Freshman guard Brittney Thomas shields the ball from Penn State guard Brianne O’Rourke during Sunday’s game at Penn State. Thomas scored a total of 16 points, helping the Spartans earn a 66-50 victory over the Nittany Lions.
The MSU women’s basketball team will look to extend its winning streak to four games tonight against Northwestern.
After alternating wins and losses for much of the Big Ten season, the Spartans have won three straight for the first time since late November.
“It just seemed like we had a ‘lightbulb moment,’ where, as a team, we found it on the floor,” freshman guard Brittney Thomas said. “We found what it meant to fight, we found what it meant to be enthusiastic, so we’re just trying to keep it going.”
On the flip side, the Wildcats are winless in 14 league games and haven’t won since Dec. 17 at Marquette.
The Spartans currently sit in sixth place in the Big Ten but are only two games behind third-place Purdue with three to go, including a head-to-head matchup Sunday.
“We need every game,” Thomas said. “Luckily we’re on a roll and we’re going to try to snowball this into the postseason.”
But for now, MSU must focus on the Wildcats — a team it defeated 74-62 on Jan. 17.
Freshman forward Kalisha Keane scored 23 points while sophomore center Allyssa DeHaan scored 19 with seven rebounds in the victory.
“We’re a different team than we were then,” sophomore center Lauren Aitch said. “There were things we let them get that we never should’ve let them get. This time around we’re going to come out of the gates and make sure they don’t get anything and we don’t give them any confidence that they can win the game.”
The Spartans, however, had a hard time containing Northwestern’s Amy Jaeschke, who had 26 points and 10 rebounds. Ellen Jaeschke also had a solid game, scoring 12 points with seven rebounds.
“Their posts just really dominated us, honestly,” Thomas said.
“We’ve been working on what we can change-up to make sure they’re less productive. They’re a scary team because they have nothing to lose.”
Aitch said controlling both Jaeschkes is one of the team’s main goals.
“We made them look like All-Americans,” Aitch said. “Our posts will definitely have to crack down on them because that’s what they are going to go through.”
The effort on the Jaeschkes will seemingly prove if MSU’s recommitment to defense has paid off or not.
“The last two games we’ve been fighting and competing at the defensive end, which I think has made all the difference,” head coach Suzy Merchant said.
Tip-off is 7 p.m. tonight at Breslin Center.
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