Now for the last women’s Big Ten team still alive in the postseason, the feelings are bittersweet.

“I don’t think anyone likes to play each other this late conference-to-conference,” MSU head coach Suzy Merchant said. “Like you saw today, I think both teams knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses and it was going to be anybody’s game. As coaches you want to promote your conference and meet in the final game as opposed to knocking each other out (in the fourth round).”

On the flip side, after missing out on an NCAA Tournament bid, the team has constantly said they have something to prove, and by being the last remaining Big Ten team on the women’s side, they’re doing all they can.

After missing 12 straight 3-point shots, senior forward Alisa Wulff ended MSU’s 3-point drought, scoring a 3-pointer with nine minutes left in regulation.

Wulff said she and fellow senior guard Courtney Davidson refused to end their Spartan basketball careers with a loss to U-M, especially at Breslin Center.

“We just took that personal and we were going to fight every possession to get the win,” Wulff said.

Freshman forward Kalisha Keane fed off of Wulff’s 3-pointer and stepped up for the Spartans in the end, scoring the last seven points to tie the score at 37 points and force the Spartans’ first overtime this season. Keane led the Spartans with 15 points and four steals.

U-M lost all of its offensive rhythm and overall focus in overtime, committing five fouls to give MSU 10 free-throw attempts, eight of which were successful. All eight of MSU’s overtime points came off of Wolverine fouls. Likewise, U-M scored its only three overtime points off free throws.

In the first half, both teams lacked any kind of offensive momentum or focus. MSU turned the ball over seven times in its first 10 possessions and ended the first half down by seven points with 12 turnovers.

“It’s pretty bad when your mom, who knows nothing about sports, (asks) you ‘Do you guys work on passing?’” Merchant said.

At one point, the play in the first half was so scattered and erratic, Merchant proposed the team take on a hockey mentality.

“The turnovers (were so bad), that I looked at our staff and said ‘At this point, let’s just make it like a hockey game with shots on goal. It’s better than a turnover,’” she said. “Just throw it toward the bucket versus turning it over … We don’t have a goalie, but maybe we’ll get a rebound.”

The Spartans ended the game taking plenty of shots, going 13-for-61 from the field.

MSU will tip-off against North Carolina State in the WNIT semifinals at 7 p.m., Wednesday at Breslin Center.