Michigan State University
16-8; 6-5
Iowa
15-9; 6-5
MSU Women's Basketball Drops Overtime Heartbreaker to Iowa
2/9/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
IOWA CITY, Iowa - In just their second overtime game of the season, Michigan State women's basketball dropped a hard-fought overtime battle with Iowa, 87-83, in Iowa City on Thursday.
Boxscore vs.Iowa 
Despite a slow start, senior guard Tori Jankoska led all scorers with 32 points. She is now just six points away from becoming the first Spartan to reach the 2,000 point mark. She also had her fourth-straight double-double with 11 rebounds. Senior forward Taya Reimer added 14 points and six boards for the Spartans.
Iowa had five players in double figures led by 25 points from Ally Disterhoft, who also added 12 rebounds for the double-double.
With the loss, MSU falls to 16-8 overall and 6-5 in Big Ten action. The Spartans are now 1-1 in overtime contests. Iowa improves to 15-9 overall and 6-5 in league play.
MSU used an 8-0 run to take the 13-1 lead early in the first period. The Hawkeyes didn't score their first field goal until the 5:29 mark of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, MSU scored seven of the first 10 points in the quarter. After a string of turnovers, Iowa cut the MSU lead to 28-24 with less than four minutes left in the half. Iowa tied the score at 28-28 with just over two minutes left in the half in the midst of a 7-0 run. MSU scored five-straight before a pair of Disterhoft free throws cut the MSU lead to 33-30 lead at the half.
Reimer and freshman guard Taryn McCutcheon led Michigan State with eight points apiece through the first 20 minutes of action.
In the third quarter, Jankoska began her hot streak, as MSU took as big of a lead as five points. Iowa fought back leading for much of the third quarter. After a Chase Coley jumper, the Hawkeyes took a nine-point lead, which was its largest lead of the game
Jankoska started the fourth quarter with four-straight free throws to cut the lead to 50-48 with 8:25 left in the game. After Iowa took an eight-point lead, MSU scored seven-straight points to cut the Hawkeye lead to 58-57 with 4:15 remaining. Jankoksa hit back-to-back 3-pointers to tie the game 69-69 with 4.7 seconds left. Iowa was not able to convert the buzzer beater, as the teams headed to overtime.
Iowa controlled overtime going 10-12 from the charity stripe. Jankoska continued to keep the Spartans in the game, scoring all 14 points in the overtime but Iowa sank two free throws at the end to seal the game 87-83.
The Spartans will return home to the Breslin Center on Sunday, Feb. 12 in the annual Play4Kay game sponsored by Sparrow Hospital. MSU will host No. 3/2 Maryland at 2 p.m. on ESPN2.
Postgame Notes
Today was MSU's first loss of the season when scoring over 70 points. The Spartans are now 12-1 when reaching the 70-point plateau.
Senior guard Tori Jankoska earned her ninth double-double and 21st of her career. The senior also has had four-straight double-doubles.
Tori Jankoska is looking to become the first Michigan State women's basketball player to reach 2,000 points. She became MSU's all-time leading scorer against Ohio State with 1,898 career points on Jan. 10. The senior guard needs just six to reach 2,000 points. Jankoska now has 1,994 career points.
The Spartans have had six different starting lineups in the first 24 games. Seniors Taya Reimer and Tori Jankoska along with freshman Taryn McCutcheon have started all 24 games so far this season. Redshirt senior guard Branndais Agee has started 19 games this season. Junior Lexi Gussert has started three games, while redshirt freshman Victoria Gaines has started 13 games. Sophomore Jenna Allen has started a trio of games this season. Sophomore Hana Vesela has started two games, while freshman Nia Hollie has started six contests. The Spartans have had the same starting lineup the last 10 games. Jankoska leads the way starting 105 games during her Michigan State career. Branndais Agee has the second most starts of any current Spartan with 53.
