Michigan State Spartans outlast Illinois in Big Ten showdown

On By Littum

East Lansing – Michigan State remains undefeated in Big Ten play.

Facing its toughest test of the conference season on Sunday, the No. 12 Michigan State men’s basketball team (16-2, 7-0 Big Ten) a tough matchup against No. 19 Illinois, 80-78 at the Breslin Center. By taking advantage of foul trouble and making a number of finishes under contact and pressure, the Spartans remain atop the Big Ten standings.

Guard Tre Holloman led Michigan State in scoring with 17 points, while forwards Coen Carr and Frankie Fidler added 11. Eight rebounds from center Carson Cooper led Michigan State as each team picked up 40 apiece. Forward Will Riley led Illinois with 19 points.

BOX SCORE: No. 12 Michigan State 80, No. 19 Illinois 78

Michigan State knew how dangerous Illinois (13-5, 5-3) could be, especially star Kasparas Jakucionis, but the Lithuanian guard took himself out of the equation early. Two fouls – both on Spartans point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. – sent him to the bench 2:56 in. He played only 4:10 of the first half.

Early on, the Spartans struggled to capitalize on the situation, in part because another Illinois player took over. Riley scored 16 of his team’s 18 points over an eight-minute stretch. He peppered the Spartans with contested 3s, rolling layups and even on the boards, where his two offensive rebounds extended possessions.

Those offensive rebounds were among the 11 Michigan State allowed in the first half, but Illinois scored just six points off them. And while Riley’s breakout took control of the game, the Spartans fought back bite by bite. The Illinois lead fluctuated between seven and nine points until the under-12 timeout.

At that point, Jakucionis checked back in, but guard Jaden Akins checked him on the court. He picked up two assists but missed his only shot before heading back to the bench. Meanwhile, Akins and the Spartans battled back to within a shot.

Key to the resurgence was forward Xavier Booker, who fouled off a rebound and hit a 3 in short order. The three was the only make among six attempts by his team in the first half.

Aided by an Akins and-one, Michigan State soon made it a one-shot game with 3:47 left in the first half. A Jaxon Kohler hook shot brought it to one point soon after. And Holloman tied the game twice — once with a free throw, then with a mid-range jumper. Kohler fumbled on the final possession to end the half tied at 36.

The first possession of the first half gave Michigan State its first lead of the game. Fears made a tough finish in the paint for the lead, aided by off-ball movement from Booker, who took Szymon Zapala’s place in the starting lineup after the break. The game remained close, with Illinois regaining the lead at the first media timeout.

In that span, Akins continued to get the better of Jakucionis, who picked up his fourth foul 2:28 into the half. He was benched after scoring zero points for Illinois.

The Spartans got a bucket from seven different scorers in the first 8:43, keeping the game tied by committee. With the game deadlocked, Riley picked up his own fourth error and benched another scorer for Illinois.

Now more than ever, Michigan State had a chance to capitalize on the foul trouble. And it did. A Frankie Fidler 3 gave the Spartans their first lead since the start of the half, which Zapala and Holloman extended at the free throw line.

When a Carr dunk and a Fears and-one put the Spartans up 66-59 with just under eight minutes left, the Breslin Center exploded. Michigan State had taken control of the game. A big conference win was within reach.

Illinois was desperate to come back, but both Jakucionis and Riley rallied after the break and tried to muster the scoring needed to pull even. Jakucionis scored his first bucket on an and-one at 7:29. It would be his last point as he fouled 50 seconds later.

Michigan State got back to a seven-point lead when Jakucionis stepped off the court, but Illinois still had Riley. He banked and bumped in the paint for an and-one that put his team within four. Mistakes proved Illinois’ undoing once again — this time from a coach. Frustrated with the officials, as he had been most of the night, Illinois coach Brad Underwood took a technical foul that sent Fidler to the line.

Michigan State had a six-point lead, but it quickly dwindled to a single point as Illinois put together a pair of buckets. Morez Johnson Jr. had a chance to tie the game with 1:29 left but missed his final free throw. The teams traded buckets and Illinois got a stop behind 78-77. Boswell drove the paint for the go-ahead goal with 5.9 seconds left, but his pass bounced off Tomislav Ivisic and out of bounds.

Going to the line for game-clinching free throws, Holloman scored his 16th and 17th points to take a three-point lead with 5.4 seconds left. With one more chance after guard Kylan Boswell split a free throw, Boswell made a shot with 0.9 seconds left on the clock. But his shot went over the top of the backboard and the referees waved off the shot. Coming inside the ball once again, Cooper cradled the ball for the 80-78 victory.

Michigan State will trade home for a road trip to New York City on Saturday, taking on Rutgers at Madison Square Garden at 7 p.m. 1:30 p.m. (CBS).

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@ConnorEaregood