Carson Cooper scored career-high 20 points with 11 rebounds to lead Michigan State past Ohio State
Michigan State moved into third place in Big Ten with the win
Ohio State fell to 0-9 against Quadrant 1 teams, hurting NCAA Tournament hopes
Bruce Thornton scored 32 points but couldn't lead Ohio State to victory
Michigan State sealed the win with free throws in the final seconds
📖 Full Retelling
Carson Cooper scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead No. 15 Michigan State to a 66-60 victory over Ohio State on Sunday, February 22, 2026, in a crucial Big Ten conference matchup. The Spartans improved their conference standing with the win, while the Buckeyes continued their struggles against top-tier competition. Jeremy Fears Jr. contributed 11 points and eight assists for Michigan State (22-5, 12-4 Big Ten), which has now won three of their last four games and moved into a third-place tie in the conference with No. 9 Nebraska and No. 7 Purdue. Ohio State (17-10, 9-7) fell to 0-9 against Quadrant 1 teams, a statistic that may significantly impact their chances of securing an NCAA Tournament bid next month. The Buckeyes played without the ill Devin Royal and injured John Mobley, missing the 29 points per game they typically receive from those players. Bruce Thornton attempted to single-handedly carry Ohio State with 32 points, but received minimal support from his teammates aside from Christoph Tilly, who scored 10 points on efficient shooting. Thornton's 32 points came on 12 of 22 shooting, while the rest of the team combined for just 11 of 30 shots. In the closing moments, Michigan State held a double-digit lead with 1:35 remaining before Ohio State scored seven straight points to pull within three. Jordan Scott made one of two free throws with 9.8 seconds left, and Cooper sealed the victory with two free throws. Ohio State will next play at Iowa on Wednesday, while Michigan State travels to face No. 7 Purdue on Thursday.
🏷️ Themes
College Basketball, Big Ten Conference, NCAA Tournament
Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the country. After the introduction of the Morrill Act in 1862,...
The Big Ten Conference (formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference, among others) is a U.S. collegiate athletic conference. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives in 1896, it predates the founding of its regulating organization, the NCAA; it is the olde...
Carson Eric "Shovel Shot" Cooper (July 17, 1897 – July 4, 1955) was a Canadian ice hockey player who played 8 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Cougars and Detroit Falcons between 1924 and 1932.
Born in Cornwall, Ontario, Cooper scored the winni...
The Ohio State University (Ohio State, tOSU, or OSU) is a public, land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1870, it is the flagship institution of the University System of Ohio. It is regarded as a "Public Ivy" and is consistently ranked among the best public unive...
- No Data Available - BROWSE BY SPORTS & TEAMS PLAYERS SHOWS PERSONALITIES TOPICS Built on College Basketball College Basketball Carson Cooper Scores Career-High 20 To Lead Michigan State Past Ohio State Published Feb. 22, 2026 5:23 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link Carson Cooper scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead No. 15 Michigan State to a 66-60 win over Ohio State on Sunday. Jeremy Fears Jr. added 11 points and eight assists for the Spartans (22-5, 12-4 Big Ten ), who have won three of four, moving into a third-place tie in the Big Ten with No. 9 Nebraska and No. 7 Purdue. The Buckeyes (17-10, 9-7) fell to 0-9 against Quadrant 1 teams, a statistic that may hurt their chances of earning an NCAA Tournament bid next month. Ohio State had an opportunity to earn an impressive win, playing without the ill Devin Royal and injured John Mobley and missing the 29 points per game that they average. Bruce Thornton tried to make up for it, scoring 32 points, but didn't get much help from a teammate other than Christoph Tilly , who scored 10 points and missed only one shot. Thornton was 12 of 22 and the rest of the team combined to make 11 of 30 shots. He scored 27 points on Tuesday when the Buckeyes beat No. 24 Wisconsin 86-69 for their first win over an AP Top 25 team this season. The senior point guard moved past Herb Williams on Ohio State's career scoring list and trails only Dennis Hopson's school-record 2,096 points. Michigan State had a double-digit lead 1:35 left. Ohio State scored seven straight points to pull within three points. Jordan Scott , who had 12 points, made one of two three throws with 9.8 seconds left, and Cooper followed with two free throws to seal the win for the Spartans. Michigan State's Jaxon Kohler had nine points and 10 rebounds despite foul trouble. Next, Ohio State plays at Iowa on Wednesday, and Michigan State is at No. 7 Purdue on Thursday. Reporting by The Associated Press.
