Monday, February 21
East Lansing, Mich.
6 PM
Michigan State University
14-12,8-7Big Ten
71
vs
79
Penn State
11-15,5-11Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
Penn St.
29
13
13
24
79
Michigan St.
19
15
14
23
71
MSU Women’s Basketball Falls to Penn State Monday
2/21/2022 9:58:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Graduate forward Tamara Farquhar leads MSU with 13 rebounds.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - A 10-point first quarter deficit was too much to overcome as the Michigan State women's basketball team saw its comeback fall short against Penn State, 79-71, Monday evening at the Breslin Center.
With the loss, Michigan State falls to 14-12 overall and 8-7 in Big Ten action. Penn State improves to 11-15 overall and 5-11 in league contests.
Senior guard Nia Clouden led the Spartans with 17 points to go along with six assists and six rebounds. Freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh once again reached double figures with 14 points and three assists, going 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. Graduate forward Tamara Farquhar was near a double-double with nine points and a game-high 13 rebounds. The 13 boards was the third-highest of her Spartan career as part of her sixth double-figure rebounding game here at MSU
After missing the game at Wisconsin due to concussion protocol, freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann returned to the lineup with 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Penn State led all scorers with 32 points, as she was one of four Lady Lions in double figures.
The inside game of senior forward Alisia Smith served the Spartans well early on, as she scored six of MSU's first 13 points. Michigan State took the slight lead 13-11 with under five minutes left in the first quarter. After going nearly three minutes without a field goal, the Lady Lions used a 6-0 run to re-take the lead 17-13 with 3:16 remaining in the period. Nittany Lions took their first double-digit lead 29-17 with less than a minute left in the quarter.
Penn State continued to hold a double-digit lead for much of the second quarter, relying on the 3-point shot. The Lady Lions made six treys in the first half. MSU was not able to chip away at the Penn State lead going over two and half minutes without a field goal until a Parks layup. Michigan State was able to score the final four points of the half to trim the PSU lead to 34-42 at the break.
After a Michigan State called timeout early in the third quarter, the Spartans used a 7-0 run to make it a 48-43 Penn State lead with under five minutes left in the period. Michigan State out-scored Penn State 14-13 in the period, but trailed head into the final period 55-48. Ekh led all scorers with five points in the low scoring third quarter.
In the final stanza, MSU got within five points before Penn State used a 7-0 run to re-establish the double-digit lead, 65-54 with 5:16 remaining. The Spartans started the fourth quarter 1-for-7 from the field. With PSU taking a nine-point lead at the 6:06 mark, MSU started to find its groove. A Hagemann 3-pointer made it a 69-67 game before an old-fashioned 3-point play by Marisa put the Lady Lions back on top by five. Down the stretch, Penn State made its free throws to seal the win.
Michigan State now prepares for its final regular season road game at No. 9/9 Michigan on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
Post-Game Notes: vs. Penn State 2-21-22
• Michigan State returned to its most commonly used 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, after Hagemann didn't play in MSU's last game, Feb. 16 at Wisconsin, and was replaced by junior forward Taiyier Parks, as that had been the same starting five for the previous 10 games in a row, and Monday marked the 11th time in the last 12 games with that opening line-up, as part of the 14th total time this season ... overall, it is MSU's fourth different starting line-up overall this season.
• The Spartans lost despite topping the 70-point mark for just the fourth time this season in 15 occurrences of scoring 70+ points, as MSU is now 11-4 when cracking the 70-point plateau, having lost to Notre Dame on Dec. 2 and Florida Gulf Coast on Dec. 20 after scoring 71 points in each game, and falling to Ohio State on Jan. 12 when scoring 83 points.
• Monday's loss to PSU snapped a four-game Spartan win streak in the series with the Nittany Lions, as Penn State last won on Jan. 9, 2020 ... it was PSU's first win in East Lansing in the last four meetings, halting a three-game MSU win streak on its home court in the series as well for Penn State's first win in East Lansing since Feb. 11, 2016 ... Penn State now leads the all-time series, 31-22.
