The MSU women’s basketball team’s two-game skid has nothing to do with being a bad team.

According to coach Joanne P. McCallie, the squad is missing leadership and maturity.

Upperclassman, usually seniors, provide the leadership on teams. Unfortunately for the Spartans (14-9 overall, 4-8 Big Ten), the lone senior on the team is reserve forward Abby Salscheider and she averages 7.1 minutes a game.

McCallie said regardless of the sole seniors, the team needs someone to step up to end the Spartans’ downslide.

“We had very poor leadership and we weren’t very connected,” McCallie said of MSU’s performance over the weekend. “There was a lot of things wrong with our game.”

Being connected comes with the experience of playing together. But the Spartans have shuffled their starting lineup continuously all season.

McCallie said the team needs to toughen up and dominant its opponents. The fact MSU played three games in five days could be used as an excuse, but not one McCallie is willing to accept.

“We need to be a lot tougher,” McCallie said. “I don’t think (the schedule) should be an excuse in any way.

“We need to mature with our character as a team. We also need to get a lot tougher when people hit shots and do good things. Our team is very young in their maturity.”

Two Spartans realize the leadership gap, and at times, attempt to spark a fire in the team.

With the Spartans down as many as 20 points against Indiana (11-11, 5-6), junior forward Syreeta Bromfield and freshman guard Kristin Haynie both tried to exert their leadership.

Both single handily tried to put points on the scoreboard in hope of waking the team’s dormant offense.

When MSU fell behind early in the first half, Bromfield scored five straight Spartan points to give MSU the lead. It was d