Northwestern Stumbles At State, 72-58

2/9/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Feb. 9, 2012

Box Score

Site: East Lansing, Mich. (Breslin Center)
Score: Michigan State 72, Northwestern 58
Records: NU (13-11, 3-8 Big Ten), Michigan State (15-9, 7-4 Big Ten)
Next NU Event: Sunday, Feb. 12 -- vs. Penn State (Evanston, Ill.), Noon CT

EAST LANSING, Mich.-- Junior Kendall Hackney scored a team-high 16 points and Tailor Jones added 13, but Michigan State defended its home court, posting a 72-58 win Thursday night at the Breslin Center. Northwestern (13-11, 3-8) led for most of the first half, but ultimately succumbed to a 52-percent second stanza shooting performance from the Spartans.

Dannielle Diamant, who scored seven points and had seven rebounds in the first half, was unable to play due to injury, in the second frame.

"I thought it was a tough, hard fought, physical game," head coach Joe McKeown said after the game. We need to find ways to score."

After eight minutes without a break to open the game, the two teams caught their collective breaths and found themselves within a point of each other. Northwestern surrendered the lead only once during that time, and owned that 11-10 edge at the 11:35 mark.

Watch Game Highlights

A transition three pointer by Meghan McKeown followed by back-to-back layups by Tailor Jones gave NU a five-point upper hand at the 9:47 mark. The Wildcats continued to build their lead, a 22-16 margin, at the 7:22 mark, but a three from Taylor Alton quickly sliced that in half. Both teams exchanged buckets but Michigan State proceeded to mount an 11-4 run and take a 27-26 lead--its first upper hand since the 13:40 mark--with 2:32 remaining.

The Spartans took a 33-28 lead into the locker room. Diamant led NU with seven points and seven rebounds, while Tailor Jones added six. The Wildcats won the battle on the boards, 22-17 and got nine points from the bench.

Michigan State outscored NU 17-10 through the first nine minutes to take a 50-38 edge. A turnaround jumper by Kendall Hackney pulled the Wildcats to within 10, but the Spartans responded with five points to pull ahead by 15 with 9:38 remaining. That was as close as the Wildcats would come, ultimately recording their 11th loss of the season.

Northwestern is next in action on Sunday when it hosts Penn State for a noon contest. The game will be televised live on the Big Ten Network. Northwestern also will be celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day as well as Play4Kay Day, a national women's basketball initiative to promote breast cancer awareness.

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