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No. 11 Michigan State beats Illinois 79-65; Izzo passes Knight in Big Ten coaching victories

AP
Feb 16, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) Jaxson Kohler had 23 points and 10 rebounds, Tre Holloman scored 14 points and No. 11 Michigan State rallied to beat Illinois 79-65 on Saturday night giving the Spartans' Tom Izzo the most conference wins in Big Ten history.

Izzo moved past late Indiana coach Bobby Knight with his record 354th conference victory.

Jase Richardson contributed 11 points and Coen Carr had 10 for the Spartans (20-5, 11-3 Big Ten), who outscored Illinois 42-24 in the second half. They finished with a 15-point run as the Illini missed their last 18 shots over the final 8 1/2 minutes.

Morez Johnson Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis each scored 17 points for Illinois (19-7, 9-7).

Michigan State: Three-point shooting has been a problem for the Spartans all season. They were 14 of 60 for 23% from distance in three recent losses. They hardly bothered shooting 3s against Illinois, going 5 of 12, and won the game by taking the ball inside, scoring 40 points in the paint.

Illinois: The Illini close the regular season by playing five ranked teams - including Saturday's game against Michigan State - in their last six games. They’ll need to play two good halves to survive the stretch.

Illinois led the entire first half and by as many as 16 points. The Spartans made it a game with a 13-point run, setting the stage for their domination in the second half.

Michigan State and Illinois each came into the game having outrebounded opponents 21 times and Illinois is the nation’s top rebounding team. But the Spartans outrebounded the Illini 41-36.

Michigan State will host No. 7 Purdue on Tuesday night while Illinois will play at No. 16 Wisconsin on Tuesday night.

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1st Half
MIST
Spartans
37
ILL
Fighting Illini
41

