Thursday, January 8
East Lansing, Mich.
6:30 PM
Michigan State University
14-2,4-1Big Ten
76
vs
66
Northwestern
8-7,0-4Big Ten
1
2
F
Northwestern
35
31
66
Michigan St.
28
48
76
Photo by: Matthew Mitchell Photography
Cooper’s Career-High 18 Points Leads No. 12 Michigan State Past Northwestern, 76-66, in front of Izzone Alumni
1/8/2026 8:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Senior center Carson Cooper scored a career-high 18 points and No. 12 Michigan State came back from a seven-point halftime deficit en route to a 76-66 win over Northwestern on Thursday night at the Breslin Center.\
Cooper hit two free throws in the final seconds to finish with his career-best 18 points – hitting 6-of-6 from the floor and 6-of-8 from the free throw line – while adding nine rebounds and on block.
Senior forward Jaxon Kohler finished with 15 points and eight rebound and redshirt sophomore guard Jeremy Fears Jr. scored all of his 15 points in the second half and added five assists.
Records
Michigan State improves to 14-2 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten Conference, while Northwestern falls to 8-7 overall and 0-4 in league play.
Recap
Michigan State plays the third game of a three-game homestand on Tuesday, Jan. 13, hosting Indiana at the Breslin Center. The game tips off at 7 p.m. and will air on NBCSN (and Peacock) with Brandon Gaudin and Robbie Hummel calling all of the action.
Cooper hit two free throws in the final seconds to finish with his career-best 18 points – hitting 6-of-6 from the floor and 6-of-8 from the free throw line – while adding nine rebounds and on block.
Senior forward Jaxon Kohler finished with 15 points and eight rebound and redshirt sophomore guard Jeremy Fears Jr. scored all of his 15 points in the second half and added five assists.
Records
Michigan State improves to 14-2 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten Conference, while Northwestern falls to 8-7 overall and 0-4 in league play.
Recap
- The Spartans trailed by seven points, 35-28, at the break and Northwestern maintained its lead through the opening minutes of the second half.
- MSU pulled to within 41-38 on a jumper from Kohler with 14:37 left but a technical foul was called on the Spartans at 13:49 and the Wildcats hit both free throws and a layup from Arrinten Page pushed the NU lead to 45-38.
- The Spartans responded immediately, with a dunk from freshman forward Cam Ward triggering a 10-0 run over a span of 3:01, capped by a Kohler 3-pointer and a jumper from Fears making it 48-45.
- Northwestern cut the lead to two points, 52-50, on a free throw from Jordan Clayton but MSU capped off a 20-5 burst with three free throws from Fears (7:30) and another Kohler trey (6:37) to push the lead to 58-50.
- MSU took its biggest lead, 62-52, on a jumper from Fears with 4:27 left before the Wildcats used a 10-2 run and pulled within two points, 64-62, with 2:04 on the clock.
- Fears hit a layup with 1:3 left and Carr followed with a windmill dunk with 1:17 to play, starting an 8-0 run capped two free throws each from Cooper and Fears, pushing the lead back to 10 points, 72-62, and sealing the win.
- Michigan State went into the half trailing by seven points, 35-28, after Northwestern turned the Spartans over for the eighth time with seven seconds left and Jayden Reid scored on a fast break layup.
- The Spartans turned the ball over eight times in the opening 20 minutes and the Wildcats took advantage, scoring 11 points.
- Northwestern jumped out to an early lead by the teams went back and forth, with five ties and nine lead changes.
- Trailing 22-18, MSU went on a 10-2 run and took a 28-24 lead on an alley-oop dunk by Cooper after a feed from Fears with 5:06 to play.
- The Spartans, however, went scoreless over the final 5:06 as Northwestern used an 11-0 run over the final minutes to take the 35-28 lead.
- Michigan State 49.0 percent from the floor (24-of-49), including 51.9 percent in the second half (14-of-27).
- After hitting just 54.5 percent of their first half free throws (6-of-11), the Spartans hit 17-of-22 in the second half (77.3 percent).
- The Spartans had a 42-25 advantage on the board ana grabbed 11 offensive rebounds, with 16 second-chance points, 10 in the second half.
- Michigan State leads the all-time series with Northwestern, 97-42, and has won the last three meetings between the teams.
- The Spartans are 54-10 all-time at home against the Wildcats, including a 51-6 record at the Breslin Center.
- MSU Head Coach Tom Izzo is now 42-8 all-time vs. Northwestern.
- Izzo's career record is now 751-304 in his 31st year at the helm of the MSU program.
- MSU is 9-1 at home this year.
- This was the third time this season the Spartans have come back to win when trailing at the half.
- The Spartans have an all-time record of 171-43 under Izzo in December, including a 119-16 record at the Breslin Center.
- Michigan State scored 76 points, the 13th time this season with at least 70 points.
- The Spartans are 13-0 when scoring at least 70 points.
- MSU held USC to 66 points, the 13th time holding an opponent to less than 70 points.
- The Spartans are 11-2 when holding opponents below 70 points.
- Michigan State shot 49.0 percent from the floor (24-for-49), the 12th time this season hitting at least 45 percent.
- The Spartans held Northwestern to 37.9 percent shooting from the floor (22-of-58) and just 23.1 percent (6-of-26) from 3-point land.
- The Spartans are 14-2 when out-shooting their opponent.
- MSU is 14-2 when holding opponents to below 50 percent from the floor.
- MSU controlled the battle of the boards (42-25) for the 14th time this season.
- The Spartans are 14-1 when outrebounding their opponent.
- The Spartans collected 10 offensive rebounds, the 15th game with at least 10 on the offensive glass.
- Carson Cooper scored a career-high 18 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds to lead MSU.
- His 18 points eclipse his previous career best of 17 points, set against San Jose State (11/13/25).
- This was the third time he has led the team in scoring, this season and for his career.
- It was his ninth game in double figures this year and the 13th of his career.
- This was the fifth time leading the team in rebounds this year and the 21st of his career.
- Senior forward Jaxon Kohler added 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
- He has scored in double figures 16 times this year and 28 for his career.
- Jeremy Fears Jr. scored 15 points and handed out a team-best five assists.
- He has scored in double figures 10 times this year and 22 for his career.
- Fears has 16 games this season with at least five assists.
- He has led the team in assists 15 times this year and 37 for his career.
Michigan State plays the third game of a three-game homestand on Tuesday, Jan. 13, hosting Indiana at the Breslin Center. The game tips off at 7 p.m. and will air on NBCSN (and Peacock) with Brandon Gaudin and Robbie Hummel calling all of the action.
Team Stats
NU
MSU
FG%
.379
.490
3FG%
.231
.278
FT%
.800
.697
RB
25
42
TO
6
15
STL
9
3
Game Leaders
Pts
18
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
15
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Players Mentioned
C
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
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