A day after taking down ninth-seeded Minnesota in the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis, Northwestern matched up against No. 1 seed Michigan State, who had a bye. The one regular season meeting yielded a 74-60 Spartan victory three weeks ago, but the rematch wouldn’t be close at all. Behind a staggering 16 first-half turnovers, Northwestern struggled to produce offense and fell further behind in the second half for a final margin of 56-25. The loss marked the worst offensive output in Big Ten tourney history by a single team and combined total points.
Hero of the game | Michigan State’s defense
Not a single Wildcat player can be seriously considered the hero of the game, as it was far less about how the Wildcats failed to deliver on a promising Big Ten tourney start, and more about how the Spartan’s defense performed. A stingy and madhouse defense hounded star center Amy Jaeschke into a putrid 2-for-12 performance and frustrated her enough to move her away from the paint.
Obliterating any offensive rhythm, to the tune of 16 NU turnovers, left Northwestern with only 14 points at halftime, but the Spartans would continue to harass Northwestern and yielding only the remaining 11 points after intermission. Compared to Northwestern’s first half shooting numbers (6-of-19), it’s amazing that MSU forced two less makes despite yielding an additional eight shots in the second half (4-of-27). The entire result makes it a forgettable night of shooting for the women Wildcats.
Stat of the game | Take your pick
The Wildcats fell flat on every basic statistic that suggests team success, besides the final score. Not a single Wildcat scored in double-digits, only 10 field goals, eight assists, two less turnovers than total points scored; you name it, the Wildcats fell short. Interestingly enough, MSU’s boxscore looks entirely ordinary.
Turning point | Kalisha Keane’s jumper with 1:41 left in the first half
The Big Ten player of the year struck gold with her final points of the first half, igniting a 6-1 run to end the first half, give MSU all the momentum and tip a precarious 16-13 lead into a commanding 22-14 margin by halftime. More of the same followed to start the second half, and Northwestern never fully recovered after a physical first half that reflected the same poor offensive efficiency from the Minnesota game. This time, however, there was no second half outburst to compensate.
What to improve on | Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers
The Achilles’ heal of the team this year, 16 of these dropped Northwestern into bouts of frustration, and while the turnovers didn’t occur nearly as much in the second half, it struck a chord that was hard to buck.
Most likely, the NIT awaits the team, and while it’s a major disappointment for a team that featured two seniors who have gone through cellar-dweller doldrums early in their careers, it’s a concession that Jaeschke and starting point guard Beth Marshall will have to swallow. A strong run through the invitational is not out of the question, but Northwestern will have to reduce their turnovers to finally reach its potential.