Michigan State University
12-4,2-3Big Ten
No. 17/16 Ohio State
13-3,4-1Big Ten
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Michigan State Drops Defensive Battle With No. 17/16 Ohio State, 70-65
1/14/2024 7:11:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Graduate guard/forward Tory Ozment scores a season-high 18 in the loss.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Despite a season-high 18 points from graduate guard/forward Tory Ozment, the Michigan State women's basketball dropped a defensive battle with No. 17/16 Ohio State, 70-65, at Value City Arena on Sunday afternoon.
Both teams came into Sunday's contest averaging nearly 90 points per game in a match-up that saw both teams shoot well below their season averages under tough defensive pressure.
The Spartans fall to 12-4 overall and 2-3 in Big Ten action. The Buckeyes improve to 13-3 overall and 4-1 in league contests. MSU falls to 0-2 against ranked teams this season after being defeated 76-73 against No. 4/3 Iowa. Both losses were by five points or less.
For the first time this season, Michigan State had only two players in double figures led by Ozment's season-high 18 points. She was just one shy from tying her career high of 19 set against Virginia on Nov. 28, 2018. Graduate guard Moira Joiner continued her streak of reaching double figures in all 16 games this season with 13 points, to go along with a season-high five assists.
Ohio State was led by 18 points from Jacy Sheldon, as one of five Buckeyes in double figures.
The Spartans jumped out to a 6-2 lead after the Buckeyes went nearly three minutes without scoring. The teams traded baskets for much of the quarter with Michigan State keeping Ohio State in check by forcing six turnovers. Sheldon led the way with seven points for OSU, as the Buckeyes led 20-18 after the first period. Ozment and junior forward Jocelyn Tate combined for 13 of MSU's 19 second-quarter points.
In the second stanza, the teams once again traded baskets for much of the quarter. The Spartans used a 7-0 run to take a 31-26 lead after a Tate layup leading to a Ohio State timeout. The Buckeyes fought back to tie the score after a pair of Sheldon free throws with 2:32 left in the half. Behind strong play from Ozment and Tate, the Spartans pulled ahead 37-34 at the break.
OSU re-took the lead at 43-41 after a Taylor Thierry bucket midway through the third period and a 6-0 run made it a 45-41 Buckeye lead with 4:30 left in period. Michigan State would not go away and eventually tied it again 45-45 after a pair free throws by sophomore guard Theryn Hallock. Despite being out-scored 16-13 in the third quarter, the game entered the final 10 minutes tied at 50-all.
The Buckeyes scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter before a trey by sophomore guard Abbey Kimball stopped the run. The Spartans offensive struggles in the fourth quarter helped OSU seal the victory. Michigan State went over three minutes without scoring, as OSU took a 65-58 lead with just over a minute remaining, before the Spartans scratched away but their comeback came up short.
Michigan State returns to the Breslin Center on Wednesday, Jan. 17 to take on Northwestern at 6:30 p.m.
Michigan State Women's Basketball Post-Game Notes: at Ohio State
• Michigan State slid to 12-4 overall on the season, including 5-2 in the last seven games as part of 7-3 in the last 10 games.
• The Spartan starting five of junior guard DeeDee Hagemann, sophomore guard Abbey Kimball junior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate, graduate guard Moira Joiner and graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault for Sunday's game marked the sixth-straight game and the 13th time overall this season that the Spartans have rolled out that line-up for the opening tip-off ... MSU is now 9-4 this season with that starting five.
• Michigan State was held below 70 points for just the second time this season with a season-low 65 points, with MSU only previously held under 70 in the last 10 games since scoring 69 in loss to Creighton (11/24).
• The Spartans were also limited to only five 3-pointers Sunday ... it was only the fifth time this season being held under eight triples, including in the last three-straight games, and MSU is now 1-4 when doing so ... the Spartans' lone win with under eight triples was last time out vs. Maryland (1/9) with seven treys, while the Spartans were held to seven 3-pointers in their first loss of the season vs. Creighton (11/24), four in the only home loss of the season, vs. Nebraska (12/9), and seven at Iowa (1/2).
• Graduate guard/forward Tory Ozment posted her third double-figure game in the last four outings as part of the seventh overall game in double-digits, topping her previous season-high of 16 points vs. James Madison (11/23), and one point shy of her career-high of 19 points vs. Virginia (11/28/18).
• Sunday's 18 points was Ozment's most in a B1G game in her career, in part of only her fifth B1G contest in double figures, topping the previous mark of 11 points, done twice previously and both vs. Nebraska (12/31/19 and 1/10/21), also scoring in double-digits with 10 vs. Rutgers and Wisconsin in back-to-back games (2/24/21 and 3/6/21).
• Ozment also pulled down a season-high and career-high tying nine rebounds, one shy of her first career double-double ... the nine boards topped her previous season-best of eight rebounds, reached four times, most recently at Iowa (1/2), while matching her career-best of nine rebounds vs. Iowa State (3/22/21).
• Additionally, Ozment swiped three steals, the most in a B1G game this season and tying her second-most overall, one shy of her season and career-best four swipes vs. James Madison (11/23) and tying three steals vs. Evansville (11/19).
• Graduate guard Moira Joiner's jumper with 29 seconds left was her 10th point of the day, continuing her streak of netting double-digits in every game this season ... Joiner now has 18-straight double-digit outings going back to the 2022-23 season as part of in 19 of her last 20 games played ... for her career, Joiner now has 45 double-figure outings.
• Joiner netted one 3-pointer Sunday, with just seven ticks to play, giving her one triple in 15 of the 16 contests this season.
The one triple by Joiner was her 170th 3-pointer of her career, becoming just the sixth Spartan women's basketball player with 170 career treys, holding on to the No. 6 spot on MSU's career 3-pointers list.
• Joiner dished out a season-high five assists, topping her previous season best of four helpers, done four previous times, most recently last time out vs. Maryland (1/9).
• Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault pulled down nine rebounds, sharing the team-lead with Ozment and marking the seventh-straight game with seven or more boards and ninth total time this season ... Ayrault has at least four rebounds in all 16 games this season including five or more boards in 14 contests.
• Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann distributed five assists, posting her eighth contest this season with five or more helpers.
• Hagemann's five assists give her 357 for her career, moving up to No. 12 on MSU's career assists list, passing Vnemina Reese (1998-2002) with 356 helpers.