Wednesday, January 12
Columbus, Ohio
7 PM
Michigan State University
83
at
89
Ohio State
Michigan State Women’s Basketball Edged by Ohio State Wednesday
1/12/2022 10:21:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Freshman Matilda Ekh scores a career-high 27 points in the loss.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Despite a career-high 27 points from freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh, Michigan State women's basketball was edged by Ohio State, 89-83, Wednesday night at OSU's Schottenstein Center.
The Spartans fall to an even 8-8 overall record and stand at 2-3 in Big Ten play. Ohio State improves to 12-3 overall and 4-2 in league action.
With 27 points, Ekh was one of four Spartans in double figures Wednesday night. She went 4-for-9 from long range and a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe. Senior guard Nia Clouden scored 21 points, while adding five rebounds and two assists. Graduate forward Tamara Farquhar was once again near a double-double with 13 points and eight rebounds, while junior forward Taiyier Parks added 11 points and matched Farquhar for the team-lead on the glass with eight boards.
Ohio State was led by 33 points from Jacy Sheldon and 25 points from Taylor Mikesell.
In a fast-paced first quarter, MSU used seven quick points from Ekh, to trail Ohio State by one at 13-12 at the first media timeout. A pair of Parks layups gave MSU a 16-13 lead. At the end of the first quarter, Parks and Ekh combined for 15 of the Spartans' 27 points.
Foul trouble hampered the Spartans in the first half with Ekh, Parks and Smith all having at least two fouls in the half. Ekh was the first Spartan to reach double figures with 10 points in the first 20 minutes.
Ohio State used a 9-0 run and early foul trouble to trim the MSU lead to 31-30 with six minutes left in the period. The Spartans were then held without a field goal for nearly four minutes as Ohio State re-took the lead 33-32. OSU used a 16-3 run over the final 4:14 to take a 46-35 lead into the half.
With Clouden heating up, the Spartans used a 6-0 lead to cut the OSU advantage to 55-49. The Buckeyes seemed to have an answer to every MSU rally to keep the Spartans at arms length. The Buckeyes took as big a lead as 17 points in the third period after a Mikesell trey, before Ekh responded with a 3-pointer of her own at the end of the period to make it a 71-57 game heading into the final period.
MSU scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter to make it a 71-64 OSU advantage. The Michigan State defense was solid to help MSU get within four points with 2:20 left in the game after a steal led by freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann led to a Ekh fast-break layup, one of Hagemann's team-leading five assists on the night. Ohio State seemed to always respond as the Spartans would get no closer than four points from there on out, keeping the Spartans at bay. Clouden was able to get back on track with 10 of her 21 points coming in the final 10 minutes of the game.
Michigan State will take on Northwestern on Sunday, Jan. 16 at 2 p.m. at the Breslin Center. {Michigan State Athletics Announces Vaccination Policy For Spectators}
Post-Game Notes vs. Ohio State
• MSU's 86 points was not only the Spartans' most on the road this season, but also their most points in a Big Ten game this season and the fourth-highest of the season overall, behind 100 points vs. Bryant (11/19/21), 93 vs. Morehead State (11/9/21) and 89 vs. Niagara (11/14/21) ... the 86 points was MSU's seventh game with 80+ points this season and third away from home, joining 84 points done twice, at Oakland (11/26/21) and vs. Florida Gulf Coast (12/20/21).
• Michigan State's starting line-up of senior guard Nia Clouden, freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann, graduate forward Tamara Farquhar, freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh and senior forward Alisia Smith was the Spartans' second game in a row with that starting five ... overall, it was the fifth game this season that MSU had that starting line-up.
• MSU's 27 points in the first quarter was the Spartans' most points in the opening quarter in Big Ten action and tied for the second-most this season, and the most since at Oakland (11/26/21) ... the 27 points Wednesday is behind a season-high 28 points vs. Niagara (11/14/21) and matching 27 points done twice before, first vs. Bryant (11/19/21) and at Oakland (11/26/21) ... Wednesday's 27 points also matched the most on the road for not just the first quarter but any quarter, also at Oakland.
• Freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh netted a career-high 27 points, becoming the second Spartan player to score 25+ points in a game this season, joining senior guard Nia Clouden's 50-point and 32-point outings ... earlier this season, Ekh became the first Spartan freshman to tally 20 points in a game since Clouden during the 2018-19 season with Ekh's previous career-high of 20 points vs. Illinois (12/9/21), and Ekh's 27 points topped the Spartans' most recent 20-point high score outing by a freshman topping Clouden's 23 points as a freshman also vs. Ohio State (2/21/19), and also matching the most by a freshman, equaling Clouden's mark of 27 points vs. Iowa (12/30/18).
• Ekh not only registered her second 20+ game this season, but the freshman also posted her second double-digit scoring outing in her last three games and ninth of the season, reaching double-figures in the first half alone Wednesday night with 10 points ... the two 20+ games by Ekh is the most by a Spartan freshman since Clouden had three 20-point outings in 2018-19.
• Ekh also notched new career-highs for field goals (9), free throws (5) and assists (4) ... her nine field goals topped previous high of seven at Oakland (11/26/21), while the five free throws more than doubled up her prior career-best of just two, done three times earlier this season, most recently vs. Florida Gulf Coast (12/20/21) and the four assists bettered her previous top mark of three helpers, also previously done three times, most recently vs. Illinois (12/9/21).
• Ekh netted four 3-pointers Wednesday, tying her second-most in a game this season, behind career-high six treys vs. Illinois (12/9/21) and matching four triples vs. Notre Dame (12/2/21), with Wednesday's outing being Ekh's most in a road game.
• Ekh now has 177 points this season, needing just 89 more points to crack MSU's single-season scoring by a freshman Top 15 list, as the No. 15 spot is currently at 266 points by Bella Engen (1994-95) ... with four 3-pointers Wednesday, Ekh now has 29 on the season, needing just 10 more to crack the Top 5 list for treys by a Spartan freshman, as teammate Moira Joiner (2020-21) is at No. 5 with 39 triples.
• Senior guard Nia Clouden got back in the double-figure scoring routine after her streak of double-digit games of 18-straight games dating back to last season was snapped last time out, but Clouden bounced back with 21 points Wednesday at Ohio State ... Clouden's 21 points was her fourth game in the last five outings with 20+ points and her 10th 20-point game of the season and 28th of her career ... with two 3-pointers Wednesday, Clouden netted multiple triples for the sixth time this season, but just the first since at Oakland (11/26/21).
• With 21 points Wednesday, Clouden now has 1,624 career points, continuing to close in on the No. 6 spot of 1,649 points held by Allyssa DeHaan, who was in attendance in MSU's last home game (vs. Purdue, 1/9/22) for Spartan Women's Basketball Alumni Day.
• Graduate forward Tamara Farquhar tallied her MSU career-high of 13 points, topping her previous high of 12 points, done twice earlier, most recently back in the fourth game of the season, vs. Bryant (11/19/21), and was her second double-digit scoring game in a row as part of her fifth this season ... Farquhar's collegiate career-high is 19 points, from her time at Purdue, coming vs. North Alabama (11/29/20) ... Farquhar also pulled down a team-high tying eight rebounds, matching teammate Taiyier Parks ... Farquhar posted her fifth-straight game with seven or more rebounds, as part of her eighth game of the season with seven+ boards, also having a stretch of three-straight games (11/16 - 11/21).
• Junior forward Taiyier Parks logged her third-straight double-digit outing and fifth in the last six games with 11 points Wednesday, including eight points and five rebounds in first quarter alone ... the 11 points was Parks' seventh double-figure scoring game this season and 17th of her career ... Parks also snared a team-high matching eight rebounds, matching teammate Tamara Farquhar ... the eight boards was the fifth game in a row with five or more boards for Parks as part of her 10th game this season with five or more rebounds.
• Freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann dished out a team-high five assists, logging her sixth-consecutive contest with five or more helpers, as part of the ninth game overall this season with five+ dimes ... Hagemann has now led the team in assists a team-leading nine times in the 16 games, pulling away from for the team-lead with Clouden with seven games, as Hagemann and Clouden remain the only two Spartans to lead the team in assists this season.
