Michigan State University
5-1,0-0Big Ten
LSU
6-1,0-0SEC
No. 15 Michigan State Edged by LSU 58-56
11/29/2019 7:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Spartans will take on Kansas State in the finale of the Junkanoo Jam
BIMINI, Bahamas (AP) - Despite a season-high 18 points from senior guard Taryn McCutcheon No. 15 Michigan State women's basketball was edged by LSU 58-56 in the Junkanoo Jam on Friday.
LSU handed MSU its first loss of the season, as Michigan State falls to 5-1 this season. The Tigers who were recieving votes in the latest poll are now 6-1 on the season.
McCutcheon scored 12 of her 18 points in the first half to help the Spartans (5-1) take a 39-32 lead into intermission. McCutcheon added seven rebounds and five steals. Nia Clouden scored 10 of her 12 points in the first half. The Spartans welcome back seniors Victoria Gaines and Shay Colley, who both missed games due to injury. Gaines scored seven points and added a team-high nine rebounds, while Colley added eight points. Both also battled foul trouble as Colley and redshirt-junior guard Mardrekia Cook both fouled out.
The tenacious Tiger defense slowed down the Spartans, as allowed the Spartans to score only 17 points in the second half. Despite the low-scoring half, McCutcheon had a chance to tie it just before the final buzzer but went 1-for-3 from the free-throw line.
Tiara Young added 10 points and four rebounds off the bench for the Tigers (6-1), who had 11 players score. Faustine Aifuwa grabbed eight boards to help LSU win the rebound battle 43-35.
Both teams were shaking off the cobwebs early on with neither team scoring for three minutes. Shay Colley got the Spartans on the board first, scoring the first five points of the game.
LSU took the lead 18-16 early in the second quarter, before a 5-0 MSU run put the Spartans back on top 21-18. The Tigers once again to the lead 29-27 before the Spartans responded with another run 6-0 run 32-29 lead with under two left in the half. Michigan State ended strong, taking a 39-32 lead into the locker room. McCutcheon (12) and Clouden (10) led all scorers in scoring in the first half.
In the third quarter, the Spartans took their first double-digit lead 42-32 after a Colley free throw. MSU out-scored LSU over eight minutes to open up a 48-34 advantage. The Tigers responded with an 11-0 run to trim the Spartan advantage to 48-45. Michigan State was held to just nine points in the third quarter after scoring 23 in the second.
The fourth quarter belonged to the Tigers, out-scoring MSU 13-8. MSU's suffered through a scoring drought, going over 15 minutes without a field goal over the third and fourth quarters.
Michigan State will now take on Kansas State on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 4:30 p.m. The Wildcats fell to Memphis 72-68 earlier in the night.
MSU Notes vs. LSU
• McCutcheon has scored in double-figures in all six games this season ... with three treys, as she has made two or more triples in five of the six games ... McCutcheon now has 955 points for her career, just 45 points away from becoming the 28th member of MSU's 1,000-point club ... she dished out one assist Friday, giving her 487 for her career, two shy of tying former teammate Tori Jankoska (2014-17) with 489 for No. 2 on MSU's career assists list.
• Michigan State is now 125-40 (.758) all-time in the month of November ... Under Coach Merchant, MSU is 65-12 (.844), including winning 39 of the last 44 in the 11th month of the calendar.
• The Spartans are now 0-4 against LSU, but the teams had not met since 2007.
• Michigan State welcomed back seniors Shay Colley and Victoria Gaines who both missed time with injury. Gaines missed two games, while due to injury and Canadian National Team obligations, Colley missed four.
• For the second-straight game, Michigan State did not yield a 3-pointer (0-for-8). Prior to not allowing a trey against Hartford on Nov. 24, the last time the Spartans held opposition without a 3-pointer was Dec. 6, 2015 vs. Loyola Chicago (0-for-7).
• MSU also swiped 11 steals in against LSU, as they came into Friday ranking first in the B1G and sixth in the NCAA in steals per game (14.8) ... the Spartans have been in double digits in steals in all six games this season.
