Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Michigan State Spartans
· NCAA Men's Basketball
No. 8 Michigan State beats Rutgers 91-87 before closing regular season at No. 3 Michigan
The Spartans (25-5, 15-4 Big Ten) will close the regular season on the road against rival and third-ranked Michigan on Sunday.
Michigan State has won five straight games to secure a top-four seed in next week's Big Ten Tournament and a double-bye into the quarterfinals.
The Scarlet Knights (12-18, 5-14) have slumped toward the bottom of the 18-team conference.
Rutgers’ Tariq Francis scored 25 points, Lino Mark had 14 and Emmanuel Ogbole added 13.
Michigan State trailed by a point at halftime and took control with an 11-0 run. Carr dunked three times in 1:13 and Jordan Scott followed with a slam 32 seconds later.
The Spartans had a comfortable cushion until the final minute, when their 10-point lead was trimmed to two. Fears sealed the win with two free throws with 2.9 seconds left.
Jaxon Kohler scored 15 points and Carson Cooper added 14 in the final home game for both seniors.
Michigan State celebrated its seniors after the game, including Nick Sanders, son of Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions.
The school honored a military veteran, as it does every game before the national anthem is played, and the latest was Kohler's 102-year-old great grandfather, Earl “Chuck” Kohler, who served in the Navy and is one of 12 remaining survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack.
Michigan State: At No. 3 Michigan on Sunday.
How can I watch Rutgers vs. Michigan State?
Recent Plays
| 2nd 0:00 | End of Game | 87 - 91 |
| 2nd 0:00 | End of 2nd half | 87 - 91 |
| 2nd 0:00 | Jeremy Fears Jr. Steal. | 87 - 91 |
| 2nd 0:00 | Lino Mark bad pass turnover | 87 - 91 |
| 2nd 0:02 | Jeremy Fears Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2 | 87 - 91 |
Statistics
 RUTG |
 MSU |
|
|---|---|---|
| 31-65 | FG | 31-53 |
| 48 | Field Goal % | 58 |
| 10-18 | 3PT | 4-12 |
| 56 | Three Point % | 33 |
| 15-19 | FT | 25-30 |
| 79 | Free Throw % | 83 |
| 21 | Rebounds | 38 |
| 8 | Offensive Rebounds | 12 |
| 13 | Defensive Rebounds | 26 |
| 16 | Assists | 19 |
| 9 | Steals | 4 |
| 1 | Blocks | 7 |
| 8 | Turnovers | 15 |
| 1 | Team Turnovers | 0 |
| 8 | Total Turnovers | 15 |
| 0 | Technical Fouls | 1 |
| 0 | Total Technical Fouls | 1 |
| 0 | Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| 15 | Points Off Turnovers | 9 |
| 20 | Fast Break Points | 24 |
| 34 | Points in Paint | 46 |
| 21 | Fouls | 15 |
| 4 | Largest Lead | 19 |
| 6 | Lead Changes | 6 |
| 33 | Percent Led | 63 |
Game Information
Location: East Lansing, MI
Attendance: 14,797 | Capacity:
2025-26 Big Ten Conference Standings
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 18-1 | - | 28-2 |
| Michigan State | 15-4 | 3 | 25-5 |
| Nebraska | 14-5 | 4 | 25-5 |
| Illinois | 14-5 | 4 | 23-7 |
| Wisconsin | 14-6 | 4.5 | 22-9 |
| Purdue | 13-7 | 5.5 | 23-8 |
| UCLA | 13-7 | 5.5 | 21-10 |
| Ohio State | 12-8 | 6.5 | 20-11 |
| Iowa | 10-9 | 8 | 20-10 |
| Indiana | 9-11 | 9.5 | 18-13 |
| Minnesota | 8-12 | 10.5 | 15-16 |
| USC | 7-13 | 11.5 | 18-13 |
| Washington | 7-13 | 11.5 | 15-16 |
| Rutgers | 5-14 | 13 | 12-18 |
| Northwestern | 5-15 | 13.5 | 13-18 |
| Oregon | 5-15 | 13.5 | 12-19 |
| Maryland | 4-15 | 14 | 11-19 |
| Penn State | 3-16 | 15 | 12-18 |