Storrs, Conn. - Every senior wants to earn a victory in the last game of their career. And even though the Spartans lost 50-47 to Texas Christian in the first round of the Women's NCAA Tournament on Sunday, Syreeta Bromfield walked away with her head up.
Bromfield went out with a roar during her final game in green and white, nabbing game-highs with 18 points and 15 rebounds. On paper the statistics seem impressive, but the effort was even more amazing to witness. Bromfield battled against an 11-deep Lady Frog squad that played women as tall or taller than her at every position, yet Bromfield managed to be the Spartans' top performer.
"She had a great senior game, she kept us in the first half," MSU head coach Joanne P. McCallie said. "I'm really happy to have Syreeta end on that kind of note."
In the beginning of the game, the senior forward did everything she could to lift her struggling teammates, scoring 10 of the Spartans' 12 first-half points.
At the end of the game, Bromfield stepped beyond the arc and sank a long 3-pointer that brought MSU within four, 45-41, with 42.5 seconds on the clock.
Appropriately enough, Bromfield also scored the last bucket of the game for the Spartans, banking a jumper off the glass to pull the Spartans to within one, 48-47, with just four seconds left on the clock.
And if Bromfield's on-the-court performance was outstanding, her sideline presence was invaluable.
MSU had been playing intimidated basketball throughout the game. Bromfield took note, and during a timeout finally got the team to relax. Shooting just 17-of-64 from the field for the game, some MSU players were losing spirit fast, as the basket had seemingly shrunk to the size of a dime.
During a break with just more than five minutes left in the game and the Spartans down 43-29, Bromfield got into the team huddle and gave the final inspirational speech of her career, telling everyone to lighten up and have fun.
MSU broke out of the timeout in smiles and ended the game playing Spartan basketball. MSU outscored TCU 18-7 in the game's final five minutes.
"I was relaxed the whole time, but sometimes it looked like we were too uptight and scared to take chances," Bromfield said. "After the timeout for that little bit we came together.
"Going to the NCAA Tournament was a great experience in my final year. I wish we could have done better, but I think it was a great way for me to go out."