• Michigan State pulled down 41 rebounds, the Spartans' first time topping 40 boards in the last five games ... overall, it was MSU's seventh game with 40 or more rebounds ... the Spartans had a 41-37 rebounding advantage, marking the 17th game this season in which MSU had more rebounds, and just the sixth loss when doing so and now 11-6 on the year.
• After winning its previous nine games when dishing out 20 or more assists, the Spartans have now suffered defeat the last two times when topping 20 helpers, and are now 9-2 in those 11 games.
• Senior guard Nia Clouden netted a team-high 17 points, adding six rebounds and six assists ... Clouden posted her 11th-straight double-digit game and 25th in the 26 games this season ...
• Clouden's 17 points give her 1,811 for her career, becoming just the third MSU women's basketball player with 1,800 points ... Clouden is just six points away from tying Aerial Powers (2013-16) for No. 2 on MSU's career scoring list.
• The six assists by Clouden led MSU, as it was the 11th time this season that she topped the team in helpers and the 43rd time in her career ... Clouden now has 435 career assists, needing just eight more to tie Deb Traxinger (1978-82) with 443 assists.
• Clouden was in the Spartan starting line-up Monday, as she continues her streak of starting every game in which she has played at Michigan State, now at 113 and No. 9 on MSU's career games started list ... she is now just one start away from tying Spartan All-American Tori Jankoska (2013-17) with 114 career starts for No. 8.
• Clouden also played all 40 minutes of Monday's game, marking the third time in last six games that she's played in every minute of the ballgame, as well as fourth time with 40+ minutes, with almost 46 in the double-OT loss to Florida Gulf Coast.
• With the 40 minutes Monday, Clouden now has 3,642 career minutes played, holding the No. 10 spot on MSU's career minutes played list.
• Freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh added 14 points Monday for her second game in a row in double-digits after tallying single digits in the previous two games, which snapped a streak of seven-straight games in double-figures ... overall, it is Ekh's 17th double-figure scoring game.
• Ekh's 14 points gives her 319 this season, passing not only Sidney Cooks (2017-18) for No. 10 on the freshman scoring list with 305 points, but also current MSU Director of Operations and Technology Julie Pagel Dombroski (2000-01) for No. 9 with 313 points ... next up is Kris Emerson (1983-84) with 363 points at No. 8 ... former Spartan graduate assistant coach Kalisha Keane (2007-08) holds the record with 460 freshman points.
• With four 3-pointers Monday night, Ekh now has nine treys in her last two games after making five behind the arc last time out, at Wisconsin on Feb. 16 ... Ekh now has three or more 3-pointers in 11 total games.
• The four treys gives Ekh 62 for the season, becoming just the third Spartan freshman to make 60 or more 3-pointers, joining the freshman record holder Linsday Bowen (2002-03) with 77 and Tori Jankoska (2013-14) with 64, as Ekh needs just two more to tie Jankoska.
• Freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann notched 12 points, along with a career-high eight rebounds and added five assists ... the new rebounding career-high tops the previous mark of seven boards vs. Florida Gulf Coast (12/20/21).
• The five assists give Hagemann 131 for the season, vaulting her from No. 6 to No. 4 on MSU's assists by a freshman record list, passing Kiana Johnson (2011-12) with 129 and current teammate Nia Clouden (2018-19) with 130 ... next up is Brittney Thomas (2007-08) with 133 at No. 3.
• Graduate forward Tamara Farquhar pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds, the third-highest of her Spartan career as part of her sixth double-figure rebounding game here at MSU and her eighth overall career double-digit rebounding outing ... Farquhar added nine points, one shy of a double-double, marking the fifth time this season that she has had double-figures in points or rebounds, and was within two points or rebounds of a double-double.
