On Big Ten Network, the No. 21 women's basketball team (20-8 overall, 12-3 Big Ten) defeated Northwestern (14-14, 4-11) 75-44 on the road.
The Spartans have won at least 20 games for 11 consecutive seasons, the longest streak in the Big Ten. MSU can earn at least a share of the Big Ten title with a win over Indiana on Sunday.
Redshirt freshman guard Aerial Powers had 19 points and 13 rebounds in a winning effort, and senior forward Annalise Pickrel has 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Junior forward Alex Cohen led Northwestern with 11 points.
The Spartans were quite sloppy early, handing the rock over to to Northwestern four times in the first five minutes. The Wildcats used a 11-0 run to take a 11-6 lead five minutes into the game.
Hines scored a layup to snap the Northwestern run with 13:30 on the clock.
The Spartans responded with a 22-3 run to take the lead back for good.
Powers grabbed an offensive rebound off a miss by junior forward Becca Mills and completed the and-1 opportunity to narrow the lead to five, 16-11. Pickrel completed a 3-point play moments later to narrow the Northwestern lead to two.
Pickrel left the game after that play with an injury concern, but she checked back in a few minutes later and dished an assist to Hines under the rim, who drew a foul.
Hines hit the layup to make it a one-point game, 18-17.Powers knocked down two free throws to retake the lead, 19-18. Pickrel hit a 3-pointer with under six minutes left to stretch the lead to four.
Redshirt freshman guard Branndais Agee went on a personal 4-0 run, hitting a pair of layups but missing a 3-point play opportunity, to make it a 26-18 advantage with 3:57 left in the first half.
After a Northwestern layup. Agee knocked down a jumper off a screen to increase the lead to 30-19 with 3:12 on the clock.
MSU continued to roll in the second half. Pickrel laid the ball in four minutes into the second half to give the Spartans a 16-point lead, 39-23.
Powers made it a 20-point lead, 47-27, after completing yet another 3-point play with under 15 minutes left.Jankoska hit two free throws with 12:06 on the clock to make it a 28-point lead. Pickrel's 3-pointer with under eight minutes left made it a 28-point game once again, 64-36.
The Spartans pushed the lead to a game-high 31 with under three minutes left, following a layup by junior center Jasmine Hines.
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