The most significant matchup of the early Big Ten season also proved to be its best, as No. 12 Michigan State outdueled, outlasted or maybe just survived a slugfest with No. 19 Illinois, hanging on for an 80-78 win Sunday at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.

In a game that saw 10 ties, five lead changes and multiple set pieces in the closing moments that could have decided the outcome, the Spartans (16-2, 7-0 Big Ten) defended their home court, ran their win streak to 11 and stayed perfect in conference play by knocking off perhaps the biggest threat to their regular-season Big Ten eminence in the Illini (13-5, 5-3).

On the one hand, Illinois put up a helluva fight, edging one of the most physical teams in college basketball on the boards (41-40), slowing the Spartans in transition (only eight fastbreak points) and keeping a lid on leading scorer Jaden Akins (eight points on 3-for-10 shooting).

Then again, the Illini missed 10 of 27 free throws – including several backbreakers in the key waning moments – again lost their three-point shooting touch (5-for-24, 20.8 percent) and were virtually stonewalled on offense for a critical second-half stretch after lead guard Kasparas Jakucionis fouled out.

Yet it would be hard not to come away from Sunday with an impression of the Illini anything but a team that is very close to growing into an elite contender. Even as they bricked from deep, got just three points from Jakucionis and repeatedly shot itself in the foot in crunch time with missed free throws and a technical foul from coach Brad Underwood, the Illini still had a shot at the end.

They have the re-emergence of freshman forward Will Riley (a game-high 19 points) to thank for that. Riley exploded for 16 points over a seven-minute first-half stretch that lifted the Illini when the Spartans were otherwise snuffing their screen-and-roll offense and other three-point shooters.

Although Riley ran as cold through the middle of the game as he was hot in the early going, he showed up – along with a host of teammates – just in time to rescue what looked like a lost Illinois cause.

After the Illini had closed a seven-point Spartans lead to two on a Tomislav Ivisic layup, Jakucionis fouled out with 6:39 remaining. From there, Illinois’ offense sputtered, stalled and all but came to a complete stop. The Spartans took the opportunity to extend their lead again, with Spartans forward Jaxon Kohler’s jumper sending MSU up 74-67 with 3:53 left.

But the Illini closed it again, sandwiching a Riley and-1 and a Kylan Boswell layup between Frankie Fidler free throws (compliments of the Underwood tech). Then Morez Johnson Jr. brute-forced a bucket home off a beautiful high-low lob pass from Ivisic, cutting MSU’s lead to 76-74 with 1:56 left.

A minute later, Boswell got downhill for a layup to bring Illinois within a point with 57 seconds on the clock. The score gave the Illini five field goals on their final five attempts of the game.

Free throws, however, were another matter. The Illini missed six of nine from the line leading up to Boswell’s final bucket, which was just a smidge too much to overcome.

Although Boswell had a chance to win it with five seconds left, his drive and dish to Ivisic had too much mustard on it and sailed over the big man’s head before he could get his hands up.

The Illini still had a bit of life left after Tre Holloman’s follow-up free throws, which gave the Spartans an 80-77 lead. After Boswell was fouled and tried to pinball his second attempt off the rim and crash the glass, he came up with it and appeared to get a shot off over the backboard – but not before he toed the baseline out of bounds to turn over possession (and, for all intents and purposes, the game) to the Spartans.

Boswell and Ivisic chipped in 13 points each, and Holloman led the Spartans with 17.

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