Michigan State University
8-2
Northeastern
5-4
No. 24/22 Michigan State Handles Northeastern, 77-51
12/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Tori Jankoska added 14 points and Branndais Agee 11 for the Spartans (8-2), who won their fourth straight.
Taylor had a MSU career-high 17 points off the bench for the Spartans in 24 minutes. Michigan State out-scored Northeastern 30-21 in bench points
The game was part of the Winter Showdown, with the men's teams playing on Saturday afternoon and the hockey teams squaring off Saturday night.
Francesca Sally led the Huskies (5-4) with 14 points and Samantha DeFreese added 11.
Michigan State limited the Huskies to 30 percent shooting and had a 49-30 rebounding advantage.
The Spartans led 19-11 after one quarter despite a stretch when they missed nine straight shots, and pushed it to 40-26 at the half. They closed it out by shooting 54 percent in the second half while the Huskies had a stretch of missing nine straight and 13 of 14 shots.
MSU concludes its three-game road swing, 3-0. The Spartans now return home to take on Detroit on Monday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. for their final non-conference game.
Michigan State Women's Basketball Post-Game Notes at Northeaster (Dec. 18)
Senior forward Akyah Taylor had a MSU career-high 17 points off the bench for the Spartans in 24 minutes. Michigan State out-scored Northeastern 30-21 in bench points.
Junior forward Aerial Powers has netted double-figures in all eight games she's played in this season and 62nd game in her career with 16 points Friday ... Powers' 16 points gives her 1,263 for her career, keeping her at No. 11 on MSU's career scoring list and closing in on the top 10 as Kelli Roehrig (2001-05) holds the 10th spot with 1,370 career points.
The Spartans scored over 70 points for the eighth-straight game and ninth time overall this season, improving to 7-2 ... MSU has won 75 of its last 79 games when scoring at least 71 points, and MSU is 92-9 (.911) under head coach Suzy Merchant when hanging at least 70 points on the scoreboard.
The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 126 of their last 130 games (.969) when leading with five minutes left, including 77 of their last 80. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 162-7 (.959) when holding a lead with five minutes left.
MSU's 19-11 first-quarter lead was the Spartans' eighth game with a lead at the end of the first frame and MSU is now 7-1 when leading after the first quarter.
The Spartans led at halftime, 40-26, marking MSU's fourth-straight lead at intermission and the eighth halftime advantage this season, as Michigan State is now 8-0.
MSU improved to 4-0 when four players have scored in double figures, as Akyah Taylor (17), Aerial Powers (16), Tori Jankoska (14) and Branndais Agee (11) all had double-digit games.
With 16 points and 12 rebounds, Aerial Powers now has two double-doubles this season and 36 for her career.
With 14 points Friday against the Huskies, junior guard Tori Jankoska has tallied double-figures in all 10 games played this season and 59th time in her career ... Jankoska has also netted at least one three-pointer in all 10 games this season ... Jankoska's 14 points gives her 1,120 for her career, cracking the top 20 and passing Becky Cummings (1997-2001) for the No. 20 spot. Cummings ended her Spartan career with 1,108 points.
