No. 10 Michigan State outlasts No. 5 Illinois in OT

Jeremy Fears Jr. scores 26 points, including 11 in overtime, to lead Spartans to victory

Feb. 8, 2026 at 3:55am

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Jeremy Fears Jr. scored 26 points, including 11 in overtime, and dished out 15 assists as No. 10 Michigan State snapped No.5 Illinois' 12-game winning streak with an 85-82 victory in East Lansing, Mich. on Saturday. Jaxon Kohler had 11 points and 16 rebounds for the Spartans, while Kur Teng and Jordan Scott added 10 points each. David Mirkovic had 18 points, six rebounds and six assists for Illinois, which fell out of the top spot in the Big Ten conference.

Why it matters

This was a key Big Ten conference matchup between two highly ranked teams, with Michigan State knocking off the previously surging Illinois squad. The win keeps Michigan State in the hunt for the Big Ten title, while the loss drops Illinois out of the top spot in the conference standings.

The details

Fears gave Michigan State a 79-76 lead with 1:47 remaining in overtime on a three-point play. Cameron Ward's putback of a Fears miss nudged the Spartans' lead to five points. Fears then knocked down four free throws in the closing seconds to seal the victory. Mirkovic scored nine points and dished out three assists in the first half as the Illini grabbed a 39-35 halftime lead, but Michigan State rallied in the second half to force overtime.

  • The game was played on Saturday, February 8, 2026.

The players

Jeremy Fears Jr.

A guard for Michigan State who scored 26 points, including 11 in overtime, and dished out 15 assists in the win.

Jaxon Kohler

A player for Michigan State who had 11 points and 16 rebounds in the game.

David Mirkovic

A player for Illinois who scored 18 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and had 6 assists in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“We must have been doing something right to be able to come back and win this game in overtime against such a tough opponent.”

— Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State Guard

What’s next

Michigan State will look to build on this big win as they continue their push for the Big Ten title, while Illinois will try to rebound and regain the top spot in the conference standings.

The takeaway

This was an exciting overtime battle between two top-10 teams in the Big Ten, with Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr. leading the way for the Spartans in the clutch. The win keeps Michigan State in contention for the conference crown, while the loss drops Illinois out of first place in the standings.