Michigan State University
6-3
Rhode Island
1-8
Spartans Rout Rhode Island, 82-38
12/9/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball led wire-to-wire, defeating Rhode Island, 82-38, Saturday afternoon at the Breslin Center. With the win, the Spartans improved to 6-3 overall, while the Rams fall to 1-8 this season.
PDF Box Score vs. URI
Michigan State was led by 17 points from freshman forward Sidney Cooks, which was one point shy of her career high. She scored 18 points in a win against College of Charleston on Nov. 19. Cooks was one of four players to reach double figures against the Rams.
"I love her confidence, and she is aggressive," MSU head coach Suzy Merchant said. "She is coming out and bringing it every night, which is an amazing quality in any type of player but certainly a freshman."
Redshirt-sophomore guard Shay Colley added 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists and a career-high five steals. Sophomore guard Taryn McCutcheon and senior forward Taya Reimer both added 13 points.
"It is good that we have different people every night, but we have got to get some consistency. We are still trying to mesh and jell, and I would like to see more consistency out of people for sure," Merchant said.
The Spartans made five-straight baskets to take a 17-7 lead with less than two minutes left in the first quarter. McCutcheon kept helped provide the double-digit lead for MSU with six points in the first quarter.
Michigan State scored the first five points of the second period to push its lead to take a 27-12 lead.
Mid-way through the second quarter, both teams went cold offensively with MSU going 0-for-6 and URI going 0-for-7. Michigan State responded with a 7-0 run to go up on the Rams, 36-16. The Spartan defense was able to keep Rhode Island under 20 points in the half, leading 40-18, which is the fewest point allowed in the first half this season.
Reimer was solid off the bench in the third quarter with nine points in five minutes. She also drained five of her seven free throws in the third.
In the final stanza, Michigan State started the quarter with a 12-1 run. MSU allowed a school-record low three points in the final 10 minuted of the game. Senior forward Kennedy Johnson added six points to finish off the Rams.
The Spartans will take a break for finals and return to action on Saturday, Dec. 16 at East Tennessee State at 7 p.m.
MSU Notes vs. Rhode Island
- The 18 first-half points were the fewest allowed this season by the Spartans. MSU allowed only 22 points against Robert Morris and 27 against College of Charleston. The Spartans held the Rams to just 38 points, the lowest allowed for an opponent this season. The three fourth-quarter points were fewest ever in a quarter.
- With the 82-38 victory, MSU improved to 3-0 in career meetings with Rhode Island.
- Four Spartans scored in double figures - freshman forward Sidney Cooks (17), sophomore guard Shay Colley (14), graduate forward Taya Reimer (13) and sophomore guard Taryn McCutcheon (13).
- The combination of McCutcheon, Colley, Gussert, Cooks and Allen was the starting five for the first time this season.
- Graduate forward Taya Reimer tied a career-high, going 7-for-7 from the free throw line.
- Sophomore forward Nia Hollie dished out a career-high four assists. Freshman forward Sidney Cooks scored a team-high 17 points and was 5-for-6 from the free line.
- Sophomore guard Taryn McCutcheon tied a career-high four treys, shooting 4-for-8 from both the field and from deep.
- Sophomore guard Shay Colley set a new career-high with two three-point field goals and five steals.
