Because of an Ohio State administrative technical foul before the game, freshman guard Tori Jankoska shot and made a free throw before the opening tip. MSU started hot, building a 10-2 lead and forcing the Buckeyes to call timeout early.

Mills found a rhythm early, making her first five shots. She was fouled on a turnaround with 15:49 on the clock, making it a 14-4 lead going into the first media timeout.

Ohio State junior guard Raven Ferguson nailed a corner 3 to trim the lead to seven, but Powers responded with a 3-pointer of her own to make it a 10-point game.

Senior guard Klarissa Bell assisted Pickrel on a layup in transition to give the Spartans a 21-9 lead with 11:47 left in the first, forcing another Ohio State timeout.

The Buckeyes utilized a half-court press and went on a 6-0 run to cut the score to 21-15 with under eight minutes left. Bell got to the line and made both free throws to add cushion to the score, but an aggressive move to the rim by Ferguson narrowed it back to six.

MSU soon regained command of the game. Powers sank an open 3-pointer with 5:02 on the clock to extend the lead to 11, 30-19. Pickrel located Hines under the rim for a lay-in, and Pickrel hit two free throws on the next play to make it a 15-point game.

Jankoska nailed her first triple of the game with 2:30 on the clock, giving the Spartans a 16-point lead. Powers assisted Pickrel on a layup in transition to make it an 18-point advantage, 39-21, with 2:13 left.

Powers hit a midrange jumper with 1:25 left to extend the lead to 20.