Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Michigan St
Women's Basketball Defeated by Michigan State
2/4/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 4, 2000
EVANSTON, Ill. - On January 6, the Northwestern women's basketball team scored a bit of an upset, defeating a Michigan State team that boasted a significantly better record at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
In the rematch Thursday night in East Lansing, the Spartans did not allow lightning to strike twice. MSU used a 15-0 run early in the contest and never looked back, defeating the Wildcats, 84-52.
Down, 3-2, Northwestern got layups from Billee Russell and Natalie Will to take a 6-3 lead. It was then that Michigan State made its run, and after that the closest the Wildcats got was nine points when Leslie Schock made the score 20-11 by draining a trey with 10:46 to play in the half.
However, the Spartans used another 11-4 run, upping the lead to 31-15, and took a 39-22 lead into the halftime break.
In the second half, Michigan State's lead hovered around the 20-point mark until the midway point, when an 18-3 run over a span of 4:18 pushed MSU's advantage to 71-39.
Dana Leonard came off the bench to lead the Wildcats in scoring, with 14 points, while freshman Leslie Dolland netted 10 points and led the 'Cats with seven rebounds.
Michigan State was led by Becky Cummings, who had 20 points and 11 boards, while Maxann Reese scored 19 points, Kristen Rasmussen added 12 and Vnemina Reese scored 11.
Northwestern will be back in action Sunday, hosting defending NCAA champion and 17th-ranked Purdue at 2 p.m. The game will also be "Pack The Place 2000," as the Wildcats attempt to break the Welsh-Ryan women's basketball attendance record of 3,779 set last year. All tickets to the game will be $1.
