University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
17-9,9-6Big Ten
Michigan State
21-5,11-4Big Ten
Men's Basketball Falls at No. 15 Michigan State, 82-59
February 17, 2026 | Men's Basketball
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The UCLA men's basketball team fell at No. 15 Michigan State, 82-59, in a Big Ten Conference game at the Breslin Center on Tuesday night.
Michigan State (21-5, 11-5 Big Ten) led the Bruins by a 43-23 margin at halftime and never saw its lead fall to any fewer than 16 points in the second half.
Four players scored in double figures for Michigan State, as Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr each totaled a team-high 16 points. Carson Cooper totaled 12 points and Jordan Scott finished with 11 points.
Michigan State shot 14-for-27 from 3-point range, as eight of those 3-pointers came prior to the intermission (8-for-13 in the opening half). The Bruins shot 37 percent overall (21-for-57) and finished the game 8-for-25 from 3-point distance.
Tyler Bilodeau scored a team-high 22 points for UCLA (17-9, 9-6 Big Ten). The Bruins' 6-foot-9 senior shot 8-for-16 overall and 3-for-5 from 3-point distance in the Bruins' second consecutive road loss. Skyy Clark was UCLA's only other player to score in double figures, totaling 12 points off the bench.
"Well, we just got thoroughly outplayed," said Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. "Michigan State, coming off a loss on the road, they got guys who have been in their program. They got a lot of pride in their program. I thought that was the best game they've played all year, 14-for-27 from three – they don't shoot it like that [normally]. But not a surprise that we took their best shot, not a surprise at all."
UCLA (17-9, 9-6 Big Ten) trailed by a 50-32 margin with 15:41 to play in the second half, after Tyler Bilodeau scored seven quick points. Michigan State built its lead to 31 points with under eight minutes to play in regulation.
Bilodeau opened the second half by making four of his first five shot attempts. His back-to-back baskets with 14:21 left in the game cut Michigan State's advantage to 55-36 at the 14:04 mark.
Michigan State stormed ahead of UCLA early, using a 20-3 scoring run to secure a 27-12 lead with over eight minutes to play before halftime. The host Spartans finished the opening half against UCLA by shooting 15-for-26 (57.7 percent).
The Bruins will return to Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial on Saturday evening. UCLA will host No. 10 Illinois on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 5 p.m. PT, with the game being broadcast nationally on FOX.
