Michigan State University
Illinois
Jankoska Leads Spartans Past Illinois, 67-65, Wednesday
2/25/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Sophomore guard Tori Jankoska tied a career-high with six three-pointers to lead Michigan State women's basketball past Illinois, 67-65, Wednesday at the State Farm Center. The win helped the Spartans sweep the season series with Illinois and was MSU's sixth-straight win at Champaign.
With the win, the Spartans have now won two-straight games, improving to 14-14 overall and 6-11 in the Big Ten. The Illini fall to 14-15 overall and 5-12 in league play. Michigan State now leads the all-time series, 39-28, winning seven of the last nine meetings as part of 16 of the last 20.
MSU shot a season-high 54.2 percent (26-48) from the field, including 47.8 percent (11-23) from three-point range, the Spartans' second-best percentage this season behind the arc.
Jankoska registered her seventh double-double of the season with 24 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Sophomore guard/forward Aerial Powers added to her school record by tallying her 21st double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds to go along with a team-high five assists. Senior forward Becca Mills was the third Spartan in double-digit points with 12.
Illinois had four players in double figures led by 18 points from Ivory Crawford, while Jacqui Grant and Brittany Carter both added 13 points. Chatrice White also scored 11 points with a team-leading seven rebounds for Illinois.
The Spartans came out strong in the first half, making their first four and five of six from long range, as MSU took an early 21-10 lead. MSU's lead jumped to 13 points with 7:29 left in the half, as the shooting from beyond the arc remained sharp. Jankoska made four of her first five threes to help guide the Spartans.
After the strong start, the Spartans went cold, not scoring for over four minutes. A layup by Mills with 4:08 left in the half halted the drought and gave MSU the 38-28 lead, and the visitors took a 42-30 lead into halftime.
After 20 minutes of action, Jankoska led all players with 16 points to go along with six rebounds and two assists. Powers added 10 points, four rebounds and four assists. The Spartans were solid on the glass out-rebounding Illinois, 21-10, in the first half.
Illinois used a 10-0 run to cut the lead to 49-46. A Jankoska three stopped the scoring drought and gave the Spartans a six-point advantage with 11 minutes left. The Illini continued to chip away at the MSU lead throughout the second half.
Despite the Illini scoring the final seven points of the game, Michigan State was able to hold on to the 67-65 lead after a huge Jankoska rebound with eight seconds left on the clock to secure the Spartans' victory.
MSU travels to Purdue on Saturday, Feb. 28 to conclude the regular season. Tip off is set for 2 p.m. (ET) and will be nationally televised on the Big Ten Network.
Post-game Notes vs. Illinois
• Michigan State shot a season-high 54.2 percent (26-48) from the field, topping the previous season-high of 53.7 percent (29-54) against Syracuse on Dec. 21, and it was the Spartans' first time shooting over 50 percent in Big Ten action and the fourth time overall this season making over half their shots.
• MSU's 61.5 percent (16-26) first half field goal shooting was also the Spartans' season-high for not just the first half, but any half this season, bettering the 58.1 percent in the first half against Miami (Ohio) on Nov. 30, as well as the 59.3 percent in the second half versus Syracuse on Dec. 21.
• The Spartans 47.8 percent (11-23) from three-point range was their second-best percentage behind the arc, trailing the 50.0 percent (8-16) at Michigan on Jan. 4.
• MSU's 11 three-pointers also tied its second-most of the season, trailing 13 treys at Minnesota on Feb. 8.
• Sophomore guard Tori Jankoska netted a game-high points, marking her fourth 20+ point outing during Big Ten action and ninth 20+ game this season ... It was Jankoska's 14th career 20+ outing ... MSU is now 7-2 this season and 11-3 in her career when Jankoska scores 20 or more points.
• Michigan State improved to 6-0 this season and 13-0 during her career when Jankoska leads the Spartans in scoring.
• Jankoska netted a career-high six three-pointers, giving her 126 for her career, moving up to No. 8 on MSU's career three-pointers list, passing Eileen Shea (1987-91) with 123 treys.
• Jankoska has now made 126 career three-pointers on 347 attempts, for a 36.3 career three-point percentage, moving up to No. 4 on MSU's career three-point percentage list.
• The six three-pointers also gives Jankoska 62 triples this season, breaking into the MSU single-season three-pointers top 10 list, tyingVictoria Lucas-Perry (2006-07) for the No. 10 with 62 treys ... Jankoska's 64 three-pointers from last season is tied for the No. 8 spot with Taylor Alton (2011-12).
• Powers added to her school record for single-season double-doubles by logging her 21st double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
• Powers' 11 rebounds also gives her 333 this season, needing just three more to tie Shimek for the school record for single-season rebounds (335) in 2004-05.
• The 19 points also adds to Powers' MSU single-season scoring record, now with 619 points.
• With 19 points Wednesday, Powers now has 1,061 career points, remaining at No. 23 on MSU's career scoring list.
• Senior forward Becca Mills' 12 points gives her 1,140 career points, remaining at No. 18 on the Spartans' career scoring list, but just three points from the No. 17 spot, held by Julie Polakowski (1982-86) with 1,143 points.
• Mills' 12 points was her third double-figure scoring game in a row, as well as her 16th this season and 61st of her career.
• Michigan State's starting line-up Wednesday was made up of senior forward Becca Mills, senior guard Anna Morrissey, sophomore guard/forward Aerial Powers, sophomore guard Tori Jankoska and freshman guard Lexi Gussert ... This was the second time MSU started this lineup.
• Mills made her 97th career start and played in her 126th career game and moved up to No. 14 on MSU's career games played list, tying former teammates Klarissa Bell (2010-14) and Annalise Pickrel (2010-14) ... Mills' 97 starts give her sole possession of the No. 11 spot on the Spartans career games started list, and she can crack the top 10 with her next start, which would put her in a three-way tie for the No. 10 spot with Cheri Euler (1993-97) and Brenda Jezowksi (1980-85).
• Powers made her 61st career start, while Jankoska tallied her 45th career start ... Morrissey recorded her 22nd career start, all this season, and Gussert made her eighth career start, also all this season.
• Despite the lead getting trimmed to two points, Michigan State led wire-to-wire for the sixth time this season. The Spartans also led tip to buzzer when MSU beat Illinois in East Lansing on Jan. 15.
• Michigan State improved to 13-7 when out-rebounding the opposition and the Spartans' +16 (41-25) rebounding advantage was their seventh double-digit rebounding advantage during Big Ten action and was their 13th overall game this season with a double-digit rebounding margin.
