Michigan State Dominates Northwestern in Women’s Basketball
In a dominant display, the No. 18 Michigan State women’s basketball team overwhelmed Northwestern with a final score of 104-68 on Wednesday night in East Lansing, Michigan. Grace VanSlooten led the Spartans with 22 points as they improved their record to 21-6, including 10-6 in the Big Ten conference.
Game Highlights
From the opening tip, Michigan State asserted their control over the game, racing ahead by constructing a significant 32-14 run in the second quarter, ultimately establishing a hefty 55-28 advantage at halftime. The Spartans showcased an impressive shooting performance, hitting 53% of their shots overall and draining half of their three-point attempts, going 13 for 26.
Although Northwestern, now with a record of 8-18 and 2-13 in conference play, found some momentum in the second half, buoyed by Grace Sullivan’s scoring, they struggled to close the gap. The Spartans continuously responded to each Northwestern challenge, highlighted by a decisive three-pointer from Sara Sambolic and subsequent baskets from Jalyn Brown and VanSlooten that pushed the score to 94-60 in the fourth quarter.
Player Performances
Adding to the scoring for Michigan State, Kennedy Blair contributed a strong performance with 17 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, and five steals. Brown finished with 15 points and five assists, while Marah Dykstra came off the bench to score 14 points, including three three-pointers. Sambolic rounded out the strong team effort with 13 points and six assists. Collectively, the Spartans recorded an impressive 29 assists on 39 made shots.
For Northwestern, Sullivan was the standout, scoring 23 points on an efficient 11-of-20 shooting. Additionally, Casey Harter scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds, while Caroline Lau made her presence felt with a stat line that included 10 assists, nine points, and seven rebounds.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, Northwestern is set to face Illinois on Sunday, while Michigan State will travel to Minnesota, currently ranked No. 23, also for a Sunday matchup.
