Michigan State University
Wisconsin
Women's Basketball Falls To No. 25 Wisconsin
2/4/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 4, 2001
MADISON, Wis. - An eight-minute scoring drought late in the first half spelled doom for the Michigan State women's basketball team as the No. 25-ranked Wisconsin Badgers handed the Spartans a 69-49 defeat at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 4).
MSU would take an early 6-5 lead on a layup by Erin Skelly at the 14:44 mark, but it would be the lone lead for the Spartans. UW would score six straight points, before baskets by Skelly and Donita Johnson helped the Spartans pull within five (15-10) with 9:20 remaining. The Badgers would put the game away, going on a 21-0 run over the next eight and a half minutes to take a 36-10 lead. MSU would break the scoring drought on a pair of free throws by Christie Pung with 11 seconds left in the first half. However, UW's Candas Smith connected a three-point basket with four seconds left as the Badgers entered the locker room at the half with a commanding 27-point lead (39-12).
MSU was held to a season-low 12 first-half points and had more turnovers (14) than points (12) in the opening stanza. The Spartans shot just 26.3 percent (5-of-19), while Wisconsin connected on 59.3 percent (16-of-27) of its shots in the opening stanza. The Badgers received 15 points from Jessie Stomski and eight from Kyle Black.
Michigan State picked up is first basket since the 9:20 mark of the first half on a layup by Vnemina Reese at the16:25 mark of the second half. The Spartans would outscore the Badgers 37-30 in the second stanza, as MSU shot 45.2 percent (14-of-31) from the field. But it was a little too late as MSU dropped its seventh straight Big Ten Conference contest.
Julie Pagel led Michigan State for a third-straight game with 14 points. Donita Johnson added nine off the bench, while Erin Skelly finished with nine points and eight rebounds.
Wisconsin (14-7 overall, 8-3 Big Ten) was led by Jessie Stomski with 19 points. Krista Bird came off the bench to add 12, while LaTonya Sims finished with 11.
Michigan State (8-13 overall, 2-8 Big Ten) entertains No. 16/15 Penn State this Thursday (Feb. 8) at the Breslin Center. The MSU-PSU game can be heard live on The Fan 730 AM - WVFN or at www.msuspartans.com.
