Michigan State University
Cincinnati
Spartan Defense Stops Cincinnati, 55-43
12/29/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec 29, 2003
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan State's defense met its goal again Monday. It did enough to push the Spartans to a fifth straight win.
The No. 23 Spartans (9-1) wanted to use their stubborn defense to hold Cincinnati to 45 points or less and the team did just that in a 55-43 victory.
"Offensively, the ball wouldn't go in," said Michigan State guard Lindsay Bowen, who led her team with 12 points. "But we buckled down and did it with defense again. We have a goal for points allowed every game and did it with two to spare tonight."
The Bearcats (7-5) shot just .313 from the field, roughly the same as the Spartans' previous four opponents. Michigan State has allowed just 47.6 points per game and .297 shooting since a loss at Oklahoma State on Dec. 2.
"Every game is a defensive challenge, and we've met that five games in a row," said Michigan State guard Kristen Haynie, who added nine points, six assists and three steals. "We're not worried about offense here."
Liz Shimek added 11 points in the Spartans' balanced attack. Victoria Lucas-Perry had nine points off the bench and Kelli Roehrig eight in the team's first home game in more than a month.
"It was a strange game for us," Michigan State coach Joanne P. McCallie said. "But our team is tough. Kristen and Julie Pagel did what we've been doing all year to win games."
That difference was clear to Cincinnati coach Laurie Pirtle, who praised the Spartans' grit and focus.
"What they did was make turnovers into baskets, while we made turnovers into turnovers," Pirtle said. "They played a little more spirited than we did. And their arrows were all directed at the bull's-eye."
The Bearcats' Valerie King led all scorers with 14 points, and teammate Debbie Merrill had 10 rebounds.
The Spartans trailed 17-16 with 7:28 left in the first half, then took control with a 12-0 run.
The Bearcats could never draw closer than seven points in the second half, despite Michigan State missing 10 of its first 14 free throws and shooting .292 from the field in the last 20 minutes.
"I don't expect it to be pretty all the time," McCallie said. "We've blown teams out. But that has been rare. What we've tried to do is embrace what's going on. If it's going to be ugly, great."
The teams combined for 38 turnovers. But the Spartans forced 22 errors and committed 16, down from their average of 24 a game in their last two wins.
