No. 15 Michigan State rallied from a halftime deficit to beat shorthanded Ohio State 66-60 on Sunday at the Breslin Center. Carson Cooper scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Spartans to their third win in four games. Bruce Thornton tallied 32 points for the Buckeyes, who fought back late but fell short.
The game on February 22, 2026, pitted No. 15 Michigan State (22-5, 12-4 Big Ten) against Ohio State (17-10, 9-7) in East Lansing, Michigan. Ohio State, missing guard John Mobley Jr. due to a hand injury and forward Devin Royal due to illness, led at halftime despite limited play from forward Amare Bynum, who picked up early fouls. Reports differ on the exact halftime score, with one account stating a 23-20 Buckeyes lead and another a 26-23 advantage, but both confirm Ohio State's three-point edge after 20 minutes.
Michigan State struggled early, scoring their fewest or near-fewest first-half points of the season and shooting poorly from the field. The Spartans managed just eight field goals in 27 attempts before the break, turning the ball over seven times and being outscored 22-8 in the paint without forward Jaxon Kohler, who dealt with foul trouble.
In the second half, Michigan State mounted a comeback. Carson Cooper, a 6-11 center, scored 14 of his 20 points after halftime, including key hooks, jumpers, and free throws, while adding 11 rebounds overall. Jordan Scott contributed 12 points, with 10 coming post-intermission, and Jeremy Fears Jr. added 11 points and eight assists, scoring nine in the final period. Kohler finished with nine points and 10 rebounds before fouling out.
Ohio State's Bruce Thornton dominated with 32 points on 12-of-22 shooting, playing all 40 minutes without a turnover and moving into second place on the school's all-time scoring list. Christoph Tilly added 10 points and seven or eight rebounds, per reports. The Buckeyes shot 44.2 percent overall and scored 34 points in the paint but were outrebounded 43-26, yielding 16 second-chance points to Michigan State.
Michigan State built a 10-point lead late, but Ohio State responded with a 7-0 run, getting within three points. Jordan Scott and Cooper sealed the win with free throws in the closing seconds. MSU coach Tom Izzo expressed disappointment in the team's effort, saying, "I am disappointed in my team... This is the time of year you gotta be getting better every game. And today, we did not get better." Ohio State coach Jake Diebler praised Thornton: "He plays the game the right way... his toughness today... certainly, he rose and stepped up."
The victory ties Michigan State for third in the Big Ten with Nebraska and Purdue. Ohio State, now 0-9 against Quadrant 1 opponents, faces Iowa on Wednesday. Michigan State travels to No. 7 Purdue on Thursday.