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Jase Richardson vs. Morez Johnson Jr. (Fighting Illini gains possession)
19:43		Tomislav Ivisic misses two point layup
19:41		Szymon Zapala defensive rebound
19:26		Jaden Akins turnover (out of bounds)
19:12	+2	Kasparas Jakucionis makes two point layup	0-2
18:41		Szymon Zapala misses two point layup
18:39		Morez Johnson Jr. defensive rebound
18:27		Kasparas Jakucionis misses two point layup
18:25		Morez Johnson Jr. offensive rebound
18:23	+2	Morez Johnson Jr. makes two point dunk	0-4
18:17		Jaden Akins turnover (bad pass) (Morez Johnson Jr. steals)
18:12	+2	Morez Johnson Jr. makes two point dunk (Kasparas Jakucionis assists)	0-6
17:53		Jaden Akins misses two point jump shot
17:51		Ben Humrichous defensive rebound
17:44		Jase Richardson blocks Kylan Boswell's two point layup
17:42		Jase Richardson defensive rebound
17:26	+2	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes two point jump shot	2-6
17:05	+2	Ben Humrichous makes two point jump shot	2-8
16:47		Jaxon Kohler misses two point jump shot
16:45		Kylan Boswell defensive rebound
16:39		Tomislav Ivisic turnover (bad pass)
16:28	+2	Jase Richardson makes two point jump shot	4-8
16:15		Kasparas Jakucionis misses three point jump shot
16:13		Will Riley offensive rebound
16:05	+3	Kasparas Jakucionis makes three point jump shot	4-11
15:56		Coen Carr misses three point jump shot
15:54		Jeremy Fears Jr. offensive rebound
15:49		Jase Richardson misses three point jump shot
15:47		Will Riley defensive rebound
15:41		Tomislav Ivisic turnover (lost ball) (Carson Cooper steals)
15:35	+2	Coen Carr makes two point dunk (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	6-11
15:12	+3	Jake Davis makes three point jump shot (Will Riley assists)	6-14
15:00		Jeremy Fears Jr. misses three point jump shot
14:58		Kasparas Jakucionis defensive rebound
14:50	+3	Jake Davis makes three point jump shot (Tomislav Ivisic assists)	6-17
14:48		Spartans 30 second timeout
14:48		TV timeout
14:34		Jaden Akins misses two point layup
14:32		Ben Humrichous defensive rebound
14:21		Kasparas Jakucionis misses three point jump shot
14:19		Xavier Booker defensive rebound
14:12	+2	Tre Holloman makes two point layup	8-17
13:52		Ben Humrichous misses three point jump shot
13:50		Jake Davis offensive rebound
13:37	+2	Ben Humrichous makes two point jump shot	8-19
13:19		Tre Holloman misses two point jump shot
13:17		Ben Humrichous defensive rebound
13:13		Jake Davis misses three point jump shot
13:11		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
12:44		Tre Holloman misses two point jump shot
12:42		Coen Carr offensive rebound
12:39	+2	Coen Carr makes two point layup	10-19
12:20		Will Riley offensive foul
12:20		Will Riley turnover (offensive foul)
12:07	+3	Xavier Booker makes three point jump shot (Tre Holloman assists)	13-19
11:45	+2	Morez Johnson Jr. makes two point layup (Will Riley assists)	13-21
11:34		TV timeout
11:14		Jaden Akins misses two point layup
11:12		Kasparas Jakucionis defensive rebound
10:53	+2	Kasparas Jakucionis makes two point layup	13-23
10:53		Frankie Fidler shooting foul (Kasparas Jakucionis draws the foul)
10:53	+1	Kasparas Jakucionis makes regular free throw 1 of 1	13-24
10:34		Frankie Fidler misses two point jump shot
10:32		Ben Humrichous defensive rebound
10:15	+3	Will Riley makes three point jump shot	13-27
9:55	+2	Tre Holloman makes two point jump shot	15-27
9:31	+2	Tomislav Ivisic makes two point hook shot	15-29
9:20		Frankie Fidler misses two point jump shot
9:18		Jaxon Kohler offensive rebound
9:10		Xavier Booker misses two point jump shot
9:08		Fighting Illini defensive rebound
8:53	+2	Will Riley makes two point layup	15-31
8:41	+2	Jase Richardson makes two point jump shot	17-31
8:21		Will Riley turnover (bad pass) (Jaxon Kohler steals)
8:11	+2	Jase Richardson makes two point jump shot	19-31
7:53		Ben Humrichous misses three point jump shot
7:51		Szymon Zapala defensive rebound
7:42		Frankie Fidler misses two point jump shot
7:40		Jaxon Kohler offensive rebound
7:38	+2	Jaxon Kohler makes two point layup	21-31
7:22		Ben Humrichous misses three point jump shot
7:19		Szymon Zapala personal foul
7:19		TV timeout
7:05	+2	Tomislav Ivisic makes two point hook shot (Kylan Boswell assists)	21-33
6:41		Jeremy Fears Jr. turnover (out of bounds)
6:18	+2	Kasparas Jakucionis makes two point jump shot	21-35
6:00	+2	Coen Carr makes two point jump shot (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	23-35
5:35		Jeremy Fears Jr. blocks Tomislav Ivisic's three point jump shot
5:33		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
5:16	+2	Coen Carr makes two point dunk (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	25-35
4:53		Tomislav Ivisic misses three point jump shot
4:51		Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn offensive rebound
4:51		Jaden Akins personal foul
4:36		Tomislav Ivisic turnover (bad pass) (Jaxon Kohler steals)
4:24	+3	Jaxon Kohler makes three point jump shot (Kur Teng assists)	28-35
4:12		Jake Davis misses three point jump shot
4:09		Kur Teng personal foul
3:57		Kasparas Jakucionis turnover (bad pass)
3:57		TV timeout
3:43	+2	Jaxon Kohler makes two point hook shot	30-35
3:31		Will Riley misses three point jump shot
3:29		Kur Teng defensive rebound
3:20		Tre Holloman misses two point jump shot
3:18		Coen Carr offensive rebound
3:09		Carson Cooper misses two point jump shot
3:07		Jaxon Kohler offensive rebound
2:58	+2	Coen Carr makes two point layup	32-35
2:58		Morez Johnson Jr. shooting foul (Coen Carr draws the foul)
2:58		Coen Carr misses regular free throw 1 of 1
2:55		Tomislav Ivisic defensive rebound
2:41		Tomislav Ivisic misses three point jump shot
2:39		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
2:27		Kasparas Jakucionis personal foul
2:12	+2	Jaxon Kohler makes two point hook shot	34-35
2:00		Carson Cooper personal foul
1:52	+3	Will Riley makes three point jump shot	34-38
1:43	+3	Jaxon Kohler makes three point jump shot (Coen Carr assists)	37-38
1:23	+3	Kasparas Jakucionis makes three point jump shot (Will Riley assists)	37-41
1:20		Fighting Illini 30 second timeout
1:01		Jase Richardson misses two point jump shot
0:59		Ben Humrichous defensive rebound
0:46		Kylan Boswell offensive foul
0:46		Kylan Boswell turnover (offensive foul)
0:36		Jaxon Kohler misses three point jump shot
0:34		Kasparas Jakucionis defensive rebound
0:09		Frankie Fidler personal foul (Will Riley draws the foul)
0:01		Will Riley misses two point layup
0:01		Kasparas Jakucionis offensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
MIST
Spartans
42
ILL
Fighting Illini
24