• Hagemann now has 74 assists this season, needing just three helpers to crack MSU's single-season assists by a freshman Top 10 list, as Aerial Powers (2013-14) currently has the No. 10 spot with 77 assists.
The Spartans fall to an even 8-8 overall record and stand at 2-3 in Big Ten play. Ohio State improves to 12-3 overall and 4-2 in league action.
With 27 points, Ekh was one of four Spartans in double figures Wednesday night. She went 4-for-9 from long range and a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe. Senior guard Nia Clouden scored 21 points, while adding five rebounds and two assists. Graduate forward Tamara Farquhar was once again near a double-double with 13 points and eight rebounds, while junior forward Taiyier Parks added 11 points and matched Farquhar for the team-lead on the glass with eight boards.
Ohio State was led by 33 points from Jacy Sheldon and 25 points from Taylor Mikesell.
In a fast-paced first quarter, MSU used seven quick points from Ekh, to trail Ohio State by one at 13-12 at the first media timeout. A pair of Parks layups gave MSU a 16-13 lead. At the end of the first quarter, Parks and Ekh combined for 15 of the Spartans' 27 points.
Foul trouble hampered the Spartans in the first half with Ekh, Parks and Smith all having at least two fouls in the half. Ekh was the first Spartan to reach double figures with 10 points in the first 20 minutes.
Ohio State used a 9-0 run and early foul trouble to trim the MSU lead to 31-30 with six minutes left in the period. The Spartans were then held without a field goal for nearly four minutes as Ohio State re-took the lead 33-32. OSU used a 16-3 run over the final 4:14 to take a 46-35 lead into the half.
With Clouden heating up, the Spartans used a 6-0 lead to cut the OSU advantage to 55-49. The Buckeyes seemed to have an answer to every MSU rally to keep the Spartans at arms length. The Buckeyes took as big a lead as 17 points in the third period after a Mikesell trey, before Ekh responded with a 3-pointer of her own at the end of the period to make it a 71-57 game heading into the final period.
MSU scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter to make it a 71-64 OSU advantage. The Michigan State defense was solid to help MSU get within four points with 2:20 left in the game after a steal led by freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann led to a Ekh fast-break layup, one of Hagemann's team-leading five assists on the night. Ohio State seemed to always respond as the Spartans would get no closer than four points from there on out, keeping the Spartans at bay. Clouden was able to get back on track with 10 of her 21 points coming in the final 10 minutes of the game.
Michigan State will take on Northwestern on Sunday, Jan. 16 at 2 p.m. at the Breslin Center. {Michigan State Athletics Announces Vaccination Policy For Spectators}
Post-Game Notes vs. Ohio State
• MSU's 86 points was not only the Spartans' most on the road this season, but also their most points in a Big Ten game this season and the fourth-highest of the season overall, behind 100 points vs. Bryant (11/19/21), 93 vs. Morehead State (11/9/21) and 89 vs. Niagara (11/14/21) ... the 86 points was MSU's seventh game with 80+ points this season and third away from home, joining 84 points done twice, at Oakland (11/26/21) and vs. Florida Gulf Coast (12/20/21).
• Michigan State's starting line-up of senior guard Nia Clouden, freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann, graduate forward Tamara Farquhar, freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh and senior forward Alisia Smith was the Spartans' second game in a row with that starting five ... overall, it was the fifth game this season that MSU had that starting line-up.
• MSU's 27 points in the first quarter was the Spartans' most points in the opening quarter in Big Ten action and tied for the second-most this season, and the most since at Oakland (11/26/21) ... the 27 points Wednesday is behind a season-high 28 points vs. Niagara (11/14/21) and matching 27 points done twice before, first vs. Bryant (11/19/21) and at Oakland (11/26/21) ... Wednesday's 27 points also matched the most on the road for not just the first quarter but any quarter, also at Oakland.
• Freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh netted a career-high 27 points, becoming the second Spartan player to score 25+ points in a game this season, joining senior guard Nia Clouden's 50-point and 32-point outings ... earlier this season, Ekh became the first Spartan freshman to tally 20 points in a game since Clouden during the 2018-19 season with Ekh's previous career-high of 20 points vs. Illinois (12/9/21), and Ekh's 27 points topped the Spartans' most recent 20-point high score outing by a freshman topping Clouden's 23 points as a freshman also vs. Ohio State (2/21/19), and also matching the most by a freshman, equaling Clouden's mark of 27 points vs. Iowa (12/30/18).
• Ekh not only registered her second 20+ game this season, but the freshman also posted her second double-digit scoring outing in her last three games and ninth of the season, reaching double-figures in the first half alone Wednesday night with 10 points ... the two 20+ games by Ekh is the most by a Spartan freshman since Clouden had three 20-point outings in 2018-19.
• Ekh also notched new career-highs for field goals (9), free throws (5) and assists (4) ... her nine field goals topped previous high of seven at Oakland (11/26/21), while the five free throws more than doubled up her prior career-best of just two, done three times earlier this season, most recently vs. Florida Gulf Coast (12/20/21) and the four assists bettered her previous top mark of three helpers, also previously done three times, most recently vs. Illinois (12/9/21).
• Ekh netted four 3-pointers Wednesday, tying her second-most in a game this season, behind career-high six treys vs. Illinois (12/9/21) and matching four triples vs. Notre Dame (12/2/21), with Wednesday's outing being Ekh's most in a road game.
• Ekh now has 177 points this season, needing just 89 more points to crack MSU's single-season scoring by a freshman Top 15 list, as the No. 15 spot is currently at 266 points by Bella Engen (1994-95) ... with four 3-pointers Wednesday, Ekh now has 29 on the season, needing just 10 more to crack the Top 5 list for treys by a Spartan freshman, as teammate Moira Joiner (2020-21) is at No. 5 with 39 triples.
• Senior guard Nia Clouden got back in the double-figure scoring routine after her streak of double-digit games of 18-straight games dating back to last season was snapped last time out, but Clouden bounced back with 21 points Wednesday at Ohio State ... Clouden's 21 points was her fourth game in the last five outings with 20+ points and her 10th 20-point game of the season and 28th of her career ... with two 3-pointers Wednesday, Clouden netted multiple triples for the sixth time this season, but just the first since at Oakland (11/26/21).
• With 21 points Wednesday, Clouden now has 1,624 career points, continuing to close in on the No. 6 spot of 1,649 points held by Allyssa DeHaan, who was in attendance in MSU's last home game (vs. Purdue, 1/9/22) for Spartan Women's Basketball Alumni Day.
• Graduate forward Tamara Farquhar tallied her MSU career-high of 13 points, topping her previous high of 12 points, done twice earlier, most recently back in the fourth game of the season, vs. Bryant (11/19/21), and was her second double-digit scoring game in a row as part of her fifth this season ... Farquhar's collegiate career-high is 19 points, from her time at Purdue, coming vs. North Alabama (11/29/20) ... Farquhar also pulled down a team-high tying eight rebounds, matching teammate Taiyier Parks ... Farquhar posted her fifth-straight game with seven or more rebounds, as part of her eighth game of the season with seven+ boards, also having a stretch of three-straight games (11/16 - 11/21).
• Junior forward Taiyier Parks logged her third-straight double-digit outing and fifth in the last six games with 11 points Wednesday, including eight points and five rebounds in first quarter alone ... the 11 points was Parks' seventh double-figure scoring game this season and 17th of her career ... Parks also snared a team-high matching eight rebounds, matching teammate Tamara Farquhar ... the eight boards was the fifth game in a row with five or more boards for Parks as part of her 10th game this season with five or more rebounds.
• Freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann dished out a team-high five assists, logging her sixth-consecutive contest with five or more helpers, as part of the ninth game overall this season with five+ dimes ... Hagemann has now led the team in assists a team-leading nine times in the 16 games, pulling away from for the team-lead with Clouden with seven games, as Hagemann and Clouden remain the only two Spartans to lead the team in assists this season.
• Hagemann now has 74 assists this season, needing just three helpers to crack MSU's single-season assists by a freshman Top 10 list, as Aerial Powers (2013-14) currently has the No. 10 spot with 77 assists.
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