No. 7 Michigan State Spartans Hold Off Rutgers Scarlet Knights In Overtime Thriller
If you were a Rutgers fan with about three minutes left in regulation Tuesday night, you were probably feeling pretty good. Maybe even too good. The Scarlet Knights had the No. 7 Michigan State Spartans on the ropes, leading by eight, the crowd at Jersey Mike’s Arena was rocking, and the smell of an upset was thicker than the humidity in a locker room.
But here’s the thing about Tom Izzo’s teams: they’re like that one stubborn weed in your driveway. You think you’ve pulled it out, you think it’s gone, and then it is back, stronger than ever.
In a game that felt like a rollercoaster designed by a madman, Michigan State clawed its way back from the brink of disaster to steal an 88-79 overtime victory, leaving Rutgers and their faithful wondering just what the heck happened.
Fears Jr. Flips the Script
Let’s talk about Jeremy Fears Jr. for a second. The first half? Forgettable. He had 2 points and looked about as comfortable as a cat in a bathtub. But when the chips were down, he turned into a superhero. He finished with a game-high 29 points, including a personal takeover in overtime. He also hit 16 of 17 free throws.
The Spartans trailed 37-28 at the half. They looked sluggish. They looked like a team that had read their own press clippings and forgot that road games in the Big Ten are basically street fights. Rutgers, led by a scorching Tariq Francis (23 points), was playing out of its mind. They were hitting threes, forcing turnovers, and generally making life miserable for the green and white.
The Collapse and The Climb
With 3:15 left, Rutgers was up 65-60. The upset was right there. It was tangible. But then, the wheels started to wobble. Michigan State chipped away. A layup here. A defensive stop there. Suddenly, it’s 67-64. Fears Jr. ties it with a slashing drive. Then, chaos.
Rutgers went up 72-69 with 21 seconds left after some free-throw drama. It looked over. Again. But Divine Ugochukwu buried a corner three to tie it at 72. Rutgers had one last shot. Tariq Francis, who had been the man all night, floated one up at the buzzer. It bounced. It rolled. It thought about going in. And then it fell off. That was the ballgame right there. You could feel the air leave the building.
Overtime Domination
Overtime wasn’t a contest; it was a coronation. Michigan State scored the first points and never looked back, outscoring the Scarlet Knights 15-6 in the extra period. Rutgers went cold at the absolute worst time, managing just two field goals while watching Fears Jr. parade to the foul line over and over again.
This win pushes Michigan State to 19-2 and keeps their seven-game winning streak alive. It wasn’t pretty. In fact, for about 35 minutes, it was pretty ugly. But great teams find a way to win when they play poorly, and that’s exactly what Izzo’s squad did.
What’s Next For the Spartans?
For Rutgers (9-12), it’s a heartbreaker. A “what could have been” moment that stings worse than a blowout. They played their hearts out, but you can’t leave the door open for a team like Michigan State. They’ll kick it down every time.
As for the Spartans? They get to fly home happy, but there’s no time to rest. The Michigan Wolverines are coming to town on Friday. And if this game was any indication, Izzo has plenty of screaming to do in practice before then.
