EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State needed it, and it got it.
The 10th-ranked Spartans took down No. 5 Illinois, 85-82 in overtime, on Saturday night in an absolute thriller. This snaps a mild, two-game skid for MSU, gives it a huge resume victory, and keeps itself alive in the Big Ten title race.
Advertisement
Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr. passes the ball for an assist to Ker Teng against Illinois during the first half on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. led the way for Michigan State, dropping 26 points and 15 assists. He seemed to have the ball the whole time later on in the second half and overtime and never showed any fatigue, despite playing 42 minutes.
This moves MSU to 20-4 overall and 10-3 during Big Ten play. The Spartans’ next game is at Wisconsin on Friday.
First Half
Advertisement
Feb 7, 2026; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Jaxon Kohler (0) celebrates a big basket against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the first half at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. | Dale Young-Imagn Images
The first 20 minutes were tightly contested. Neither team got to enjoy a lead larger than six points, as both teams seemed to go bucket for bucket for most of the first half.
Advertisement
What made the difference early on is that Illinois’ spacing was better. The Fighting Illini didn’t shoot it very well in the first half, but their ability to stretch out the Spartans’ defense opened up some opportunities on second chances and inside the arc.
Illinois ended up leading for about 11 minutes in the first half. Michigan State was ahead for about four and a half minutes. Jaxon Kohler led the team with eight points to go with five rebounds. Jeremy Fears Jr. dished out eight assists. Fears also got reviewed for a trip again, but the refs seemed to rule it was accidental/incidental and did not call anything on him.
At the break, it was the Fighting Illini ahead with a 39-35 lead after going on a little 6-2 spurt to end the half. MSU was playing OK, but not good enough to expect to win at this point in the game.
Advertisement
Second Half
Feb 7, 2026; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood protests a call during the first half against the Michigan State Spartans at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images | Dale Young-Imagn Images
Advertisement
Michigan State as going to need some energy to start the second half. It didn’t get it at first, as Illinois scored the half’s first five points to go up by nine. MSU was quickly able to get some of that momentum back, though, cutting it back to a four-point deficit by the first media timeout.
Advertisement
A few minutes after that, the Spartans were able to tie it up after a 2-for-2 trip at the line for Cam Ward, who had been struggling at the line all season. Shortly after that, MSU took the lead on an alley-oop from Fears to Coen Carr.
Michigan State couldn’t build anything, though. It seemed like every time it tied it up or took the lead, Illinois would find a couple of needed buckets and take a one- to- two-possession lead again. The Fighting Illini ended up coming out of the final media timeout with a four-point advantage.
Advertisement
This is the part where MSU had been outplayed multiple times by other top teams that its played. Some free throws from Fears on separate trips cut the deficit to one with 2:42 remaining. Scott then hit two at the line to give the Spartans a lead with 1:49 to go.
Both teams got some stops, but then Illinois got its turn with the ball in the final minute. David Mirkovic never gave it up, taking it to the room and using a nice hook shot to put the Illini ahead with 32.5 seconds left.
In came Kur Teng. He missed on his first shot, but Kohler got the offensive rebound and the ball made its way back out to the perimeter. Teng made good on his second chance, sticking the three with 8.6 seconds to go to give MSU a two-point lead. Illinois had its last gasp, and in the frenzy on the offensive glass, Jake Davis was fouled on a putback with one second left and got two shots. He made both, sending the game to overtime.
Advertisement
Overtime
Michigan State’s Carson Cooper passes the ball against Illinois during the first half on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Advertisement
The additional period started off well for MSU. Fears took one to the rack, and then Carson Cooper put one up on the line to extend the lead to three. Illinois tied it right back up on a three for Tomislav Ivisic, though. The Illini then forced a turnover, and Wagler gave them the lead with two at the line with 2:42 left.
Advertisement
Fears came through for the Spartans again, getting fouled and tying it at the line. Michigan State’s defense came through for a stop, and then Fears — again — got his defender to foul him, converting a three-point play. After another stop, Fears missed, but Cam Ward came flying in for a putback and extended the lead to five.
Illinois went back to its star, Wagler. He drew a foul, hit the first free throw of the double bonus, but then missed the second that would have made it a three-point game. Fears then did what he does best, baiting another foul — he hit both to make it a six-point advantage.
Advertisement
That was too much for the Fighting Illini to overcome.
Advertisement
Michigan State’s head coach Tom Izzo looks on before the game against Illinois on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Keep up with all our content when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be sure to share your thoughts on MSU’s game vs. Illinois you join our community group, Go Green Go White, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE. Don’t forget to give us a follow on X @MSUSpartansOnSI as well.
Advertisement
Never again miss one major story related to your beloved Spartans when you sign up for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes straight to your email with the latest news. SIGN UP HERE NOW
Kylan Boswell (4) scored 15 points for the Illini but Yaxel Lendeborg (23) scored 16 in Michigan’s win. Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images
Michigan has left no doubt about Big Ten superiority — the No. 3 Wolverines’ 84-70 romp Friday at No. 10 Illinois gives them an outright conference championship with two regular-season games remaining.
