Michigan State University
Ohio Girls Basketball Magazine (Exhib.)
Women's Basketball Team Cruises In Exhibition Opener
11/7/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 7, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State women's basketball team started its exhibition season in stellar fashion, rolling to a 91-50 victory over the Ohio Girls Basketball Magazine Legends Sunday afternoon at the Breslin Center. Senior center Kelli Roehrig (Papillion, Neb.) scored 23 points in 25 minutes to lead five Spartan players in double figures.
Roehrig hit 11-of-14 shots from the field and added four rebounds for MSU, while junior guard Lindsay Bowen (Dansville) followed with 16 points, sinking 5-of-8 3-point baskets. Freshman forward Maggie Dwyer (Grand Haven) had 14 points and nine rebounds for MSU, sophomore guard Rene Haynes (Columbus, Ohio) added 13 points and six steals and senior guard Kristin Haynie (Mason) had 11 points - all in the first half - and four steals.
MSU played without junior forward Liz Shimek (Empire) who is nursing a minor foot injury, but still managed to hand the Legends their worst loss in six exhibition games. Their previous worst loss was a 72-42 defeat at the hands of Vanderbilt in their opening game.
The Spartans dominated the glass, holding a 47-24 edge on the boards, led by Dwyer's nine rebounds and eight from sophomore guard Victoria Lucas-Perry (Flint), who also had seven points and four blocks. Michigan State also dished out 25 assists, including eight each from Haynie and Bowen, and collected 17 steals.
Michigan State dominated from the outset, jumping to a quick 16-6 lead and never looking back. The Spartans led by as many as 30 during the opening period after a jumper by Haynes put MSU on top 48-18. A bucket by Lucas-Perry allowed MSU to hit the half-century point in the first half, as MSU went into the break with a 50-24 edge. MSU shot a blistering 61.1 percent in the first half (22-of-36) and had a 28-12 rebounding edge.
The second half was more of the same. Leading 54-28, the Spartans scored 11 straight points capped by a trey from Bowen for a 65-28 lead. The margin grew to 40 for the first time when Haynes scored on a fast break for a 79-39 lead with 6:53 left. Another triple from Bowen with 1:25 remaining gave MSU its biggest lead at 91-48 before the Legends scored the final basket.
Michigan State shot 58.7 percent from the field (37-of-63), including 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from 3-point range. The Legends hit 21-of-59 shots for 35.6 percent. MSU pushed the tempo often, rolling up 18 fast-break points to eight for the Legends, and even though both teams finished with 23 turnovers, the Spartans had a 29-13 advantage in points off turnovers.
Kim Lancaster led the Legends with 14 points, while Angel Mason was also in double digits with 10.
Michigan State will play its second and final exhibition game Friday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. when the Spartans host the Australian Sports Institute. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for youth, and parking is $5.
