Minnesota Defeats No. 10 Michigan State 76 to 73, Ending Spartans’ Big Ten Slide

Minneapolis, Minnesota -- Minnesota delivered a breaking update in the Big Ten race Wednesday night, holding off a furious late push from 10th ranked Michigan State to secure a 76 to 73 upset that reshaped the latest conference timeline.

Jaylen Crocker Johnson finished with 22 points and 7 rebounds as the Gophers snapped a seven game losing streak and earned their most significant win of the season. Cade Tyson added 17 points, while Langston Reynolds contributed 14 points and 8 assists for Minnesota, which improved to 11 and 12 overall and 4 and 8 in conference play.

Minnesota appeared in control late before Michigan State surged, outscoring the Gophers 22 to 9 over the final four minutes. Coen Carr scored 10 of his 16 points in the closing stretch for the Spartans, including a layup with 34 seconds remaining that cut the margin to 72 to 68, their closest deficit since the early minutes of the game.

Trey Fort followed with a catch and shoot corner 3 pointer to make it 73 to 71 with 20 seconds left, but freshman guard Isaac Asuma calmly knocked down both free throws to seal the outcome. Minnesota fans stormed the court after the final buzzer, celebrating a long awaited breakthrough.

Michigan State fell to 19 and 4 overall and 9 and 3 in Big Ten play. Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., who scored 60 points across two games last week, was limited to 10 points on 4 of 11 shooting while still handing out 11 assists. The Spartans struggled to find consistent scoring outside of Carr during the late rally.

The loss continued a difficult stretch for Michigan State, which was tied for first place in the conference five days earlier alongside Michigan, Illinois, and Nebraska. All four programs remain ranked in the top 10 nationally, but consecutive losses to Michigan and now Minnesota have dropped the Spartans into fourth, impacting their conference title outlook.

For Minnesota, the win carried added context. The Gophers had dropped three games by three points or fewer during the skid and were tied or leading in the final minute of regulation in five of those losses. Wednesday marked Minnesota’s first victory over an AP top 10 opponent since January 16, 2021, when it defeated seventh ranked Michigan.

Roster implications also emerged for Michigan State. Shooting guard Divine Ugochukwu, who moved to the bench with Jordan Scott making his first start, left the game with an injury in the first half and did not return. His status will be monitored closely as the Spartans prepare for a demanding stretch.

What this means moving forward is a potential momentum shift for Minnesota as it looks to climb back into postseason consideration, while Michigan State faces renewed pressure in the Big Ten race and national seeding discussions.

Next steps arrive quickly. Michigan State returns home to host fifth ranked Illinois on Saturday in a pivotal conference matchup.

Minnesota stays in Minneapolis to face Maryland on Sunday, aiming to build on a result that could redefine its season trajectory.