The Michigan State Women's Basketball team knocked arch-rival Michigan out of the B1G Conference tournament tonight 61-58. The Spartans led for less than three minutes of the game, scoring the last two baskets and forcing a tough shot (to tie) that missed at the buzzer.
Senior Analise Pickrel led MSU in both scoring and rebounding, with a game-high 16 points and 7 boards. Tori Jankoska scored 14 points and dished out five assists with no turnovers. Becca Mills had 11 points, and Brandy Agee scored nine points off the bench.
The Spartans fell behind early, missing a number of good shots before the first timeout. Michigan took advantage by jumping to leads of 6-0, 21-11, and 27-13 before MSU rallied back to 31-25 when Agee hit a basket with four-tenths of a second remaining before half-time. She was fouled on the play, hit the free-throw, and it was a three-point UM lead at the break.
Michigan State grabbed a two-point lead early in the second half, but held it for less than a minute, as Michigan led by as many as seven points until Jankoska hit a layup with 1:15 remaining to give MSU a one-point lead. The Spartans got a stop, then Agee made a key rebound and putback to extend the lead to three points with 31 seconds to play. UM got two three-point attempts that missed at the end.
Michigan State shot poorly the entire game, winning on the strength of a +13 rebound-margin, including +11 on the offensive boards. The Spartans also had 14 assists on 24 made baskets. Cyesha Goree was held to eight points and two rebounds for Michigan, after averaging nearly a double-double this season.
This is the second year in a row that MSU has knocked UM out of the women's basketball tournament, and the fourth time in as many meetings. The Spartans are now 64-16 all-time against the Wolverines.
MSU advances to the semi-final round of the tournament tomorrow evening against Nebraska. The approximate game-time on Saturday is 6:00 p.m.
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You Nailed It.
ReplyDelete"The fact that UM played last night may help them in the early stages of the game, as they were already successful on that floor and in that environment. That same fact should help MSU in the second half, as the wolverine women start to feel the fatigue of two games in two nights." -SM82
KEY STAT: MSU missed its FIRST seven shots, while UM missed its LAST seven shots.
DeleteI really enjoyed watching that game. Both teams played hard and had a chance to win. Thanks for the analysis, 82. I kept thinking about the five 70+% free throw shooting stat and started to wonder where they were. The Buckeye's 99 points and win over #1 seed Penn State the deserving headlines on day 2. Go Spartettes!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it, thanks. They always play hard, and that's what I really enjoy about it.
DeleteLittle more background...Bell (21) will have to do more tonight for us to win...she's a 5'11" senior and she had nothing last night......keep an eye on Hines (4) when she comes in to clog up the paint...look carefully at the size of her lower-legs, no kidding, they are huge...she is like a tree planted in the low post on defense, and she loves the reverse-layup on offense.