Jan. 22, 2009
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Sophomore Amy Jaeschke (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) poured in a game-high 22 points, including 16 in the first half, but it was not enough to lead Northwestern to victory as Michigan State bested the Wildcats 74-54 Thursday evening at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Jaeschke also added a Wildcat-high seven rebounds and notched a game-high five rejections.
Northwestern sputtered offensively early on as Michigan State's defense forced four turnovers in the first four minutes. The 'Cats' first bucket came at the 15:51 mark on a lay-in by Jaeschke. The sophomore scored NU's first nine points of the contest, single-handedly making it a one-possession game with just under 12 minutes remaining in the half.
In the meantime, the Wildcat defense held the Spartans scoreless from the field over the next 6:16 and allowed only four points from the line. Jaeschke tallied all of Northwestern's first 15 points until a bucket in the lane by freshman Maggie Mocchi (Wheeling, Ill./Buffalo Grove) with 6:04 remaining made the score 23-17 in favor of the Spartans.
Michigan State built a 12-point advantage over the next four minutes before Northwestern went on a 7-2 run to close within seven, 35-28, with 1:24 remaining.
The Spartans took a 38-29 lead into the locker room. Jaeschke led all scorers with 16 points at the half and added four blocks. Northwestern out-shot the Spartans from the field but allowed MSU 17 offensive rebounds which translated into 17 points.
Michigan State scored six unanswered points out of intermission to take a 44-29 lead with 18:48 on the clock. Junior Kristin Cartwright (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) responded with a seven-point spurt of her own which sparked a 9-0 run for the 'Cats and pulled the game within six, 44-38 with 17:17 on the clock.
MSU echoed Northwestern's offensive giddy-up, answering with a 10-0 run before back-to-back buckets by Mocchi pulled the 'Cats to within 12 with 11:56 left in the game.
But Michigan State continued to find the bucket over the next eight minutes to secure its 13th victory of the season.
Cartwright finished with nine points and three assists. Ten of Jaeschke's 22 points came at the free-throw line.
The Wildcats are next in action when they travel to Minneapolis for a 2 p.m. showdown with the Gophers Sunday afternoon at Williams Arena.