Michigan State University
Memphis (Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic)
MSU Women's Basketball Drops Another Close Contest
11/30/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 30, 2002
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Once again, the Michigan State women's basketball team had victory in its grasp, and once again, the Spartans couldn't hold on. MSU scored only one point in the final 5:43 as Memphis rallied for a 59-56 victory Saturday in the championship game of the Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic. The loss dropped MSU to 2-3, with the three losses coming by a combined eight points. Memphis improved to 4-0.
Freshman Liz Shimek (Empire) led MSU with a career-best 15 points and 12 rebounds, while freshman Lindsay Bowen (Dansville) added 14 points. But no other Spartans reached double figures as MSU shot just 30.8 percent in the second half (8-of-30) to let a 33-23 halftime lead slip away.
"We didn't work hard enough," said MSU head coach Joanne P. McCallie. "We need to be tougher on an opponents' court. I credit Memphis, this gave us some experience. We have a young team and we have to take some knocks, I guess."
The Spartans shot 54.5 percent in the first half and used a stingy defense to open the 10-point halftime cushion. Trailing 8-6 with 16:08 left, MSU went on a 19-3 run that made the score 25-11 before a pair of Memphis free throws with 5:46 left ended the run. The Lady Tigers inched within eight before a bucket by sophomore Kelli Roehrig (Papillion, Neb.) with seven seconds left in the period closed out the first-half scoring.
MSU came out cold in the second stanza, going more than four minutes without a point as Memphis scored eight straight before a Bowen jumper with 15:48 left kept MSU on top, 35-31. A Bowen trey pushed the lead to 38-31, but the lead would grow no higher.
Memphis closed within one at 42-41 with 10:10 remaining, then took its first lead since 8-6 when two free throws by Victoria Crawford with 8:40 remaining gave the Lady Tigers a 47-46 edge.
MSU answered with six straight points, capped by a jumper by senior Syreeta Bromfield (Kingston, Jamaica) to put the Spartans on top 52-47. Bromfield then nailed a three with 5:43 remaining to give MSU a 55-49 lead before the Spartan drought began.
Memphis rallied to even the score at 55 with 3:16 left, before Shimek went to the line with 2:49 remaining, and made one of two foul shots for MSU's only point during the closing run. A three-point play by tournament MVP Shannon Hamp put the Lady Tigers on top for good, 58-56.
MSU had four chances to tie or take the lead in the last two minutes, but failed to convert, missing two shots, two free throws and committing a turnover. The final chance came after a Shimek rebound gave the Spartans the ball with 30 seconds remaining still down 58-56, but after a timeout, Shimek's jumper with five seconds left went long, and the Spartans were forced to foul.
Princess Swilley made the second of two free throws with three seconds left, but Bowen's desperation halfcourt heave at the horn was off target.
For the game, Michigan State shot 41.7 percent from the field, making 20-of-48 shots and 3-of-9 three-point baskets. MSU also made 13-of-19 free throws, but missed three of its last four. Memphis made 20-of-57 shots (35.1 percent), and hit just four of its 16 three-point attempts. The Lady Tigers had a slight edge at the free throw line, making 15-of-22. Michigan State owned a 39-36 advantage in rebounds, but committed 19 turnovers while forcing just 12.
Michigan State will return home to battle Kent State, Tuesday, Dec. 3, at noon in the Breslin Center.
Spartan Notebook:
* Liz Shimek and Syreeta Bromfield were both named to the All-Tournament team.
* Shimek now has double-figure rebounds in four of MSU's five games and is averaging 11.8 rebounds for the season.
* Lindsay Bowen made all four of her free throws and is now 12-for-12 this season.