Time		Play	Score
19:33	+2	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes two point layup	39-41
19:10		Ben Humrichous turnover (bad pass) (Jeremy Fears Jr. steals)
19:05	+2	Jase Richardson makes two point dunk	41-41
18:52		Jase Richardson personal foul
18:41		Carson Cooper shooting foul (Morez Johnson Jr. draws the foul)
18:41		Morez Johnson Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2
18:41	+1	Morez Johnson Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	41-42
18:29	+3	Jaxon Kohler makes three point jump shot (Jase Richardson assists)	44-42
18:17		Jaden Akins shooting foul (Kasparas Jakucionis draws the foul)
18:17	+1	Kasparas Jakucionis makes regular free throw 1 of 2	44-43
18:17	+1	Kasparas Jakucionis makes regular free throw 2 of 2	44-44
18:09		Will Riley personal foul
18:07	+2	Tre Holloman makes two point jump shot (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	46-44
17:56		Jase Richardson personal foul
17:49		Tomislav Ivisic misses two point layup
17:47		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
17:32		Jeremy Fears Jr. misses two point jump shot
17:30		Ben Humrichous defensive rebound
17:22		Ben Humrichous misses three point jump shot
17:20		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
17:11		Ben Humrichous blocks Jase Richardson's two point layup
17:09		Szymon Zapala offensive rebound
17:07	+2	Jaxon Kohler makes two point layup (Szymon Zapala assists)	48-44
16:59		Fighting Illini 30 second timeout
16:59		TV timeout
16:47	+2	Morez Johnson Jr. makes two point layup (Will Riley assists)	48-46
16:47		Coen Carr shooting foul (Morez Johnson Jr. draws the foul)
16:47		Morez Johnson Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 1
16:47		Frankie Fidler defensive rebound
16:34		Tre Holloman turnover (traveling)
16:19	+2	Morez Johnson Jr. makes two point dunk (Will Riley assists)	48-48
15:54		Kylan Boswell blocks Jeremy Fears Jr.'s two point layup
15:52		Jaxon Kohler offensive rebound
15:50		Jaxon Kohler misses two point layup
15:48		Will Riley defensive rebound
15:25	+2	Jake Davis makes two point layup	48-50
14:58		Jeremy Fears Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Kasparas Jakucionis steals)
14:46	+2	Morez Johnson Jr. makes two point layup (Will Riley assists)	48-52
14:32		Tre Holloman misses two point layup
14:30		Frankie Fidler offensive rebound
14:30		Morez Johnson Jr. shooting foul (Frankie Fidler draws the foul)
14:30		TV timeout
14:30	+1	Frankie Fidler makes regular free throw 1 of 2	49-52
14:30	+1	Frankie Fidler makes regular free throw 2 of 2	50-52
14:10		Will Riley misses three point jump shot
14:08		Spartans defensive rebound
13:56		Jase Richardson misses two point layup
13:54		Carson Cooper offensive rebound
13:48	+2	Carson Cooper makes two point dunk (Tre Holloman assists)	52-52
13:29		Carson Cooper shooting foul (Morez Johnson Jr. draws the foul)
13:29	+1	Morez Johnson Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	52-53
13:29	+1	Morez Johnson Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	52-54
13:15		Will Riley shooting foul (Jaden Akins draws the foul)
13:15	+1	Jaden Akins makes regular free throw 1 of 2	53-54
13:15	+1	Jaden Akins makes regular free throw 2 of 2	54-54
12:54		Jase Richardson shooting foul (Kasparas Jakucionis draws the foul)
12:54	+1	Kasparas Jakucionis makes regular free throw 1 of 2	54-55
12:54	+1	Kasparas Jakucionis makes regular free throw 2 of 2	54-56
12:38	+2	Jaden Akins makes two point jump shot	56-56
12:11		Szymon Zapala shooting foul (Morez Johnson Jr. draws the foul)
12:11	+1	Morez Johnson Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	56-57
12:11	+1	Morez Johnson Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	56-58
12:01		Jake Davis personal foul
11:56	+2	Jaden Akins makes two point layup	58-58
11:34		Jake Davis turnover
11:34		TV timeout
11:17	+2	Jaden Akins makes two point layup	60-58
11:03		Kasparas Jakucionis turnover (lost ball)
10:48		Jaden Akins misses two point layup
10:46		Will Riley defensive rebound
10:30		Will Riley misses two point jump shot
10:28		Will Riley offensive rebound
10:24	+3	Will Riley makes three point jump shot	60-61
10:18		Official timeout
10:05		Jeremy Fears Jr. misses two point layup
10:03		Kasparas Jakucionis defensive rebound
9:55		Kasparas Jakucionis misses three point jump shot
9:53		Jeremy Fears Jr. defensive rebound
9:47	+2	Tre Holloman makes two point layup	62-61
9:20	+2	Will Riley makes two point jump shot (Ben Humrichous assists)	62-63
