Michigan State University
Alabama
Spartans Roar Into WNIT Final Four
3/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 19, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - For the first time in school history, the Michigan State women's basketball team advanced to the WNIT Final Four thanks to a 79-61 victory Tuesday night at the Breslin Center. The Spartans (19-12) will advance to play the winner of tomorrow night's game between Washington and Oregon, with the date and location to be announced after that game.
Junior forward Syreeta Bromfield had 17 points to pace the Spartans, while senior guard Vnemina Reese added 16 and freshman center Kelli Roehrig had 14. MSU made eight of 15 three-pointers in the first half en route to taking a 39-19 halftime lead and Alabama never seriously challenged in the second half.
MSU shot 49.2 percent (29-59) from the field, and finished the game sinking nine of 17 three-point attempts for 52.9 percent. The Spartans also sank 12 of 13 free throws and forced 15 turnovers while committing only 12.
Alabama scored the first basket, but it proved to be its only lead of the game as Michigan State scored the next nine points, capped by a three-point play by junior center Jennifer Callier. Alabama never got closer than five points the rest of the way.
MSU led 25-14 late in the first half, before ending the period on a 14-5 run, with the last nine points coming on three three-pointers from Bromfield. The Spartans owned a 22-15 rebounding advantage in the first 20 minutes, while limiting the Crimson Tide to just six field goals in 22 attempts (27.3 percent).
Michigan State picked up where it left off in the second half, scoring the first seven points to build its biggest lead at 46-19 on a layup by Reese with 17:55 left. Alabama managed to close within 14 points at 58-44 with 7:28 remaining, but MSU scored the next eight points to put the game out of reach. Sophomore forward Julie Pagel, who finished with nine points and a team-high nine rebounds, sank just her second three-point basket of the season during the run.
Alabama, which finished the season 19-12, ended the game shooting 40 percent (22-55) from the field, but made only 10 of 18 free throws. Monique Bivins had a team-high 11 points to pace Alabama.
Spartan Notebook
Michigan State improved to 7-2 in its third WNIT appearance. In each of MSU's first two WNIT appearances, the Spartans won twice to advance to the quarterfinals before being eliminated.
MSU's bench scored 33 points, but was outscored by the opponents' bench for just the fifth time this season. Alabama's bench scored 35 points, while its starters managed only 26.
Michigan State, which averaged 62.6 points per game during the regular season, is averaging 79.5 points in four postseason games, including the Big Ten Tournament first-round contest.
