Losing streak continues for IU

The first half couldn't have gone better for the Hoosiers. IU made No. 11 Michigan State slow the tempo while limiting them to 18 points, en route to trailing by just one at the break. However, there are 40 minutes in college basketball and MSU outplayed IU in the last 20 to win 52-40.\nMuch like the first half, the Hoosiers (8-11, Big Ten 1-8) stayed with MSU (18-3, Big Ten 7-2) trading baskets for the first five minutes, and trailing 29-27.\nFrom that point on that Spartans took control of the game and showed why they are one of the top teams in the country.\n"We just got our butts kicked in rebounding in the second half," coach Kathi Bennett said. "We fell apart in our defensive rebounding and limiting them to one shot in the second half and that is the reason (we lost)"\nThe Spartans out-rebounded the Hoosiers 31-9 in the first half and 49-25 for the game. Michigan State also controlled the offensive glass, grabbing 20 offensive rebounds to IU's five.\nThough rebounding played a factor in the second half turnaround for the Spartans, the emergence of senior center Kelli Roehrig proved just as big.\nRoehrig was limited to six and half minutes in the first half as she picked up two quick fouls. \nIn the run that put the Hoosiers away, Roehrig scored 11 of her 13 points as Michigan State pushed ahead 46-32.\nStaying motivated despite being in foul trouble was important in picking up her 76th win as a Spartan, a record for a fourth-year MSU player, she said.\n"When you are sitting (on the bench) you have a lot of things to think about," Roehrig said. "It's festering in you and you want to come back in the game -- so I had all that energy and I had to put in the right place."\nAt the start of the game it looked like Michigan State might run away with a victory as they jumped out to an eight-point lead just more than four minutes into the game. IU's defense buckled down and held the Spartans scoreless the next eight minutes, tying the game at 8 with seven minutes remaining in the half.\nThe rest of the half was nip and tuck as both teams traded baskets. IU gained its only lead of the afternoon 17-16 on junior center Angela Hawkins three-point play. \nEven though the Spartans maintained only a one-point lead at the break, the amount of experience from the past two years paid dividends Sunday, said Michigan State coach Joanne P. McCallie.\n"(The team) really had some adversity in the first half, I thought they really focused and came back in the second half," McCallie said. "I thought we really did put together a great 20 minutes in the second half of playing the game the same, regardless of what the score was."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.