Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Michigan St
Women's Basketball Defeats Michigan State, 58-55
1/6/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 6, 2000
EVANSTON, Ill. - The Northwestern women's basketball team shook off a slow start and defeated Michigan State, 58-55, in its Big Ten home opener at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
The Spartans (10-4, 1-2 Big Ten) started off hot, scoring the first nine points of the game. Junior Tami Sears (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) got the ?Cats on the board with a layup as NU began to chip away at the lead. Northwestern (4-8, 1-1 Big Ten) put together an 11-0 run midway through the half, and when Leslie Dolland (Bloomington, Minn./Blake School) capped the run with a jumper she gave the Wildcats their first lead at 22-21. The teams traded baskets over the final five minutes of the half, and Northwestern settled for a 33-31 halftime lead.
The game remained close throughout the second half. A jumper by Leslie Schock (Elgin, Ill./Elgin) pushed the Northwestern lead to seven with 14:36 remaining, but Michigan State clawed back and tied the game at 53-53 with 4:26 left. Dana Leonard (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) broke the deadlock with a three-pointer to give the Wildcats the lead for good.
Sears led a balanced Northwestern attack with 14 points. Leonard added 10 points off the bench, and Schock added nine points and a season-high 12 rebounds. Kristen Rasmussen led the Spartans with 22 points.
