Deadspin | No. 10 Michigan State, Wisconsin collide after OT wins vs. Illinois

[ad_1] Feb 7, 2026; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) shoots free throws in time beyond regulation whereas his teammates watch of their sport in opposition to the Illinois Combating Illini at Jack Breslin Scholar Occasions Middle. Obligatory Credit score: Dale Younger-Imagn Photos Michigan State faces a troublesome highway problem when the No. 10 Spartans tackle Wisconsin in a Massive Ten Convention matchup Friday night time in Madison, Wis.

Each the Spartans and Badgers are coming off time beyond regulation victories in opposition to nationally ranked Illinois.

Michigan State (20-4, 10-3 Massive Ten) has been idle since an 85-82 OT win over the Combating Illini on Saturday in East Lansing, Mich.

Wisconsin (17-7, 9-4) overcame a 12-point second-half deficit to rally for a 92-90 time beyond regulation victory at Illinois on Tuesday, bouncing again from a 78-77 OT loss at Indiana on Saturday.

"This league just isn't for the faint of coronary heart," Wisconsin coach Greg Gard mentioned following the Illinois sport. "As I instructed Brad (Underwood, the Illinois coach,) after the sport, he is received a heck of group, which I knew coming in, however we're rising right into a heck of a group, too."

Michigan State overcame a nine-point deficit early within the second half to rally previous Illinois. Jeremy Fears Jr. scored 22 of his game-high 26 factors within the second half and time beyond regulation whereas including 15 assists to tempo the Spartans.

Jaxon Kohler added 11 factors and a game-high 16 rebounds for Michigan State, which hit 20 of 23 free throws. The Spartans additionally had a 48-38 edge on the boards and a 22-0 benefit on fastbreak factors.

"They'd received 12 in a row, and we had been limping," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo mentioned. "That is a greater group proper now, and but, I believed we performed higher, and that is why you play the video games on this night time. However simply assume, all of the issues we're speaking about, and it nonetheless took time beyond regulation."

Michigan State, 8-2 away from East Lansing, scores a median of 79.1 factors whereas permitting 65.6. The Spartans additionally considerably outrebound opponents by a whopping 13.1 per sport, the second-best margin within the nation.

Fears averages 9.1 assists, tops within the nation, and 15.1 factors per sport. Kohler provides 12.8 factors and 9.4 rebounds. Coen Carr contributed 11.4 factors and Carson Cooper 10.0.

Wisconsin overcame a 68-56 deficit at Illinois within the closing 9 minutes, then scored the primary eight factors in time beyond regulation. John Blackwell hit the primary of two free throws with 5.7 seconds left to make it 92-90, and Illinois missed a protracted 3-point try on the buzzer.

Nick Boyd had 25 factors, Blackwell added 24 and Austin Rapp got here off the bench for 18 within the victory. The Badgers had 16 3-pointers to enhance to 14-2 when hitting 10 or extra past the arc.

Wisconsin dedicated solely 4 turnovers in comparison with Illinois's 13, resulting in a 23-6 benefit in factors off miscues.

Wisconsin, which owns a 12-2 house document, is averaging 83.3 factors scored and 75.8 allowed. The Badgers are 15-0 after they rating not less than 80 factors.

The backcourt of Boyd and Blackwell went into the Illinois sport as one in every of three high-major duos to each common not less than 18.5 factors.

Boyd averages 20.2 factors and Blackwell 18.7. Nolan Winter provides 13.9 factors and a team-high 8.9 rebounds with 11 double-doubles.

The current sequence has been virtually even, with Wisconsin successful six of the previous 10. The Badgers received the most recent assembly 77-74 within the semifinals of the 2025 Massive Ten match.