Michigan State University
Detroit
Spartans Roll Past Detroit, 64-41
1/12/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan 12, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Thousands of schoolchildren came to make noise, and Lindsay Bowen gave them plenty to yell about in Michigan State's annual "When I Grow Up" women's basketball game.
Bowen had 20 points, including 3-for-6 from 3-point range and 7-for-8 from the foul line, and the 23-ranked Spartans used huge runs in each half for a 64-41 non-league win over Detroit Mercy on Monday afternoon.
"The kids brought a lot of energy with all their screaming and jumping," Bowen said of a crowd of 5,810, the largest for a women's game at the Breslin Center this season. "But that's cool. We just have to do what we do, play hard as a team and stay focused."
Liz Shimek added eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds for the Spartans (11-3), who bounced back from losses to conference powers Penn State and Purdue.
"We learned some valuable lessons from that and got back to who we are," Michigan State coach Joanne P. McCallie said. "We're a blue-collar team with no All-Americans and no first-team All-Big Ten players. But when we're back playing the way we can, we can do a lot of good things."
It was Detroit Mercy's first loss in four games. Nicole Anaejionu led the Titans (6-7) with 11 points and six rebounds.
"One thing we always knew about them was that they could score," Detroit Mercy coach Mickey Barrett said of the Spartans. "And their matchup zone is as good as anybody's in the country. We had a lot of good, open looks and good post-up position. But you've got to make shots to extend the defense."
Detroit led 11-8 with 11:08 left in the first half before Michigan State took control with a 16-2 run for a 27-16 lead at halftime.
The teams traded baskets in the second half until the Spartans turned a 44-33 game into a romp with a 15-3 run.
"What that was was a show of poise and composure," Barrett said. "We knew their crowd would be into it. And I thought it was an excellent P.R. move to bring (the kids) in. It was a lot of fun -- fun for them, not for us."
Michigan State held Detroit Mercy to .294 shooting from the field, had a 39-28 lead in rebounds and forced 20 turnovers.
The Spartans shot .404 from the field and had edges of 15-6 in points beyond the arc and 21-9 at the foul line. Their only disturbing stat was 18 turnovers.
"We have a lot of young kids, and the turnovers continue at an all-time high," McCallie said. "But I don't care anymore. We're going to play our freshmen. It's a matter of making the transition and doing our team thing."
