Jeremy Fears Jr. drops 29 points as No. 7 Michigan State survives Rutgers in OT thriller

The No. 7 Michigan State Spartans showed championship-level grit at Jersey Mike’s Arena, outlasting the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 88-79 in overtime to extend their winning streak to 8 games.

• Final Score: Michigan State 88, Rutgers 79 (OT)

What looked like a potential upset brewing at halftime, with Rutgers holding a 37-28 advantage, turned into a masterclass in resilience from Tom Izzo’s squad. The Spartans clawed their way back into the game by outscoring the Scarlet Knights 45-36 in the second half. That forced overtime, where Michigan State took over, outscoring the Scarlet Knights 15-6 in the extra frame.

The star of this Big Ten slugfest was undoubtedly Jeremy Fears Jr., who put together an electric performance with 29 points, going 6-of-12 from the field and making 16-of-17 from the charity stripe. The junior guard also orchestrated the offense beautifully, dishing out 9 assists while grabbing 4 boards in what can only be described as a statement performance.

Michigan State’s dominance on the glass told the real story of this game. The Spartans mauled Rutgers on the boards 45-22, including 13 offensive rebounds that translated into 18 second-chance points compared to just 7 for Steve Pikiell’s squad. Center Carson Cooper was a force in the paint with 12 points, 14 rebounds (11 defensive), and 2 blocks, showcasing the interior advantage that ultimately decided this contest.

The foul trouble plaguing Rutgers became a decisive factor, as the Scarlet Knights committed 21 personal fouls that sent Michigan State to the line 26 times. The Spartans capitalized at a blistering 92.3% clip, converting 24 of those attempts.

Rutgers certainly didn’t go quietly into the night. Tariq Francis led the charge with 23 points and 3 steals, while Harun Zrno provided a spark off the bench with 16 points, including 4 triples. However, the Scarlet Knights couldn’t overcome their rebounding struggles and Kaden Powers’ brutal 0-for-5 shooting night from the field.

Game Statistics

The numbers paint a clear picture of Michigan State’s path to victory, built on rebounding dominance and free-throw precision that Rutgers simply couldn’t match.

Category	Michigan State	Rutgers
Final Score	88	79
Field Goal %	49.1%	40.3%
Total Rebounds	45	22
Offensive Rebounds	13	6
Second Chance Points	18	7
Free Throw %	92.3% (24-26)	82.6% (19-23)
Personal Fouls	19	21

Key Player Performances

Individual brilliance carried the night, with Fears leading a balanced Spartans attack that proved too much for Rutgers to handle.

Michigan State Spartans

• Jeremy Fears Jr.: 29 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds
• Coen Carr: 13 points, 8 rebounds
• Carson Cooper: 12 points, 14 rebounds (11 defensive), 2 blocks
• Divine Ugochukwu: 9 points (3-4 3-pointers), 6 assists, 6 rebounds

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

• Tariq Francis: 23 points, 3 steals
• Harun Zrno: 16 points (4 3-pointers)
• Kaden Powers: 0 points (0-5 FG)

Jeremy Fears Jr. was unconscious when it mattered most, delivering the kind of performance that separates good players from great ones:

• 29 points on efficient 6-of-12 shooting
• Nearly perfect 16-of-17 from the free-throw line
• 9 assists orchestrating the offense
• 4 rebounds contributing on the glass

What’s Next for Both Programs

This overtime thriller sets up contrasting trajectories for both programs as conference play intensifies down the stretch.

For Michigan State, this victory pushes the overall record to an impressive 19-2 while extending its winning streak to 8 games. Sitting pretty at No. 7 in the AP Poll, this road conference win should solidify the Spartans’ top-10 positioning and potentially even earn them a bump up in next week’s rankings. The Spartans are playing championship-level basketball right now, and performances like this one prove they’re ready for whatever March has in store.

Meanwhile, Rutgers faces a tougher road ahead after falling to 9-12 overall. This loss extends its skid to 5 games, though pushing a top-10 team to overtime on its home floor shows the fight this team still possesses under Pikiell’s guidance. The Scarlet Knights will obviously remain unranked but showed enough competitive fire to suggest better days could be ahead if they can clean up the rebounding and foul issues that cost them this winnable game.

Both teams will look to build momentum in their upcoming conference matchups as the regular season winds toward its climactic finish.