The MSU women’s basketball team (7-0) shot a season-best 53.2 percent, including seven 3-pointers, as they clobbered the Panthers (3-4) 81-50 Saturday night to match their best start to a regular season in program history.

The Spartans were led by a career-high 19 points from sophomore center Jasmine Hines, but MSU once again used balanced scoring to dominate its opposition.

“We’ve had a pretty good balance of scoring and it definitely helps because if we have one or two scorers that are our top scorers every night, if one of them has an off game we’re kind of in trouble,” Hines said.

“When we have five or six people with big numbers, if one has an off night, we can still get through it and be there for each other.”

Seven players scored six points or more, with five players finishing in double figures, including sophomore forward Becca Mills, who finished with 14 points and five rebounds, and senior guard Jasmine Thomas, who added 10 points, seven rebounds and a game-high seven assists.

With freshman guard Aerial Powers and sophomore center Madison Williams both suffering season-ending injuries, and sophomore guard Kiana Johnson also out of the lineup due to suspension, head coach Suzy Merchant said it’s been incumbent on people to step up, but that it’s been done as a team, not a group of individuals.

“We share the ball really well. People play within themselves and know what they can do and don’t try to force things or create things that aren’t there,” Merchant said.

“It’s nice to see them play where it’s not one or two people that have to get the job done.”

Senior forward Courtney Schiffauer said having a number of people available to lean on has lightened the stress on individual players, allowing everyone to perform confidently and with a feeling of support.

“It’s great to have everyone step up. I don’t think anyone’s nervous or scared to do it,” Schiffauer said.

“It’s just nice to have confident people out there wanting to produce when they can.”