Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Nipped by No. 11/11 Michigan State
1/30/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
"We played great defense," said head coach Kathi Bennett, "I don't think that you can play better defense than we did in the first half. We kept the ball out of the low-post and were very quick with our feet. Whenever they caught the ball we got quick double teams on them. But that did not happen in the second half."
The Hoosiers came out with energy and rattled the Spartans early, forcing them to commit three turnovers on their first three trips down the court. Shortly after its few mishaps on the offensive end, Michigan State got on the board and proceeded to get the game going with an 8-0 lead over the Hoosiers. Indiana was held scoreless until junior guard Cyndi Valentin hit a jumper at the 15:19 mark.
Over the next several minutes, neither team could find the net and struggled to get an offensive rhythm going as the teams went a combined 0-for-12 from the field in 3:30. With IU trailing, 8-6, at the 7:54 mark, senior captain Jamie Gathing made a nice move just outside the paint and connected on a jumper which pushed the score 8-8, with just over seven minutes left in the first stanza. Gathing continued her aggressive play and scored the next four points for the Hoosiers to tie the score again at 12 apiece.
Minutes later, two quick Hoosier fouls brought senior Kristin Haynie and junior Lindsay Bowen to the free throw line where the pair made both of their shots from the charity stripe to move ahead, 16-12. Junior Angela Hawkins, came up big for IU on its next possession as she connected on a conventional three-point play to give the Hoosiers their first lead of the game, 17-16, with just 15 seconds left on the clock. The lead, however, would be short lived as Bowen hustled down the court and converted on a quick lay-up to put MSU ahead, 18-17, at halftime.
Bowen picked up where she left off as she started the second half with a three-point basket to allow the Spartans to jump ahead by four, which in turn sparked a 9-3 run.
Down, 27-21, back-to-back three-pointers from Valentin and senior LeeAnn Stephenson kept the Hoosiers alive as they crept up on the Spartans and brought the game to within two, 29-27 with at the 14:58 mark.
MSU picked up the pace, scored some key baskets down the stretch and went on a 9-0 run over the next several minutes and the Hoosiers soon found themselves down, 39-27. Stephenson scored from behind the arc to bring the Hoosiers back within nine, 39-30, at the 8:13 mark, but this would be as close as the Hoosiers would get.
Hawkins led the Hoosiers in scoring and rebounding with 13 points and seven rebounds. Stephenson was the only other Hoosier to reach double-digits, as she contributed 10 points. In addition, Gathing had a career-high five steals.
Michigan State had four players score double-figures as senior Kelli Roehrig and junior Liz Shimek each scored a team-high 13 points, while Bowen and Haynie contributed 12 and 10 points, respectively.
The Spartans dominated underneath as they outrebounded the Hoosiers, 49-25. Both teams shot an identical 15-for-48 (.313) from the floor.
"We really got beat rebounding during the second half of the game," said Bennett."It was pretty amazing that their guards were able to get 14 and 10 rebounds. We really just fell apart from a defensive standpoint as well as limiting them to only one shot during the second half."
Up next, the Hoosiers will remain at home to take on the Wisconsin Badgers on Thursday, Feb.3. Tip off is slated for 7 p.m. and can be heard locally on WHCC (105.1)with Jeremy Gray calling all the action.
GAME NOTES: Prior to tip-off of today's game, junior guard Cyndi Valentin was awarded with an honorary game ball for scoring her 1,000th career point on Jan. 20, 2005...Indiana held Michigan State to its lowest point total of the season (52)...Hawkins led the Hoosiers in scoring for the third time this season..Gathing had a career-high five steals.
