Michigan State University
Detroit
MSU Women's Basketball Drubs Detroit, 72-49
1/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 12, 2003
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State women's basketball team defeated Detroit, 72-49, Sunday afternoon in front of 4,119 fans at the Breslin Center. Senior Syreeta Bromfield (Kingston, Jamaica) had her third double-double of the season, collecting 12 points, 12 rebounds six assists and four steals to help MSU improve to 8-6 this season.
"I liked our start, our intensity and focus," said MSU head coach Joanne P. McCallie. "We had a nice, balanced attack which is always nice. It was a defense and rebounding game all the way."
Freshman Liz Shimek (Empire) led four Spartans in double-figure scoring with 17 points and added nine rebounds. Junior Julie Pagel (Utica) had a season-best 15 points and matched a season-high with eight rebounds, while freshman Lindsay Bowen (Dansville) had 13 points, nailing 4-of-5 three-point shots.
Michigan State opened a quick 24-7 lead, and used a 43-25 advantage on the boards to earn the victory. MSU had more offensive rebounds (18) than Detroit had defensive boards (17), helping MSU to a 19-5 edge in second chance points. The Spartans held an advantage at the free throw line, making 15-of-23 shots, while Detroit was just 4-of-5 at the stripe. MSU also sank 7-of-13 three-point shots to held sink Detroit, which slipped to 4-11.
Shimek got MSU rolling, hitting her first three shots to give the Spartans a 7-2 lead just two minutes into the game. Three-pointers by sophomore Kristin Haynie (Mason), Bowen and Bromfield helped MSU extend the lead to 16-5 at the 14:37 mark. After a Detroit bucket, Pagel and Bowen connected on treys, and a Bromfield basket pushed the lead to 24-7 with 11:45 left in the half.
The lead grew as high as 20 in the opening period at 32-12, before Detroit chipped away, cutting the margin to 37-25 at the half.
In the second stanza, a free throw by sophomore Kelli Roehrig (Papillion, Neb.) gave MSU a 45-27 lead. Detroit inched back within 12 at 51-39 with 10:23 left, but would get no closer. A Bowen three-point bomb capped a 14-3 run later in the half to help MSU open a 70-46 lead with 4:11 left, and MSU cruised home from there.
"This team is figuring out how to fight and translating it into playing together as a team," added McCallie.
MSU shot 46.3 percent from the field during the game (25-of-54), while Detroit shot just 37.7 percent (20-of-53). The Spartans forced 20 turnovers and made 13 steals, but turned the ball over 19 times.
Haynie added eight points and four assists for MSU, while Roehrig chipped in seven points and four rebounds.
Michigan State returns to Big Ten action when the Spartans host Indiana, Thursday at 7 p.m.
Spartan Notebook:
* Lindsay Bowen missed her first free throw of the season, snapping her school-record string of consecutive free throws made at 37.
* Syreeta Bromfield now has three double-doubles this season, and matched a season-high with 12 rebounds. Liz Shimek missed a double-doubled by one rebound, marking the sixth time this season that she has been one point or one rebound shy of a double-double.
* Michigan State is now 4-1 this season in day games.
* Michigan State had fewer turnovers than its opponent for just the fourth time this season, but all four occurrences have come in the last five games. MSU is 3-1 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponent.
