Michigan State University
Quinnipiac
Balanced Attack Pushes Spartan Women Past Quinnipiac, 71-54
12/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
HAMDEN, Conn. - With three players scoring in double figures, the Michigan State women's basketball team defeated Quinnipiac 71-54 Tuesday at TD Bank Sports Center.
Once again, the Spartans were led by 18 points and 12 rebounds from senior guard Tori Jankoska, who now has double-doubles in two-straight games. Overall, she has had three double-doubles this season and 16 for her career. She also matched a career-high with 12 boards.
Freshman forward Nia Hollie and junior guard Lexi Gussert both added 12 points. The dozen points matches a career high for Hollie, while 12 was a season high for Gussert.
With the win, MSU has now won two-straight games and improves to 8-2 for the second-straight season. The Bobcats drop to 6-2 with the loss. Overall, the Spartans are now 2-0 against Quinnipiac.
Play was tight with MSU holding a slight 7-6 lead in the first quarter before Michigan State went on a 11-0 run to end the first quarter. Jankoska ended the quarter in the same way she began the game with a 3-pointer to give the Spartans the 18-6 advantage to end the period.
The tough Michigan State defense continued in the second quarter as the Spartan run increased to 20-0 and MSU took a 25-6 lead. Five-straight points from Gussert made the MSU lead 30-13 with under a minute remaining. The half ended with the Spartans leading the Bobcats 30-14.
The Michigan State defense held Quinnipiac to 18.5 percent from the field in the first half. The Bobcats went only 1-for-6 from the field in the second quarter.
In the third quarter, the Bobcat offense came to life somewhat, out-scoring Michigan State 18-16.
MSU started the fourth quarter with four-straight points from senior forward Taya Reimer to re-take the 15 point lead. The Spartans led the whole fourth quarter in double figures, leading by as many as 17 points in the final period. Michigan State was clutch from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter, going 16-18. Led by Jankoska's perfect 6-6 performance. For the game, she was 8-for-9 from the free throw line.
Michigan State remains on the road to take on Rhode Island on Thursday, Dec. 8 in Kingston, Rhode Island at 7 p.m. The Spartans have played six of their last seven games on the road. During that span, MSU has gone 5-2.
Postgame Notes
- Michigan State tied a season high with 12 steals. The Spartans also had 12 against Wyoming at home on Nov. 13. Hollie, Agee and Gussert all had a trio of steals. The three steals were career highs for both Hollie and Gussert.
- MSU held Quinnipiac to only six points in the first period. The 14 first-half points were the fewest since allowing 10 in the first half against Davidson on Nov. 11.
- The 12 rebounds by Jankoska ties a career high. She has had 12 rebounds three other times, including 12 against Western Michigan on Nov. 18. Jankoska now has three double-doubles this season and 16 for her career. She has also had double-doubles for two-straight games.
- MSU improved to 4-0 this season when three players have scored in double figures.
- The Spartans have had six different starting lineups in the first 10 games. Seniors Taya Reimer and Tori Jankoska along with freshman Taryn McCutcheon have started all 10 games so far this season. Junior Lexi Gussert has started three games this season, while sophomore Jenna Allen also has started a trio of games. Sophomore Hana Vesela and redshirt freshman Victoria Gaines both have started two games, while freshman Nia Hollie has started the last two contests. Redshirt senior guard Branndais Agee has started six games this season.
- With a team-high 18 points against Quinnipiac, Tori Jankoska remains in fourth place on the MSU career scoring list with 1,695 points. Jankoska is now 123 from becoming Michigan State's all-time leading scorer. Currently Lindsay Bowen (2002-06) is third with 1,739 point, while Liz Shimek (2002-06) is second with 1,780 points. Aerial Powers (2014-16) is the all-time leading scorer with 1,817 points scored in the Spartan Green and White.
- Jankoska now has 230 career 3-pointers, staying in second place in the record books. She passed Maxann Reese who had 218 career treys. Jankoska is now 64 3-pointers away from tying Lindsay Bowen (2002-06) for first place. Bowen ended her MSU career with 294 treys.
