There’s history in this matchup every single time these two programs meet, and Saturday night at a sold-out Mackey Arena was no different. The Spartans hadn’t won in Mackey in 12 years. The crowd was rocking. Michigan State shrugged off the past and blocked out the noise, defying the odds and winning a gritty 76-74 road game.
Despite the road woes that had haunted the Spartans all season long, maybe there was something to that player-only meeting earlier in the week. Because the Spartans did exactly what they needed to do: survive the lull, refuse to let a slow stretch bury them, and never allow the crowd to completely take over.
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The history runs deep—and so does the rivalry between Tom Izzo and Matt Painter. Saturday marked their 36th head-to-head meeting, the fourth-most between any two Division I head coaches. Painter entered holding a one-game edge, 18–17. Izzo walked out with it tied, 18–18.
It may still be the dog days of winter, but you could feel the heat before tipoff. This wasn’t just another Big Ten game.
Michigan State struck first. Carson Cooper, fresh off a career-high 20-point, 11-rebound performance, opened the scoring to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead. But Purdue wasted no time punching back. A quick 9-0 run—fueled by two Michigan State turnovers and shaky defense down low—flipped the tone early and forced the Spartans to respond.
Oscar Cluff, Purdue’s fifth-year senior from Australia who had taken just eight shots combined over the last three games, came out with a completely different edge. He scored eight of Purdue’s first 13 points, attacking with purpose and helping the Boilermakers build a 13-6 lead at the first media timeout. Purdue looked more physical out of the gate, dictating tempo and contact.
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But Michigan State didn’t blink. Jeremy Fears drilled a massive three-pointer through contact, finishing the four-point play and continuing his recent heater from deep. That shot felt like a momentum shifter.
At the 13:00 mark, the Spartans reclaimed their first lead since Cooper’s opening bucket, capping a 10-0 run to go up 16-13. Cam Ward provided a steady presence early, attacking the rim with strength and confidence, giving Michigan State a needed spark.
The game was dripping with intensity. Purdue’s defense was suffocating—aggressive, physical, swarming. At times it felt like lions circling a lost zebra. Every cut was bumped. Every pass contested.
And speaking of passes—the playmaking in this one was ridiculous. Braden Smith and Jeremy Fears put on a clinic. No-look dimes. Cross-court lasers. Perfect pocket passes in traffic. Some of the sequences looked straight out of a Harlem Globetrotters routine.
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“Flight 55” Coen Carr brought even most Purdue fans to their feet with another electric finish at the rim—because of course he did. It feels like he delivers a must-see highlight every single game. Not to be outdone, Cooper followed Carr’s thunder with one of his own—a physical, nasty slam that momentarily turned Mackey into a dunk contest.
Braden Smith added another milestone to his résumé, recording his 1,000th career assist in the first half—a testament to his consistency and vision.
At the break, Purdue held a narrow 39-36 lead.
The numbers told the story of how tight it was:
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Three-point shooting: Purdue 6-for-11, Michigan State 3-for-9
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Rebounds: Even at 15 apiece
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Turnovers: Purdue 5, Michigan State 4
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Second-chance points: Purdue 9, Michigan State 4
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Assists: Purdue 14 on 15 made baskets, Michigan State 9 on 14
Coen Carr and Carson Cooper led Michigan State with seven points each, while Ward added six off the bench. Cooper also had four rebounds at the half.
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The second half picked up right where the first left off. No one was backing down.
Cooper started it strong—two defensive rebounds and the first four Spartan points. Two and a half minutes in, it was tied 42-42.
Every rebound was a battle.
Jordan Scott, who struggled to find rhythm in the first half, buried a huge three early in the second to give MSU a one-point lead. A confidence shot.
Carr went back to work, flying down the left side for another dunk from his favorite runway. He leads the league in dunks, and it shows.
Kur Teng opened things up in a big way off the bench. Three triples. Thirteen total points. Eight coming early in the second half when Michigan State needed breathing room.
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There was a scary moment when Fears was tripped driving to the rim and stayed down for a few seconds, writhing in pain. But he stayed in the game—and later took it over.
The highlight of the night belonged to Carr. After a steal from Teng fresh off a three, Teng flipped it ahead to a wide-open Carr near the free-throw line. From the Big Ten logo, Carr windmilled a dunk with the force of a Gronk spike. Somehow, the backboard survived.
At the eight-minute mark, Michigan State held a narrow 64-61 lead. Purdue’s already intense defense only tightened.
The Spartans had chances to push it to a comfortable cushion but missed key shots, allowing Purdue to hang around and keeping the Paint Crew loud.
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With 5:48 left, it was 66-64.
Then Fears took control. He pushed the lead to eight, 72-64, with just over four minutes remaining—dictating pace, attacking downhill, and making the right reads.
Scott continued his strong second half, rewarding Izzo’s decision to move him into the starting lineup.
But Purdue wouldn’t go away.
Back-to-back threes. A Braden Smith jumper. Suddenly it was 74-72. Timeout, Izzo.
With 42 seconds remaining, Michigan State inbounded—and Purdue’s suffocating defense forced a shot-clock violation. Mackey erupted.
Purdue got the ball with 26 seconds left, trailing 76-74, shot clock off.
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They went inside to Trey Kaufman-Renn. The shot hit the heel. Ward secured the rebound but was immediately fouled. The freshman, who hadn’t attempted a free throw all night, stepped to the line with the Paint Crew exploding around him. He hit the heel of the rim. Purdue grabbed the board.
After timeouts from both sides, milking every ounce of tension, Purdue inbounded with four seconds left. The ball found Braden Smith for a potential game-winner.
It clanked.
Michigan State secured the rebound—and the win. Their first victory at Mackey Arena since February 20, 2014.
An unbelievable win where no one—including myself—gave them much of a chance.
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Final Numbers
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Shooting: Purdue 28-for-57, Michigan State 29-for-55
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Three-pointers: Purdue 12-for-26, Michigan State 6-for-19
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Rebounds: Michigan State 29, Purdue 27
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Offensive rebounds: Purdue 7, MSU 6
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Assists: Purdue 23, MSU 15
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Turnovers: Purdue 9, MSU 6
Cooper led with 15 points and six rebounds. Teng had 13 off the bench (3-for-6 from three). Fears finished with 12 points and six assists. Scott had nine. Kohler and Ward each added eight.
Postgame
Izzo on the final defensive stand: “Cam did a great job on the ball, that was critical. It was a hell of a comeback by them. I thought we deserved to win.”
On the performance: “It was a big win for us. Fears did a hell of a job. We played about as well as we could play.”
On Fears late: “We put the ball in his hands and that’s what you’re supposed to do with your point guard. I was really proud of him. I really mean that. One of the better wins in my career because I know how hard it is to win here.”
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On what makes this team special: “We’re not overly talented, but we’re connected.”
Fears kept it simple: “Together. We just had to stay connected and try to control the runs.”
Twelve years later, the drought is over.
