Tom Izzo sets Big Ten wins record as Michigan State basketball rallies to beat Illinois

Posted by author February 16, 2025 Basketball

Spread the love

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Tom Izzo got his record, and Michigan State basketball recaptured its mojo.

And picked up a monumental and memorable comeback win Saturday night at Illinois.

The 11th-ranked Spartans rallied from a 16-point first-half deficit and knocked out the Illini with a sizzling 15-0 run over the final 6:58 to pull out an impressive and important 79-65 victory at State Farm Arena.

Jaxon Kohler scored a career-high 23 points, including a critical 3-pointer with the shot clock about to expire with 46.6 seconds to play, and grabbed 10 rebounds as MSU (20-5, 11-3 Big Ten) controlled the boards late.

The win was Izzo’s 354th in conference play over his 30 seasons, breaking a tie with Indiana’s Bob Knight for the most in Big Ten history. The Spartans lost Izzo’s first opportunity to claim the record alone with a 71-64 loss Tuesday to Knight’s former program.

MSU was helped by an overturned goaltending call (originally on Jaden Akins) that took away a bucket for Kasparas Jakucionis during a media timeout with 3:49 to play. The Spartans outscored the Illini 10-0 after that call, holding them to 0-for-19 shooting over the final 8½ minutes.

The Spartans now face No. 7 Purdue on Tuesday at Breslin Center (7 p.m.). The game won’t be televised but will be streamed on Peacock. The Boilermakers (19-7, 11-4) lost at home to No. 15 Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon, 94-84.

Tre Holloman added 14 points, Jase Richardson had 11 and Coen Carr added 10 points.

The Spartans pulled off the season sweep of the Illini. Jakucionis and Morez Johnson Jr. each scored 17 points and Will Riley had 13 for Illinois (17-8, 9-6).

Fighting off an early Crush

MSU’s resolve the past few weeks has been put to the test, first in coming back at both USC and UCLA and again late against Indiana. All three ended in losses, however, the Spartans’ first in Big Ten play this season.

Saturday night required another show of sticktoitiveness. Only from farther back and much earlier than the other games.

The fiery cauldron created by the “Orange Crush” student section provided energy, and the Illini fed off it immediately from the opening tip. Illinois scored the first six points, including a pair of Johnson dunks, and surged out to a 17-6 lead on three straight 3-pointers. Izzo called timeout at 14:46 after Jake Davis’ second consecutive deep ball.

Answers weren’t quick to come, even after the Spartans cut it back to six. But the Illini responded quickly and extended their cushion to 16 points with 8:46 remaining.

That’s when survival instinct kicked in for MSU.

Richardson hit a pair of midrange jumpers and Kohler hit in the paint. Then after a pair of Illinois scores, Carr started attacking on the baseline, including a dunk. Kohler drained his second 3-pointer of the half and hit a pair of hook shots in the post. Suddenly, thanks to 13 straight points and a 19-4 burst over a 6:19 stretch, MSU pulled within 35-34 with 2:12 before halftime.

However, the Illini — who missed 10 of 11 from 3-point range after a 3-for-4 start — got a pair of 3s from Will Riley and Jakuconis to carry a 41-37 lead to the locker room.

After the break, MSU kept its momentum, breaking off an 11-3 burst out of the break, to take its first lead of the game, 48-44. The Spartans hit 5 of 7 shots to open the half, forcing Illinois coach Brad Underwood to call timeout just 3:01 into the second half.

Jax on fire

It was a monster game for Kohler, both inside and outside. And his play was pivotal for MSU making that comeback.

The 6-foot-9 junior scored all 12 of his first-half points in the final 7:32 of the first half and added five more in the first 2:51 of the second period before going dormant for a long stretch.

But Kohler finished a two-offensive rebound sequence with a putback layup for a three-point play with 1:55 to play, then gobbled up a loose ball in the corner and buried a 3 to knock out the Illini.

MSU outrebounded the Illini 11-3 over the final 4:46, including a critical offensive board from Carson Cooper that set up Kohler’s 3-pointer. Cooper finished with nine boards.

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.

Subscribe to the “Spartan Speak” podcast for new episodes weekly on Apple, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.