Michigan State University
Providence
Women's Basketball Thumps Providence, 73-54
12/20/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 20, 2002
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Sophomore Kelli Roehrig (Papillion, Neb.) scored a career-high 25 points on 10-of-11 shooting to lead the Michigan State women's basketball team to a convincing 73-54 victory at Providence Friday night. Roehrig, whose previous high of 24 came in last year's matchup against the Friars, also matched a career-high with four steals and added two blocks to help MSU improve to 5-4. The Friars slipped to 2-5.
Michigan State saw a 39-19 halftime lead reduced to 47-40 with 9:42 still remaining, but the Spartans outscored Providence 26-14 the rest of the way to hold on. MSU shot 56.5 percent from the field (26-of-46) and held a commanding 37-18 edge on the boards to earn the victory.
"I'm very happy with the way the team responded," said MSU head coach Joanne P. McCallie. "Anytime you hold a team to 54 points on their home court its a major accomplishment. We had some breakdowns in the second half but showed a lot of poise responding to the challenge."
Senior Syreeta Bromfield (Kingston, Jamaica) had 16 points to aid the Spartan cause, and sophomore Kristin Haynie (Mason) had 10 points and five rebounds while matching a career-high with eight assists for MSU. Freshman Liz Shimek (Empire) added nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds for the Spartans.
MSU trailed 11-10 early in the contest when the Spartans went on an 11-0 run to take control. Bromfield had two baskets including a three-point bomb during the stretch as the Spartans moved on top 21-11.
Later in the half with MSU up 25-17, Haynie scored six points during a 10-0 that gave the Spartans a 35-17 lead. Haynie added another bucket with 1:01 left in the half to give MSU its biggest lead at 39-19, which was the score as the teams went to intermission. Roehrig had 14 of MSU's first 25 points in the half, hitting six-of-seven shots as the Spartans sank 57.1 percent of their field goal attempts in the opening period.
In the second half, a Bromfield basket gave MSU a seemingly safe 47-29 lead with 13:20 left when Providence made its move. A four-point play by Kristin Quinn started an 11-0 run that pulled the Friars within 47-40. Shimek hit a pair of free throws to help stop the bleeding, followed by consecutive baskets by Roehrig as MSU pulled ahead 53-40.
Providence did close within 10 at 58-48 with 5:09 still to play, but a Bromfield trey ignited an 11-0 Spartan run that put the game out of reach. Roehrig scored the final six points during the stretch, sinking a pair of foul shots with 2:22 left to give her a new career-high with 25 points.
The Spartans, who committed just five turnovers in the opening 20 minutes, turned the ball over 17 times in the second half to help Providence get back in the game. Fortunately, MSU kept its hot shooting touch, shooting 55.6 percent from the field (10-of-18) and making 12-of-13 foul shots during the final 20 minutes.
"Our defense and rebounding have been keys to our season because they have not always been there," added McCallie. "Tonight we were just solid. We had some offensive lapses, but few lapses on defense."
MSU held Providence to 40 percent shooting for the game (22-of-55), and the Spartans held a big advantage from the free throw line, making 18-of-20 shots while the Friars attempted just five free throws, making all five. MSU forced 21 Providence turnovers, including 11 steals led by Roehrig's four.
"We have improved every single game," stated McCallie. "This is a good way to go into Christmas break, and when we come back we'll have to turn it up a few notches."
Michigan State will take a break before hosting Oklahoma State Sunday, Dec. 29 at 2 p.m.
Spartan Notebook:
* Freshman Lindsay Bowen (Dansville) sank both of her free throw attempts and is now 22-for-22 this season. Bowen's 22 consecutive free throws made equals the fifth-longest streak in MSU history. The record is 35 by Maxann Reese.
* Syreeta Bromfield reached double-figure scoring for the seventh time this season and now has 31 such games in her two-year MSU career.
* The 54 points scored by Providence is the fewest allowed by MSU in a game this season. MSU also set an opponent season-low by allowing the Friars to grab just 18 rebounds.
