MSU women's basketball: Spartans stay strong

EAST LANSING - Watching a 14-point lead all but evaporate evoked instant memories of many of the sins Michigan State's women have been guilty of in recent weeks.

But instead of crumbling down the stretch as they did against Wisconsin, Penn State and Indiana, the Spartans responded with a defensive effort that bred offense, intensity and confidence - and one that showed just how much they have grown in the past week.

After Purdue cut MSU's lead to two points with six minutes gone in the second half, the Spartans turned up the pressure and went on a 17-0, game-sealing run in a 72-54 victory Thursday that snapped a three-game losing streak and two-game slide at Breslin Center.

"I think today it was just a different feeling. (It's) what we've really been focusing in practice - not only running more, but being able to finish," junior guard Brittney Thomas said. "We've been in positions like this so many times and just let it slip away because we don't finish the games. I think today we were all able to stay focused for 40 minutes."

Coach Suzy Merchant adjusted her defensive game plan to provide more post double-teams and full-court pressure, and it worked for MSU (12-7, 3-5 Big Ten). The Spartans held Purdue to a season-low 29.7 percent from the field, while they shot 50 percent - the highest the Boilermakers have allowed an opponent this year.

A large portion of MSU's buckets came either in transition that's been absent lately or on easy layups in the paint that haven't fallen in the past few games.

The Spartans, despite tying a season-high with 27 turnovers, owned a 14-0 edge in fast-break points and a 40-14 margin in the paint.

"I think they played definitely with an edge to them," Merchant said of her players. "I thought we had a little more toughness to us, defensively especially. We tweaked some things that got us off to a good start and got our transition game going."

Two of the Spartans' most maligned areas - veteran leadership and guard play - shined in abundance against Purdue (9-10, 4-4).

MSU's three seniors - Aisha Jefferson, Allyssa DeHaan and Lauren Aitch - combined for 33 points and 16 rebounds between them.

Meanwhile in the backcourt, a trio of guards helped disrupt the Boilermakers and force 22 turnovers. Brittney Thomas had a game-high 16 points with six rebounds and five assists. Sophomore Porsche Poole had 10 points and four assists, and freshman Jasmine Thomas had six points and 10 rebounds.

"Before the game started, we were all riled up. And coach told us to just go out and have fun and try to run," Poole said. "And I think that's what we did today."

That's exactly what they did early in the second half. After Purdue pared a 13-point, first-half lead to just 30-24 at the break, the Spartans scored the next eight points out of halftime to rebuild their cushion to 14.

Purdue coach Sharon Versyp called a timeout, and her team then went on to post 15 of the next 18 points. Three straight 3-pointers - two by Brittany Rayburn and one by Jodi Howell - knocked the Spartans back on their heels, making it 41-39 and forcing Merchant to call a timeout with 14:01 to play.

From there, MSU could do little wrong and would build its lead to as many as 26. Brittney Thomas hit one of her two 3-pointers out of the timeout to spark the clinching spurt in which the Spartans held Purdue without a point for more than six minutes.

"When they cut it to two, we all looked at each other and said, 'This is it right here, this is what we're talking about - finishing games,'" said Jefferson, who had 14 points and eight boards. "They make runs, it's all about runs, but we have to respond well to it. Everybody looked each other in their eyes and realized this is the moment right here where we have to grow up."

That hopeful rite of passage comes a critical juncture in the Spartans season. Four of their next five games are on the road, including Sunday's matchup at Minnesota. MSU has lost three straight and four of the last five in Minneapolis.