No. 12 Michigan State rallies and holds on to beat No. 19 Illinois 80-78 for 11th straight win

The address is East Lansing, Michigan (AP) Coen Carr and Frankie Fidler each scored 11 points, Tre Holloman finished with 17 points, including two free throws in the final seconds, and No. 12 Michigan State hung on to defeat No. 19 Illinois 80-78 on Sunday.

The Spartans (16-2, 7-0 Big Ten) have now won 11 straight games, the most since the 2018–19 campaign, which culminated in Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo’s eighth Final Four appearance.

EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 19: On January 19, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan State Spartans forward Coen Carr, 55, dunks during a collegiate basketball game between the Michigan State Spartans and Illinois Fighting Illini.

Kylan Boswell turned over the ball with 5.9 seconds remaining, and the Fighting Illini (13-5, 6-2) had taken a 10-point lead in the first half and were now behind one.

During the subsequent possession, Holloman made two free throws.

Izzo instructed his team to foul Boswell rather than allow him to make a 3-pointer. After purposefully missing the second free throw, Boswell got to the ball and shot it over the backboard from the baseline, but the officials waived it off. Boswell had made the first one.

Due to foul trouble, Illini star Kasparas Jakucionis was reduced to season lows in minutes (nine) and points (three).

Will Riley, a fellow freshman, took over the scoring in the first half after coming off the bench. He finished with 19 points after scoring 16 in eight minutes.

Takeaways

Illinois: Despite Jakucionis, an NBA draft lottery possibility, spending the majority of the game on the bench, coach Brad Underwood’s team put on a strong showing.

Michigan State: Against one of the best teams in the Big Ten, the hard-to-please Izzo will have to give his guys credit for coming back from a double-digit deficit in the first half.

Key moment

With 3:18 remaining, the Illinois bench was punished for a technical foul for contesting a call, and Fidler converted two free throws to put Michigan State ahead by six points.

Key stat

Due to foul trouble, Jakucionis was one of three players who did not produce.

Up next

Illinois welcomes Maryland on Thursday night, while Michigan State visits Rutgers on Saturday.