Michigan State University
Michigan
Spartans Halt Michigan 61-58; Advance to Big Ten Semifinals
3/7/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 07, 2014
Box Score | Quotes | Highlights
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Annalise Pickrel scored 18 points and Branndais Agee was clutch down the stretch Friday as No. 19 Michigan State, the second-seed, rallied to defeat seventh-seeded Michigan 61-58 in the Big Ten quarterfinals.
Michigan State will face No. 3-seed Nebraska in the semifinals on Saturday at about 6 p.m. ET.
The Spartans (22-8) trailed for all but a brief time early in the second until scoring the last six points of the game. Agree made two free throws at 2:59 to make it a one-point game. Tori Jankoska put MSU up 59-58 with a layup at 1:15. After a Michigan turnover, Agee grabbed an offensive rebound and scored with 31 seconds left.
Madison Ristovski, who led Michigan (18-13) with 18 points, missed a 3 from the corner with 15 seconds left and the Wolverines did not get a good final look.
Michigan started off red hot and raced to a 27-13 lead but the cold-shooting Spartans warmed up and made it 31-28 at the half.
POST GAME NOTES:
- Michigan State improves to 17-18 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament, including an 11-6 mark in the quarterfinals.
- The Spartans have advanced to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals in four of the last five seasons.
- MSU has won at least one game in 10 of the last 11 Big Ten Tournaments.
- Michigan State has won all four games against the Wolverines in the Big Ten Tournament.
- The Spartans have won 23 of their last 25 games against Michigan. MSU is 64-16 all-time in the series.
- MSU has won 41 of its last 43 games against in-state opponents, including a 26-2 record under Coach Merchant.
- The 14-point comeback marked MSU's biggest deficit overcome this season. It is the first win for the Spartans this season when trailing with five minutes left (lost first eight).
- The Spartans led for a total of 2:46 tonight, including the final 1:15 of the game.
- Michigan State held a 39-26 edge in rebounding. Michigan had entered the game leading the conference in rebound margin at +8.4. It was a season-low rebound total for the Wolverines.
- Pickrel posted 18 points and four assists tonight. In her first seven Big Ten Tournament games, she had totaled only 23 points and seven assists.
- Jankoska moved into fifth-place on the MSU freshman scoring list with 381 points and eighth-place on the assists list (71).
- Michigan State held Michigan without a field goal the final 7:07, closing on a 13-5 run. The Wolverines missed their last seven shots.
