Feb. 25, 2013

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Michigan State women's basketball team dropped a 67-60 road contest on Monday night to Ohio State, falling to 20-7 overall and 8-6 in the Big Ten. Senior Jasmine Thomas paced the Spartans with 16 points, on 8-for-12 shooting, five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Michigan State led 13-10 midway through the first half, but OSU went on an 18-2 run over a six-minute stretch to go ahead 28-15. The Spartans chipped back to within seven, going to the break down 30-23.

The Spartans scored the first basket of the second half to cut the deficit to five, but Ohio State again followed with a run - this time 9-2 - to go back up double digits. MSU would get no closer than seven, on multiple occasions, before a late run. With the Buckeyes up 63-54 with 1:54 left, Thomas ran off six-straight points to cut the OSU advantage to 63-60 with 38 seconds left. However, Hill closed with four points in the final possessions to seal the win.

Sophomore Becca Mills and junior Annalise Pickrel added 11 points in the loss, while the pair, along with senior Courtney Schiffauer, led MSU with six rebounds apiece.

Michigan State returns to action on Thursday for its final road game of the season, traveling to Purdue for a 7 p.m. tip on Big Ten Network.

POST-GAME NOTES:
- It was the Spartans' fifth straight loss to Ohio State.
- Jasmine Thomas played her 124th career game, tying her for 13th on the all-time Spartan list. Courtney Schiffauer played her 118th game, tying her for 18th.
- In Thomas' last three games, she is averaging 15.7 points. In her last five games, Thomas has 18 assists and only five turnovers.
- Becca Mills has scored in double figures in four straight games, averaging 13.0 points during that span.