No. 12 Michigan State hosts No. 19 Illinois after Boswell's 22-point game

Published Jan. 18, 2025 3:43 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Illinois Fighting Illini (13-4, 5-2 Big Ten) at Michigan State Spartans (15-2, 6-0 Big Ten)

East Lansing, Michigan; Sunday, 12 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: No. 19 Illinois faces No. 12 Michigan State after Kylan Boswell scored 22 points in Illinois' 94-69 victory over the Indiana Hoosiers.

The Spartans have gone 9-0 at home. Michigan State is seventh in college basketball with 18.6 assists per game. Jeremy Fears Jr. leads the Spartans averaging 6.4.

The Fighting Illini are 5-2 against Big Ten opponents. Illinois averages 87.3 points and has outscored opponents by 20.0 points per game.

Michigan State's average of 5.6 made 3-pointers per game this season is just 0.1 fewer made shots on average than the 5.7 per game Illinois allows. Illinois averages 10.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.5 more made shots on average than the 7.0 per game Michigan State gives up.

The Spartans and Fighting Illini face off Sunday for the first time in Big Ten play this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jaden is shooting 29.9% from beyond the arc with 1.5 made 3-pointers per game for the Spartans, while averaging 14.2 points.

Kasparas Jakucionis is averaging 16.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists for the Fighting Illini.

LAST 10 GAMES: Spartans: 10-0, averaging 84.1 points, 37.5 rebounds, 19.5 assists, 5.9 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 48.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 67.3 points per game.

Fighting Illini: 7-3, averaging 86.0 points, 41.3 rebounds, 15.1 assists, 4.4 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 44.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 71.4 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.