With the loss, Michigan State falls to 14-12 overall and 8-7 in Big Ten action. Penn State improves to 11-15 overall and 5-11 in league contests.
Senior guard Nia Clouden led the Spartans with 17 points to go along with six assists and six rebounds. Freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh once again reached double figures with 14 points and three assists, going 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. Graduate forward Tamara Farquhar was near a double-double with nine points and a game-high 13 rebounds. The 13 boards was the third-highest of her Spartan career as part of her sixth double-figure rebounding game here at MSU
After missing the game at Wisconsin due to concussion protocol, freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann returned to the lineup with 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Penn State led all scorers with 32 points, as she was one of four Lady Lions in double figures.
The inside game of senior forward Alisia Smith served the Spartans well early on, as she scored six of MSU's first 13 points. Michigan State took the slight lead 13-11 with under five minutes left in the first quarter. After going nearly three minutes without a field goal, the Lady Lions used a 6-0 run to re-take the lead 17-13 with 3:16 remaining in the period. Nittany Lions took their first double-digit lead 29-17 with less than a minute left in the quarter.
Penn State continued to hold a double-digit lead for much of the second quarter, relying on the 3-point shot. The Lady Lions made six treys in the first half. MSU was not able to chip away at the Penn State lead going over two and half minutes without a field goal until a Parks layup. Michigan State was able to score the final four points of the half to trim the PSU lead to 34-42 at the break.
After a Michigan State called timeout early in the third quarter, the Spartans used a 7-0 run to make it a 48-43 Penn State lead with under five minutes left in the period. Michigan State out-scored Penn State 14-13 in the period, but trailed head into the final period 55-48. Ekh led all scorers with five points in the low scoring third quarter.
In the final stanza, MSU got within five points before Penn State used a 7-0 run to re-establish the double-digit lead, 65-54 with 5:16 remaining. The Spartans started the fourth quarter 1-for-7 from the field. With PSU taking a nine-point lead at the 6:06 mark, MSU started to find its groove. A Hagemann 3-pointer made it a 69-67 game before an old-fashioned 3-point play by Marisa put the Lady Lions back on top by five. Down the stretch, Penn State made its free throws to seal the win.
Michigan State now prepares for its final regular season road game at No. 9/9 Michigan on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
Post-Game Notes: vs. Penn State 2-21-22
• Michigan State returned to its most commonly used 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, after Hagemann didn't play in MSU's last game, Feb. 16 at Wisconsin, and was replaced by junior forward Taiyier Parks, as that had been the same starting five for the previous 10 games in a row, and Monday marked the 11th time in the last 12 games with that opening line-up, as part of the 14th total time this season ... overall, it is MSU's fourth different starting line-up overall this season.
• The Spartans lost despite topping the 70-point mark for just the fourth time this season in 15 occurrences of scoring 70+ points, as MSU is now 11-4 when cracking the 70-point plateau, having lost to Notre Dame on Dec. 2 and Florida Gulf Coast on Dec. 20 after scoring 71 points in each game, and falling to Ohio State on Jan. 12 when scoring 83 points.
• Monday's loss to PSU snapped a four-game Spartan win streak in the series with the Nittany Lions, as Penn State last won on Jan. 9, 2020 ... it was PSU's first win in East Lansing in the last four meetings, halting a three-game MSU win streak on its home court in the series as well for Penn State's first win in East Lansing since Feb. 11, 2016 ... Penn State now leads the all-time series, 31-22.
• Michigan State pulled down 41 rebounds, the Spartans' first time topping 40 boards in the last five games ... overall, it was MSU's seventh game with 40 or more rebounds ... the Spartans had a 41-37 rebounding advantage, marking the 17th game this season in which MSU had more rebounds, and just the sixth loss when doing so and now 11-6 on the year.
• After winning its previous nine games when dishing out 20 or more assists, the Spartans have now suffered defeat the last two times when topping 20 helpers, and are now 9-2 in those 11 games.
