 | End of Game | 88 - 79 |
| 3rd 0:00 | End of 1st OT | 88 - 79 |
| 3rd 0:01 | Jeremy Fears Jr. Defensive Rebound. | 88 - 79 |
| 3rd 0:03 | Jamichael Davis misses 17-foot jumper | 88 - 79 |
| 3rd 0:04 | Chris Nwuli Offensive Rebound. | 88 - 79 |
Statistics
 MSU |
 RUTG |
|
|---|---|---|
| 28-57 | FG | 25-62 |
| 49 | Field Goal % | 40 |
| 8-22 | 3PT | 10-27 |
| 36 | Three Point % | 37 |
| 24-26 | FT | 19-23 |
| 92 | Free Throw % | 83 |
| 45 | Rebounds | 22 |
| 13 | Offensive Rebounds | 6 |
| 32 | Defensive Rebounds | 16 |
| 18 | Assists | 11 |
| 1 | Steals | 8 |
| 4 | Blocks | 2 |
| 15 | Turnovers | 5 |
| 1 | Team Turnovers | 0 |
| 15 | Total Turnovers | 5 |
| 0 | Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| 8 | Points Off Turnovers | 19 |
| 14 | Fast Break Points | 12 |
| 38 | Points in Paint | 22 |
| 19 | Fouls | 21 |
| 9 | Largest Lead | 12 |
| 6 | Lead Changes | 6 |
| 16 | Percent Led | 80 |
Game Information
Location: Piscataway, NJ
Attendance: 8,000 | Capacity:
2025-26 Big Ten Conference Standings
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | 9-1 | - | 20-1 |
| Michigan | 9-1 | - | 19-1 |
| Michigan State | 9-1 | - | 19-2 |
| Illinois | 8-1 | 0.5 | 17-3 |
| Purdue | 7-3 | 2 | 17-4 |
| Wisconsin | 6-3 | 2.5 | 14-6 |
| UCLA | 6-3 | 2.5 | 14-6 |
| Ohio State | 6-4 | 3 | 14-6 |
| Indiana | 5-5 | 4 | 14-7 |
| Iowa | 4-4 | 4 | 14-5 |
| USC | 4-5 | 4.5 | 15-5 |
| Washington | 3-6 | 5.5 | 11-9 |
| Minnesota | 3-6 | 5.5 | 10-10 |
| Rutgers | 2-8 | 7 | 9-12 |
| Northwestern | 1-8 | 7.5 | 9-11 |
| Oregon | 1-8 | 7.5 | 8-12 |
| Maryland | 1-8 | 7.5 | 8-12 |
| Penn State | 0-9 | 8.5 | 9-11 |