Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
14-7, 4-4
Michigan
18-4, 7-2
Michigan State Suffers Defeat At No. 16 Michigan Tuesday
1/23/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Michigan State lost at No. 16/16 Michigan, 74-48, Tuesday night at UM's Crisler Center, as the short-handed Spartans battled the Wolverines resolutely, but suffered defeat.
MSU PDF vs. Michigan
The Spartans were playing short handed due to injuries, with all eight players that dressed getting playing time.
With the loss, MSU falls to 14-7 overall and 4-4 in Big Ten play, while Michigan improves to 18-4, 7-2 in league contests.
Freshman forward Sidney Cooks netted a team-best 17 points, one shy of her career-best and the most in a Big Ten contest. Redshirt-senior Branndais Agee added 12 points and pulled down a team-leading eight rebounds.
Michigan was led by 26 points from Katelyn Flaherty, while Nicole Munger tallied 13 points and Hailey Brown added 10. Hallie Thome pulled down a game-best 11 rebounds, as UM edged MSU on the glass, 37-32.
The Spartans shot 31.1 percent (19-of-61) field goal shooting, making 28.6 percent (6-of-21) behind the arc, and were perfect (4-of-4) at the free throw line.
The Wolverines shot 49.1 percent (28-of-57) from the field, including 50.0 percent (8-of-16) from 3-point range, adding 71.4 percent (10-of-14) at the charity stripe.
After a layup by sophomore forward Victoria Gaines to open the game, the Wolverines scored 10 straight to build up a 10-2 advantage. Michigan used an 8-0 run to stretch the lead to 18-4 before a trey by senior forward Taya Reimer stopped the run.
In the second quarter, Cooks scored five straight, as the Wolverines continued to lead 31-18. The Spartans chipped away at the deficit, getting the score to 33-20. Cooks scored seven points in the second quarter to lead MSU. The Michigan State defense was able to contain Flaherty in the second period to only three points.
MSU scored the first four of the third quarter to close within 36-26. However, the Wolverines caught fire and used an 13-0 run to take a 56-33 advantage and led 59-36 after three quarters.
UM opened the final frame with 11-straight points for a 70-36 lead before Agee hit a triple, which was followed by a Gaines bucket, then a 3-pointer and a basket by Cooks, and a layup by Reimer rounded out the scoring for MSU.
The Spartans conclude the tough two-game road trip, traveling to Columbus to take on No. 12 Ohio State on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 12 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPNU.
MSU Notes vs. Michigan
• The injury-ravaged Spartans started their ninth different starting lineup with freshman forward Sidney Cooks, redshirt-senior guard Branndais Agee, sophomore forward Nia Hollie, redshirt-sophomore forward Victoria Gaines and junior forward Jenna Allen.
• After starting the first 20 games of 2017-18, sophomore guard Taryn McCutcheon did not start for the first time this season, snapping her streak of starting in all 53 games of her Spartan career ... McCutcheon missed Tuesday's game due to injury.
• Agee made her 11th start of the season and 73rd of her career ... Allen made her 13th-straight start and 18th of the season as well as the 21st of her career ... Cooks started for the 18th time this season, including the last 16 games ... Hollie made her fourth start of the season, all in the last four games.
• Redshirt-senior Taya Reimer's first-quarter 3-pointer was just her second of not only the season, making a trey in MSU's second game of the season vs. Oakland (11/13/17), but her career at both MSU and Notre Dame.
• Freshman forward Sidney Cooks posted her fourth double-digit outing in the last five games as part of her 11th double-figure scoring game of the season.
• Cooks led MSU in scoring with 17 points, marking her team-leading sixth game leading MSU in scoring ... The Spartans are now 4-2 this season when Cooks is top scorer.
• Cooks' 17 points and her seven field goals were both highs for Big Ten games, one shy in both categories of her season-bests ... The three three-pointers also tied her season-high.
• Cooks also set a season-best with 36 minutes ... Reimer also played a season-high with 30 minutes ... Sophomore forward Nia Hollie played 31 minutes which tied her career-high.
• Redshirt-senior guard Branndais Agee led MSU with eight rebounds, marking the fourth time she has led MSU on the glass ... Agee also netted 12 points, marking her third-straight game in double-figure scoring.
