March 4, 2011
Site: Indianapolis, Ind. (Conseco Fieldhouse)
Score: Michigan State 56, Northwestern 25
Records: NU (18-13, 6-10 Big Ten), Michigan State (26-4, 13-3 Big Ten)
Next NU Event: TBA, depending on postseason selections.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Northwestern came at top-seeded Michigan State with all it had, but the Spartans held strong and emerged with the win, 56-25, in Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal action.
"Disappointing. Just very disappointing. That's the best way to describe it," head coach Joe McKeown said after the game. "We played with heart all year. But 25 points in a second-round tournament game isn't going to get it done."
Michigan State seized a 5-0 lead in the opening minutes, but as she had done the night before, Kendall Hackney sparked the Wildcat offense, getting open down low for the Wildcats' first tally. Amy Jaeschke followed suit and pulled the score to 9-5 six minutes in. Following a bucket from Big Ten Player of the Year Kalisha Keane, Northwestern picked it up on the defensive end, forcing four turnovers and holding MSU scoreless on seven-straight possessions over the next five minutes.
Northwestern kept the difference to within five until the final 40 seconds as Michigan State closed out the half on a 4-1 spurt to take a 22-14 edge into halftime. The Spartan's 22 first-half points was their lowest half total of the season, save one 20-minute period in which it totaled 21.
Beth Marshall led Northwestern with five points at the break.
Brittany Orban opened the scoring for the Wildcats coming out of the break but Northwestern could not muster another bucket for the next six minutes. Meanwhile, No. 11 Michigan State built a 30-18 edge and never looked back, claiming its 26th victory of the year.
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