PISCATAWAY, N.J. – In a thrilling finish, Jeremy Fears shone for No. 7 Michigan State, scoring 27 of his career-high 29 points in the second half and overtime to help his team secure an 88-79 victory over Rutgers on Tuesday night.
Fears not only led in scoring but also contributed significantly with nine assists, including a crucial pass that set up Divine Ugochukwu for a corner three-pointer that tied the game with just 11 seconds remaining in regulation.
Overtime began with Jaxon Kohler giving the Spartans their first lead since the early stages of the game, scoring two free throws, which marked the turning point for Michigan State, who had previously trailed 9-8. They surged ahead 78-73 during overtime and maintained their advantage to clinch their seventh consecutive win.
Tariq Francis led the way for Rutgers, contributing 23 points, although he was unable to convert a potential game-winning floater at the final buzzer of regulation. The Scarlet Knights, struggling with four consecutive losses now, saw their halftime lead of 37-28 vanish due to a drought in field goals over the last 4:40 of regulation, although they managed to convert eight out of nine free throw attempts in that stretch.
Along with Fears, Coen Carr and Carson Cooper made notable contributions for Michigan State, scoring 13 and 12 points respectively, while Cooper also grabbed 14 rebounds. For Rutgers, Harun Zrno added 16 points to the scoreboard, complemented by Jamichael Davis and Darren Buchanan Jr., who tallied 15 and 14 points respectively.
The Spartans’ first-half performance was their lowest scoring output of the season, highlighting the defensive efforts by Rutgers which converted Michigan State’s 10 turnovers into 17 points.
In their upcoming matchups, Michigan State will host No. 3 Michigan on Friday, while Rutgers travels to play against UCLA on Tuesday, looking to turn their fortunes around.