• Senior guard Nia Clouden netted a team-high 17 points, adding six rebounds and six assists ... Clouden posted her 11th-straight double-digit game and 25th in the 26 games this season ...
• Clouden's 17 points give her 1,811 for her career, becoming just the third MSU women's basketball player with 1,800 points ... Clouden is just six points away from tying Aerial Powers (2013-16) for No. 2 on MSU's career scoring list.
• The six assists by Clouden led MSU, as it was the 11th time this season that she topped the team in helpers and the 43rd time in her career ... Clouden now has 435 career assists, needing just eight more to tie Deb Traxinger (1978-82) with 443 assists.
• Clouden was in the Spartan starting line-up Monday, as she continues her streak of starting every game in which she has played at Michigan State, now at 113 and No. 9 on MSU's career games started list ... she is now just one start away from tying Spartan All-American Tori Jankoska (2013-17) with 114 career starts for No. 8.
• Clouden also played all 40 minutes of Monday's game, marking the third time in last six games that she's played in every minute of the ballgame, as well as fourth time with 40+ minutes, with almost 46 in the double-OT loss to Florida Gulf Coast.
• With the 40 minutes Monday, Clouden now has 3,642 career minutes played, holding the No. 10 spot on MSU's career minutes played list.
• Freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh added 14 points Monday for her second game in a row in double-digits after tallying single digits in the previous two games, which snapped a streak of seven-straight games in double-figures ... overall, it is Ekh's 17th double-figure scoring game.
• Ekh's 14 points gives her 319 this season, passing not only Sidney Cooks (2017-18) for No. 10 on the freshman scoring list with 305 points, but also current MSU Director of Operations and Technology Julie Pagel Dombroski (2000-01) for No. 9 with 313 points ... next up is Kris Emerson (1983-84) with 363 points at No. 8 ... former Spartan graduate assistant coach Kalisha Keane (2007-08) holds the record with 460 freshman points.
• With four 3-pointers Monday night, Ekh now has nine treys in her last two games after making five behind the arc last time out, at Wisconsin on Feb. 16 ... Ekh now has three or more 3-pointers in 11 total games.
• The four treys gives Ekh 62 for the season, becoming just the third Spartan freshman to make 60 or more 3-pointers, joining the freshman record holder Linsday Bowen (2002-03) with 77 and Tori Jankoska (2013-14) with 64, as Ekh needs just two more to tie Jankoska.
• Freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann notched 12 points, along with a career-high eight rebounds and added five assists ... the new rebounding career-high tops the previous mark of seven boards vs. Florida Gulf Coast (12/20/21).
• The five assists give Hagemann 131 for the season, vaulting her from No. 6 to No. 4 on MSU's assists by a freshman record list, passing Kiana Johnson (2011-12) with 129 and current teammate Nia Clouden (2018-19) with 130 ... next up is Brittney Thomas (2007-08) with 133 at No. 3.
• Graduate forward Tamara Farquhar pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds, the third-highest of her Spartan career as part of her sixth double-figure rebounding game here at MSU and her eighth overall career double-digit rebounding outing ... Farquhar added nine points, one shy of a double-double, marking the fifth time this season that she has had double-figures in points or rebounds, and was within two points or rebounds of a double-double.
Team Stats
PSU
MSU
FG%
.424
.377
3FG%
.296
.375
FT%
.913
.667
RB
37
41
TO
11
12
STL
6
4
Game Leaders
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG/F
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballGuard
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballRobyn Fralick | Women's Basketball Selection Show Press Conference | March 16, 2025
Sunday, March 16
Robyn Fralick | Women's Basketball Press Conference | Mar. 04 2025
Tuesday, March 04
Michigan State Women's Basketball vs Minnosta | Cinematic Highlight
Sunday, March 02
Coach Fralick Post Game Comments | MINN | Mar. 1 2025
Saturday, March 01