8:56	+2	Tre Holloman makes two point jump shot	64-63
8:32	+2	Ben Humrichous makes two point jump shot	64-65
8:16		Morez Johnson Jr. blocks Jase Richardson's two point dunk
8:14		Will Riley defensive rebound
8:08		Ben Humrichous misses three point jump shot
8:06		Jeremy Fears Jr. defensive rebound
8:01		Jeremy Fears Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Will Riley steals)
7:57		Kasparas Jakucionis misses three point jump shot
7:55		Will Riley offensive rebound
7:53		Will Riley misses two point layup
7:51		Jase Richardson defensive rebound
7:49		Morez Johnson Jr. blocks Tre Holloman's two point jump shot
7:47		Spartans offensive rebound
7:47		TV timeout
7:23		Jaden Akins misses two point jump shot
7:21		Tomislav Ivisic defensive rebound
7:09		Kasparas Jakucionis misses two point layup
7:07		Morez Johnson Jr. offensive rebound
7:07		Morez Johnson Jr. misses two point layup
7:05		Jaden Akins defensive rebound
6:58	+2	Tre Holloman makes two point jump shot	66-65
6:45		Jaden Akins blocks Kasparas Jakucionis's two point layup
6:29		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
6:29		Ben Humrichous shooting foul (Carson Cooper draws the foul)
6:29		Carson Cooper misses regular free throw 1 of 2
6:29		Carson Cooper misses regular free throw 2 of 2
6:29		Kylan Boswell defensive rebound
6:17		Tomislav Ivisic misses three point jump shot
6:15		Fighting Illini offensive rebound
6:09		Will Riley misses three point jump shot
6:07		Jeremy Fears Jr. defensive rebound
6:04		Kylan Boswell personal foul
5:50	+2	Jase Richardson makes two point layup (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	68-65
5:50		Will Riley shooting foul (Jase Richardson draws the foul)
5:50	+1	Jase Richardson makes regular free throw 1 of 1	69-65
5:40		Kasparas Jakucionis misses three point jump shot
5:38		Tomislav Ivisic offensive rebound
5:34		Ben Humrichous misses three point jump shot
5:32		Tomislav Ivisic offensive rebound
5:18		Kasparas Jakucionis misses three point jump shot
5:16		Coen Carr defensive rebound
4:54		Jeremy Fears Jr. misses three point jump shot
4:52		Tomislav Ivisic defensive rebound
4:46		Carson Cooper blocks Morez Johnson Jr.'s two point layup
4:44		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
4:28		Jeremy Fears Jr. turnover (Morez Johnson Jr. steals)
4:13		Tomislav Ivisic misses two point jump shot
4:11		Coen Carr defensive rebound
3:52		Jeremy Fears Jr. misses two point jump shot
3:50		Tomislav Ivisic defensive rebound
3:49		Carson Cooper personal foul
3:49		TV timeout
3:49		Tomislav Ivisic misses regular free throw 1 of 1
3:49		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
3:34	+2	Carson Cooper makes two point dunk (Tre Holloman assists)	71-65
3:17		Ben Humrichous misses two point jump shot
3:15		Tre Holloman defensive rebound
2:45		Jaxon Kohler misses two point layup
2:43		Tomislav Ivisic defensive rebound
2:22		Kasparas Jakucionis misses three point jump shot
2:20		Jase Richardson defensive rebound
2:03		Jaden Akins misses two point layup
2:01		Jaxon Kohler offensive rebound
1:58		Jaden Akins misses three point jump shot
1:56		Jaxon Kohler offensive rebound
1:56	+2	Jaxon Kohler makes two point layup	73-65
1:56		Kasparas Jakucionis shooting foul (Jaxon Kohler draws the foul)
1:56	+1	Jaxon Kohler makes regular free throw 1 of 1	74-65
1:41		Morez Johnson Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Carson Cooper steals)
1:25		Spartans 60 second timeout
1:13		Tre Holloman misses three point jump shot
1:11		Carson Cooper offensive rebound
0:49	+3	Jaxon Kohler makes three point jump shot	77-65
0:39		Will Riley misses three point jump shot
0:37		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
0:35		Kasparas Jakucionis shooting foul (Tre Holloman draws the foul)
0:35	+1	Tre Holloman makes regular free throw 1 of 2	78-65
0:35	+1	Tre Holloman makes regular free throw 2 of 2	79-65
0:29		Jaxon Kohler blocks Jake Davis's three point jump shot
0:27		Morez Johnson Jr. offensive rebound
0:20		Will Riley misses three point jump shot
0:18		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
0:18		Morez Johnson Jr. shooting foul (Jaxon Kohler draws the foul)
0:18		Jaxon Kohler misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:18		Jaxon Kohler misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:18		Morez Johnson Jr. defensive rebound
0:11		Kylan Boswell misses three point jump shot
0:09		Tre Holloman defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Tre Holloman defensive rebound