Michigan State University
Penn St
Women's Basketball Falls To Penn State In Overtime
2/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 14, 2002
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Despite a valiant effort, the Michigan State women's basketball team fell just short in overtime, 62-59, to Penn State on Thursday night (Feb. 14). With the win, Penn State improved to 17-9 overall, 9-4 in the Big Ten, while Michigan State falls to 15-10 overall, 4-9 in conference action.
"It was a very good and exciting game," said MSU Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie. "I'm very proud of our team. It was a great defensive game. Anytime you hold a Big Ten team to 62 points at home is huge."
Michigan State held Penn State to just 31.3 percent (21-of-67) from the field, while the Spartans shot 39.3 percent (22-of-56). The Spartans also held the nation's leading scorer sophomore guard Kelly Mazzante to just 14 points - 11.3 points below her season average.
Junior forward Syreeta Bromfield almost single-handily won the game for the Spartans. Bromfield scored a career-best 28 points, including 21 in the second half and overtime to pace the Spartans.
Bromfield was the only Spartan to hit for double figures. Jennifer Callier added seven points, while Julie Pagel and Joy Johnson each chipped in six points.
"It's frustrating to see only one person in double figures," commented McCallie. "We need to became more balanced, offensively."
Penn State held a 25-22 lead at the half and grabbed a 10-point advantage (43-33) with 12:05 to play in the game. However, the Spartans would not die and fought back, taking their first lead of the second half (49-47) on a layup by Jennifer Callier.
The teams would jockey back and fourth as Penn State grabbed a 53-51 lead on a Rashana Barnes layup with 24 seconds left. But, sophomore forward Julie Pagel would answer for the Spartans. Pagel would follow her own miss, grab the offensive board and hit the putback with 1.9 seconds left to send the game into overtime.
In the extra session, PSU twice jumped out to a four-point lead, but the Spartans would answer each time to cut the deficit in half. With the shot clock winding down, PSU's Jessica Brungo hit a three-point basket to give the Nittany Lions a five-point edge (62-57). Syreeta Bromfield closed the scoring with a layup with three seconds left for the final, 62-59.
Michigan State returns to Breslin Center on Wednesday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m., when the Spartans host the Iowa Hawkeyes. The MSU-Iowa game also will mark Senior Day activities for the Spartan squad.
Spartan Notebook
Junior forward Syreeta Bromfield posted her 19th game in double figures with 28 points. It also marked the ninth time this season that Bromfield has added 20 or more points.
MSU played without freshman center Kelli Roehrig, who is still nursing a back injury.
Sophomore guard Candice Jackson pulled down a career-best 10 rebounds.
MSU's overtime loss to Penn State was the Spartans' second overtime game this season. The Spartans have lost eight-straight overtime contests, dating back to Nov. 22, 1998.
