Columbus - The No. 25 MSU women's basketball team played the best defense they've played all season in a 55-47 win Thursday night at Ohio State.
The Spartans' (12-3 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) match-up zone defense gave the Buckeyes (10-5, 2-2) problems all night.
"It was a great team defensive effort; we did our scouting report and we knew who (Ohio State's) go-to players were and we shut them down," junior guard Kristen Haynie said.
The Spartans' defense against junior all-Big Ten candidate Caity Matter helped them hold on at the end of the game. Matter scored only seven points on 2-of-11 shooting from the field and 1-of-9 shooting from beyond the 3-point arc.
The Spartans' second-half offense and rebounding set the tempo for the game. Every time the Buckeyes made a run in the second half, MSU answered with big baskets and big rebounds.
It was exactly the type of competitive response MSU head coach Joanne P. McCallie was looking for, specifically from Haynie.
"Kristen is such an underrated point guard, not only in this conference, but nationally," McCallie said. "She was definitely a big key in our success tonight with the ball in her possession.
"I can't say enough about her."
Haynie led the Spartans in scoring, rebounds and assists, with 16, 12 and four, respectively.
Junior center Kelli Roehrig and sophomore forward Liz Shimek joined Haynie by snagging double-digit rebounds with 12 and 10 boards, respectively.
"It's all about heart and toughness," Shimek said. "You can't watch the ball, you have to find a person to block out and then find the rebound."
Ohio State trailed at halftime, 20-14, but made a second-half comeback on the shoulders of 6-foot-5 freshman center Jessica Davenport.
Davenport took the starting spot at center instead of senior LaToya Turner, who was sidelined because she suffered a concussion earlier this week. Davenport led the Buckeyes with 16 points and 15 rebounds.
The game also was a homecoming for MSU freshman guard and Columbus native Rene Haynes. She scored 10 points off the bench and played tough defense all night.
"You never know what a player in this situation will do, especially a freshman," McCallie said. "The composure she showed was great - she played like a junior."
