Thrilling Victory for Michigan State
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — In a thrilling matchup on Thursday night, No. 8 Michigan State overcame a halftime deficit to secure a narrow 91-87 victory over Rutgers. Leading the charge for the Spartans were Jeremy Fears and Coen Carr, both contributing 21 points, while Fears also provided eight assists.
With this win, Michigan State improved their record to 25-5 and 15-4 in the Big Ten, solidifying their position for a top-four seed in the looming Big Ten Tournament, which guarantees them a double-bye into the quarterfinals.
Rutgers Struggles Continue
On the other side, Rutgers is struggling this season, falling to a record of 12-18 and 5-14 in the conference. Tariq Francis was the standout player for the Scarlet Knights, scoring 25 points, and he was supported by Lino Mark‘s 14 points and Emmanuel Ogbole‘s 13.
Key Moments in the Game
The game took a turn in the second half when the Spartans launched an impressive 11-0 scoring spree, with Carr executing three dunks within just over a minute. Despite heading into the final moments with a 10-point advantage, Michigan State felt the pressure as Rutgers chipped away at the lead, bringing the game to a two-point difference in the last minute.
However, Fears ultimately secured the win with two critical free throws, sealing the deal with just 2.9 seconds remaining on the clock.
