No. 24 Michigan State women hold off stubborn Rutgers 70-64 in Big Ten Conference home opener
Rashunda Jones scored four of her 14 points in the final 28 seconds and Kennedy Blair posted a double-double to help No. 24 Michigan State hold off Rutgers 70-64 in the Spartans’ Big Ten Conference home opener
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Rashunda Jones scored four of her 14 points in the final 28 seconds and Kennedy Blair posted a double-double to help No. 24 Michigan State hold off Rutgers 70-64 on Sunday in the Spartans' Big Ten Conference home opener.
Kaylah Ivey hit a 3-pointer to get Rutgers within a point, but Jones hit a short jumper and then added two free throws following a Scarlet Knights turnover to help the Spartans (12-1, 1-1) prevail in their first home game in five weeks after going 5-1 on a lengthy road trip.
Nene Ndiaye led the Scarlet Knights (8-5, 0-2) with 16 points and six rebounds before fouling out with 4:15 remaining. Faith Blackstone totaled 15 points and seven rebounds. Imani Lester added 11 points and Ivey scored 10 with five assists.
Michigan State took a five-point lead before going scoreless over the final 2:24 of the first quarter. Blackstone sank a 3-pointer and two free throws, scoring the final five points to tie it 15-all.
Sotelo had the first two baskets of the second quarter to ignite an 11-0 run for the Spartans. Ndiaye's layup with 1:45 to go was the final basket of the half and the Scarlet Knights trailed 32-27.
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Lester had seven points in the third quarter and Rutgers outscored the Spartans by two to cut it to 52-49.
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