Michigan State University
Indiana
MSU Women's Basketball Bombards Indiana, 70-44
1/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 16, 2003
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Indiana women's basketball team entered Thursday night's game at Michigan State with one of the nation's top defenses, but it was the Spartan defense that shone en route to a 70-44 victory. MSU held Indiana to a Breslin Center record 12 points in the first half while building a 35-12 lead, and built the advantage to as many as 39 points in the second half. Indiana entered the game ranked eighth nationally in field goal percentage defense (.341), but it was the Hoosiers who were shut down, shooting only 25.8 percent, including just 4-of-26 in the first half (15.4 percent).
Senior Syreeta Bromfield (Kingston, Jamaica) and sophomore Kristin Haynie (Mason) had 14 points each to lead five Spartan players in double figures as MSU improved to 9-6 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten. MSU's freshmen continued to excel as Lindsay Bowen (Dansville) had 12 points and a game-high five assists while freshman Liz Shimek (Empire) added 11 points and matched a career-high with 16 rebounds. Sophomore Kelli Roehrig (Papillion, Neb.) added 11 points off the bench, and junior Julie Pagel (Utica) chipped in six points and a season-high nine rebounds for the Spartans.
Indiana (9-5, 2-2 Big Ten) was held to a season-low in points and field goal percentage, and had two streaks in which it missed at least 10 shots in a row. The 12 first-half points broke the Breslin Center record for fewest points scored in a half of 13, which had been set twice, including Dec. 29 of this season when MSU held Oklahoma State to 13 points in the first half.
"I'm proud of our hustle and effort," said MSU head coach Joanne P. McCallie. "We played together as a team. We're definitely getting better."
Michigan State jumped on Indiana early, building a 10-2 lead thanks to two three-point bombs and a pair of free throws by Bromfield. Indiana scored the next four points, before a 9-0 spurt gave MSU a 19-6 lead with 8:57 left in the half. With the score 23-12, MSU ended the half on a 12-0 run over the final 5:31, capping the spurt with a Bowen three-pointer to send the Spartans to the lockerroom with a 35-12 lead.
Indiana started the second period with a pair of free throws, but MSU answered with nine straight points punctuated by a steal and a layup by Haynie that made the score 46-14 with 14:30 left. At that point in the game, Indiana had made just four of its 33 field goal attempts after starting the second half 0-for-7.
Another 9-0 run later in the half gave MSU its biggest lead at 62-23 after two Haynie free throws with 7:16 remaining. MSU reached the 70 point mark with 1:46 left on a jumper by senior Jennifer Callier (Indianapolis, Ind.), becoming just the second team to score 70 points against Indiana this season. The Hoosiers entered the game allowing just 58 points per contest.
"Overall, it was a balanced team effort," added McCallie." We played with a lot of fight and spirit. We try to play as hard as we can for the duration of the game."
Michigan State outrebounded the Hoosiers, 43-31, including 25-12 in the opening half. MSU shot 46.2 percent from the field (24-of-52), including 5-of-9 from three-point range. MSU also sank 17-of-19 free throws (89.5 percent).
Michigan State will visit No. 13/15 Penn State on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Spartan Notebook:
* Lindsay Bowen was 3-for-6 from three-point range, and in the process tied the Michigan State freshman record for three-pointers made in a season (41).
* Liz Shimek had her fourth double-double of the season, and has missed a double-double by one point or one rebound on six other occasions.
* Tonight's game marked the fourth time this season that MSU has had five players reach double-figure scoring (Miami, Mercer, Georgia).
* Michigan State is now 4-0 with a starting lineup of Bowen, Bromfield, Haynie, Pagel and Shimek.