The win gives Michigan its first outright title since 2021, and it’s another top-shelf win that gives Michigan (27-2, 17-1 Big Ten) a boost in its pursuit of the NCAA Tournament’s No. 1 seed. This matters for the Wolverines because they would be lined up for a potential Final Four matchup with the No. 4 seed rather than either of the two teams that are also in contention for No. 1 — Duke, which beat Michigan last week to gain the inside track, and Arizona.
Advertisement
Friday’s lone meeting of the regular season between two purported national contenders left Michigan looking much the part, and Illinois looking a tier lower. This was domination, a comfortable second half for a Michigan team that led by as many as 21.
Michigan sophomore big man Morez Johnson Jr., who transferred from Illinois in the offseason, heard a lot of jeers from fans at State Farm Center and responded with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Big man Aday Mara also scored 19. Yaxel Lendeborg, the star of Michigan’s jumbo frontcourt, had 16 points and seven rebounds.
That interior helped the Wolverines to a 42-32 edge in points in the paint and 22 second-chance points. Keaton Wagler had 23 points to lead Illinois (22-7, 13-5), which projected as a No. 2 seed in Tuesday’s Bracket Watch but has lost two straight games and four of six. The Illini are trending in the wrong direction and potentially heading to the three-line.
The No. 1 seed also gets to choose its tournament path, and Michigan has requested Philadelphia as its first-weekend site. Otherwise, the Wolverines will likely be placed in Buffalo, which is closer to Ann Arbor.
SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A Shelby Township woman stopped for some pizza and a Michigan Lottery ticket during her lunch break. Then, she won a $822,159 Club Keno The Jack prize.
Sue Strong, 65, matched her easy pick The Jack number, 10-26-33-50-56-58-60-67-70, to nine of the 20 Club Keno numbers that were drawn in draw 2569809, according to the Michigan Lottery.
“I regularly play Club Keno, and I always add The Jack to my ticket,” said Strong. “I went out and bought a Club Keno ticket and pizza on my lunch break and then watched the drawings on my phone while I ate. When I saw all my The Jack numbers come in and the jackpot reset to $10,000, I was shocked! It was nerve wracking and exciting, and to be honest, I’ve hardly slept since!”
The lucky player purchased her winning ticket at Party Palace Liquor Inc., at 49133 Schoenherr Road in Shelby Township.
Advertisement
She plans to share her prize money with her family, pay bills and then save the rest.
This is the largest The Jack prize a player has ever won on the Club Keno game.
The previous record was set in March 2025, when a player won $677,141 from a ticket purchased at JP’s Trolley Stop in Taylor.
The Jack is an optional add-on to a Club Keno ticket that costs $1 per draw.
When playing The Jack, participants receive nine quick-pick numbers and try to match them with the numbers drawn in Club Keno. Prizes range from $1 up to the jackpot, which begins at $10,000 and increases until claimed. To hit the jackpot, all nine numbers must be matched.
Advertisement
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
Check Daily Keno payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from Feb. 26 drawing
03-14-22-50-57, Bonus: 04
Advertisement
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Michigan Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes up to $99,999.99, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Michigan Lottery’s Regional Offices.
To claim by mail, complete a ticket receipt form, sign your winning ticket, and send it along with original copies of your government-issued photo ID and Social Security card to the address below. Ensure the names on your ID and Social Security card match exactly. Claims should be mailed to:
Advertisement
Michigan Lottery
Attn: Claim Center
101 E. Hillsdale
P.O. Box 30023
Lansing, MI 48909
Advertisement
For prizes over $100,000, winners must claim their prize in person at the Michigan Lottery Headquarters in Lansing located at 101 E. Hillsdale in downtown Lansing. Each winner must present original versions of a valid government-issued photo ID (typically a driver’s license or state ID) and a Social Security card, ensuring that the names on both documents match exactly. To schedule an appointment, please call the Lottery Player Relations office at 844-887-6836, option 2.
If you prefer to claim in person at one of the Michigan Lottery Regional Offices for prizes under $100,000, appointments are required. Until further notice, please call 1-844-917-6325 to schedule an appointment. Regional office locations are as follows:
Lansing: 101 E. Hillsdale St. Lansing; Phone: 844-917-6325
Detroit: Cadillac Place, 3060 W. Grand Blvd., Suite L-600, Detroit; Phone: 844-917-6325
Grand Rapids: 3391-B Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids; Phone: 844-917-6325
Saginaw: Jerome T. Hart State Office Building, 411 E. Genesee Ave., Saginaw; Phone: 844-917-6325
For additional information, downloadable forms, and instructions, visit the Michigan Lottery’s prize claim page.
When are Michigan Lottery drawings held?
Daily 3 & Daily 4: Midday at 12:59 p.m., Evening at 7:29 p.m.
Fantasy 5: 7:29 p.m. daily
Poker Lotto: 7:29 p.m. daily
Lotto 47: 7:29 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday
Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily
Daily Keno: 7:29 p.m. daily
Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Michigan editor. You can send feedback using this form.
