No. 17 Michigan State Rallies to Beat Illinois 57-51

Feb. 5, 2006

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - Liz Shimek scored 15 points and Lindsay Bowen added 13 as No. 17 Michigan State rallied to defeat Illinois 57-51 on Sunday.

The Illini led 41-33 lead before the Spartans went on a 13-2 run. Bowen's 3-pointer with 11:33 left helped Michigan State (17-7, 7-4 Big Ten) take a 46-43 lead.

Janelle Hughes had 16 points and Erin Wigley and Audrey Tabon added 14 apiece for Illinois (12-10, 3-7), which lost its fifth straight game.

Wigley hit two free throws with 4:30 left to tie the score at 51. But Michigan State went to a full-court press and Illinois missed four shots and committed two turnovers down the stretch.

Shimek, who had nine rebounds, hit two free throws and a basket for a 55-51 Spartans' lead. Rene Haynes and Aisha Jefferson each made one free throw in the final minute.

Illinois, which lost at home by 15 points to Minnesota on Thursday, built an 18-9 lead before the Spartans started finding their range.

After missing eight of its first 12 shots, Michigan State put together an 18-6 run and took its first lead, 27-26, on Jefferson's jumper with 2:58 left in the half. The teams traded baskets and Tabon's short jumper with 40 seconds left gave the Illini a 30-29 lead at the break.

The Illini were 0-for-8 from 3-point range, while the Spartans were 5-of-12.

Michigan State extended its winning streak to three games overall and seven over Illinois.