No. 18 MSU women’s basketball (20-6, 9-6 Big Ten) had plenty of reasons to celebrate Wednesday evening. The Spartans not only secured a win for their seniors but also scored 100 points against a Big Ten opponent, dominating Northwestern (8-17, 2-12 Big Ten) 104-68 to end a two-game losing streak and gain momentum in the closing stretch of the season.

"One of the themes we’ve had this week was, 'get the train back on the tracks,' and we felt like we needed to get back some basic things," MSU head coach Robyn Fralick said. "Love our third quarter, but for the most part, I just thought we played with a better urgency through 40 minutes."

From the opening tipoff, the Spartans were already in unusual territory, playing without one of the three players who had started every game this season, junior guard Rashunda Jones.

The squad found itself without its starting guard for the first time all season due to a lower-leg injury suffered last game. That unfortunate situation forced junior guard Sara Sambolić into her first career start — and she stepped up.

Through the opening 10 minutes, Sambolić scored six of the team’s 23 points, including knocking down the squad’s first 3-pointer.

"She was awesome," Fralick said. "I feel like she really set the tone, and credit to her for staying ready. I say you can’t get ready when you’re called on, you got to be ready. And she was called on and was more than ready."

While parts of MSU’s offense — such as Sambolić’s early output — were unexpected, the Spartans' defense looked familiar. The aggressive, turnover-heavy system that has defined this squad made its presence felt immediately.

In the first quarter alone, MSU recorded five steals, a trend that continued throughout the night. The Spartans finished with 13 steals and forced 17 Northwestern turnovers while committing just five of their own.

VanSlooten and redshirt sophomore guard Kennedy Blair were pests on the ball, each collecting two steals in the opening quarter. For Blair, the disruption didn’t stop there.

She finished with five steals and filled up the stat sheet with 17 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Her 10 assists moved her into the top 10 on MSU’s all-time single-season assist list.

The Wildcats weren’t completely out of it after the first quarter, trailing just 23-14. But after a dominant second quarter from MSU, the climb became much steeper as Northwestern entered halftime down 55-28.

One of the main contributors in a quarter where the Spartans outscored Northwestern 32-14 was senior forward Marah Dykstra, who, alongside VanSlooten, led the quarter with eight points. The burst came as a surprise considering she averaged just 3.3 points entering the game.

"She’s a winner," Fralick said regarding Dykstra. "I always feel like she is a kid that every team she’s been on, finds ways to win because she does all the invisible things. She’s a great teammate. She’s a mature competitor. Whatever role we’ve asked her to do, she’s done it with a great attitude and the right mindset."

Dykstra’s big second quarter helped her reach a season-high 14 points. She went 3-of-3 from beyond the arc and missed just one shot from the field. However, she wasn’t the only senior who left her mark on Senior Day.

The five seniors who touched the floor combined for 63 points. VanSlooten led the way with 22 points while adding seven rebounds. Guard Jalyn Brown scored 15, Dykstra had 14, and guards Emma Shumate and Abbey Kimball each scored six.

"They all had an impact. We’ve counted on them a lot, I’m up there celebrating, I’m also like, 'Oh, that’s a lot of points and rebounds,'" Fralick said. "The class has a unique story, because we have two one-year players, we have two two-year players and then we have two four-year players. But together they’ve been able to make a big impact here at MSU."

Aside from the seniors shining, Blair wasn’t the only non-senior making noise. Sambolić built on her strong start, finishing with 13 points and six assists.

"Not gonna lie, I was scared, like nervous, because usually my role is not that big," Sambolić said regarding how she felt when she learned she was starting. "But Spider [Jones] is out currently, and I wanted to replace her as good as I can."

Northwestern senior forward Grace Sullivan, who entered the game averaging 22 points per game, finished with 23 despite early foul trouble. But MSU’s depth and defensive pressure proved too much to overcome.

It was a special night in Breslin Center as six seniors kissed the floor, including guard Theryn Hallock, who hasn’t played since December — a situation that leaves her future of coming back for another season up in the air.

"I think that’s something we’re still talking about at the end of the season," Fralick said regarding Hallock’s future in East Lansing. "But something she shared was that this was a special class for her. You know, her and Abbey came in together, so being able to celebrate with them tonight is important to her."

At the end of the day, everything went the Spartans’ way in a 36-point Senior Day win as they prepare for a ranked road matchup against No. 23 Minnesota (21-6, 12-4 Big Ten) on Sunday at 6 p.m.