Michigan
Michigan State
Wolverines Fall by 14, Split Season Series With Spartans
2/14/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Site:Â East Lansing, Mich. (Breslin Center)
Score:Â Michigan State 70, Michigan 56
Records:Â U-M (15-9, 7-7 Big Ten), MSU (14-11, 8-7 Big Ten)
Next U-M Game:Â Friday, Feb. 19 -- vs. Iowa (Crisler Arena), 7:30 p.m.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- After upsetting the Big Ten Conference's third-ranked team on Friday night (Feb. 12), the University of Michigan women's basketball squad headed to enemy territory looking for a series sweep over Michigan State University in Sunday's (Feb. 14) Fox Sports Chicago Big Ten Game of the Week. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, Michigan State came out with a vengeance, ready to stop Michigan's three-game winning streak in the "State Pride" series.
The Spartans capitalized on hot shooting to move ahead of Michigan in the Big Ten standings with a 70-56 win. A Michigan victory would have pushed the Wolverines into a tie for fourth place with Ohio State. Instead, U-M dropped from fifth to a sixth-place tie with Wisconsin at 7-7 (15-9 overall), while MSU moved up to fifth at 8-7 (14-11).
The Wolverines greatest nemesis proved to be streaky shooting as they suffered from a five-minute scoring drought from 11:37 of the first half to 6:04. Fortunately for the Maize and Blue, Michigan State failed to take full advantage of Michigan's travails, however, and when Ann Lemire (Fairgrove, Mich./Frankenmuth HS) ended the scoreless streak with a jumper, U-M was only down by four, 24-20.
Freshman Alayne Ingram (Lansing, Mich./Waverly HS) scored back-to-back triples to bring Michigan within one, 28-27, with 3:16 remaining in the half. With a chance to go ahead after a Spartan traveling call, Michigan turned the ball over and the half closed with two Kristen Rasmussen free throws for a 32-27 halftime score.
The Spartans opened the half with two straight buckets to go up by nine, 36-27. Michigan coach Sue Guevara called a 20-second timeout to regroup, but the Wolverines were unable to score until the 15:54 mark of the second half. By then, it was a 36-29 game and Michigan was by no means out of it. Stacey Thomas (Flint, Mich./Southwestern Academy) converted a three-point play to bring Michigan with four, 43-39, at 12:14. Alison Miller (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven HS) capped a 6-0 Wolverine run with a layup to make it a one-point game, 46-45.
After Michigan scored its six straight points, the Spartans rallied with five of their own, as well as back-to-back triples from Maxann Reese. Michigan State took a 51-45 lead at 9:28 on two Becky Cummings free throws. Lemire retaliated with her own set of three-pointers, but in between them, Michigan State scored six unanswered points to thwart the Wolverine comeback.
Lemire's second triple at 1:39 brought the score to 62-56. That would prove to be the Wolverines' final bucket. In the last 1:11, Michigan State went to the lines six times and connected on all of them for the final 70-56 tally.
Thomas and Lemire closed the game as Michigan's only double-digit scorers, with 13 apiece. Lemire nailed three of Michigan's four triples. Though Michigan State outperformed the Wolverines on the boards, 34-30, freshman Ruth Kipping (Quincy, Ill./Quincy HS) grabbed nine, including six defensive, while fellow freshman Raina Goodlow (Detroit, Mich./Dominican HS) recorded seven.
The Wolverines will close out their regular-season schedule with a pair of home games, beginning Friday, Feb. 19, when they host Iowa at 7:30 p.m. in Crisler Arena. Michigan defeated the Hawkeyes 86-67 on Jan. 22 in Iowa City.
NOTES
• Michigan coach Sue Guevara was unable to record her 50th career victory on Sunday. She is now 49-30 with the Wolverines. On Jan. 20, when Michigan hosted the Spartans in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines kept MSU coach Karen Langeland from winning her 350th.
QUOTES
Michigan Coach Sue Guevara
"I was surprised to see the zone simply because of the way we shot Friday night (vs. Illinois). We shot 77 percent and 50 percent from three-point. We just came out tight. I thought we played not to lose. We had open shots that just didn't go. And you know, I blame myself for this loss. Yesterday, I put up on the board where we were (in the Big Ten). I put up different things that might happen, where we could end up. I said we had to take it one game at a time. We were just tight. ... Becky (Cummings) and Kristen (Rasmussen) did a nice job of scoring especially with the clock running down."
On Anne Thorius' performance ... "Anne has been the most consistent player in the last month. Today she goes 0-for-10, but she was unbelievable Friday night."
On Michigan's defensive effort ... "When the ball goes in the paint, it should go in the basket. We got caught behind. We weren't moving on the pass. Becky (Cummings) and Kristen (Rasmussen) did a nice job of scoring, especially with the clock running down."
