Jeremy Fears Jr. the big winner and loser in MSU's win over Illinois

EAST LANSING — Free Press sports writer Andrew Birkle picks the winners and losers from No. 10 Michigan State basketball's 85-82 win vs. No. 6 Illinois at Breslin Center on Saturday, Feb. 7.

Winners

MSU PG Jeremy Fears Jr.

Over his last five games, Fears is averaging 22.6 points per game and 11.8 assists. Saturday against Illinois, 22 of his 26 points came in the second half or overtime (11 each), while he finished with 15 assists.

THE GAME: Jeremy Fears Jr. takes over in OT for Michigan State basketball

Fears is becoming not just one of the best players in the country, but also one of the best closers. Thinking back to the Duke game in December, MSU simply didn't have a guy like that on the team. It cost them, as their offense slowed to a halt against the Blue Devils. But against Illinois, Fears wore Illinois down by attacking the rim time and time again and drawing 13 free throws, hitting 12. This is the Fears MSU needs to win.

MSU F Jaxon Kohler

Kohler was an elite rebounder at the start of the season, but over the last month, that had slipped. On Saturday, he racked up 16 rebounds, the first time he's had double-digit rebounds since Jan. 13 in a win over Indiana. Importantly, six of those boards came on the offensive glass, including one in the final seconds when he grabbed a rebound on Teng's missed shot, resetting the possession and allowing Teng a second look, which he hit. MSU doesn't win without Kohler.

"The last couple of games have been challenging because I have been just trying to find my groove, find my rhythm," Kohler said after the game. "And it seems like things are kind of phasing in and out but yeah it was really a game, and I've had this mentality for every game, but this game was a big game for the entire team and it's just like everyone needs to do their job and my job is to be aggressive on the boards, offensively and defensively, and be reliable on the outside shooting.

"And I just had to go in with the confidence and physicality because we know they're a great rebounding team and they're very physical."

MSU F Cam Ward

The freshman had eight points and seven rebounds, but here's the real reason he's a winner: He was part of the closing group for MSU in the final seconds of regulation and in OT.

Ward, who immediately made an impact for MSU in the nonconference schedule but took a step back with a wrist injury, looked like the November version of himself again.

He made two clutch free throws – a challenge for him this season – and had a tip-in layup with a minute left in OT. He finished plus-15 for the game.

Losers

Jeremy Fears Jr.

Another trip, whether he meant to or not, on the play that Illinois' David Mirkovic hit the deck, led to another controversy.

And even though Illinois coach Brad Underwood said after the game "there was nothing on the trip," this will do little to slow down the national narrative that Fears is a dirty player.

Fears, again, was also brilliant in this game, and certainly 26 points, 15 assists and a win will help to quiet the noise.

But Fears didn't get out of this one scot-free, and he will continue to be under a microscope for the rest of the year, fair or not.

Illinois G Keaton Wagler

Typically, 16 points isn't a bad game on the road for a true freshman in the Big Ten. But Keaton Wagler isn't a typical freshman, and the 16 points were not efficient.

Wagler finished 2-for-16 from the field, with 10 points on free throws. Fellow freshman Jordan Scott did an excellent job on him, but even still, Wagler had a wide-open look at the end of regulation that could've won Illinois the game, only for him to miss it.

Perhaps, as Underwood said after the game, he was due, and the law of averages catches up to everyone.

Andrew Birkle is an assistant sports editor for the Free Press. Contact him via email at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jeremy Fears Jr. the big winner and loser in MSU's win over Illinois