EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State women’s basketball got its first overtime win of the season with an 81-75 victory over Penn State Sunday at the Breslin Center. It was a huge victory for the team in a hard-fought back-and-forth game between two very talented teams.
It was a fast-paced first period as each team battled hard and the teams were tied at 17 after the period. The Spartans scored first in the second and went on a 9-0 run but then the Nittany Lions went on a big 11-0 run of their own to take a 28-26 lead. The Spartans fought back and took a 34-31 lead into the half. The Spartans shot 38% from the field while the Nittany Lions shot 45%.
At the half, the Spartans honored 4H, past and present in a very nice ceremony.
Michigan State scored 10 of the first 12 points to take its first double-digit lead, 44-33, as Penn State took its first time out of the third quarter. Penn State Head Coach Carolyn Kieger’s talk worked because her team came out on fire and went on a 10-0 run. Penn State eventually ended the quarter scoring 12 straight points to get within one point, heading to the final period with a Spartan 52-51 lead.
The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth affair. Overall, the game had 11 lead changes, but in the final quarter, neither team took more than a four-point advantage. Makenna Marisa put the Nittany Lions in the lead with a bucket with 3:08 remaining. After both teams swapped baskets and with eight seconds left in the period and the Spartans leading by one, Nittany Lion guard Leilani Kapinus split a pair of free throws to send the game to overtime tied up at 67.
In extra time, the Lady Lions led until the 1:53 mark when the Spartan’s Matilda Ekh made a pair of free throws. From that point, the Spartans took control of the game. Michigan State went a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line to come out with the win.
The Spartans were led in scoring by Ekh with 21 points, Dee Dee Hageman with 16, Taiyier Parks with 15, and Moira Joiner with 8.
The Nittany Lions were led by Marisa with 22 points, Shay Ciezki with 12 points, Alexa Williamson with 11, and Leilani Kapinus with 10 points.
The Spartans improved to 13-12 overall and 5-9 in Big Ten action. Penn State dropped to 13-12 overall and 4-10 in league play.
Michigan State returns to the road to take on Purdue on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. Penn State returns home to face No. 13/12 Ohio State Thursday at 7 p.m.
Michigan State returns to the road to take on Purdue on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m.