Hot-shooting Hoosiers down Spartans

After an impressive 85-72 victory at Ohio State Thursday, the IU women's basketball team won its second consecutive game Sunday with a 67-55 win over Michigan State.\nAfter a nip-and-tuck first half that saw four ties and neither team have more than a five-point lead, IU (11-11, 5-6 Big Ten) dominated much of the second half to pull away for the victory.\nThe Hoosiers led the Spartans (14-9, 4-8) 29-26 at the half and used a 7-2 run in the first 3:08 of the second half to build a quick eight-point advantage. IU stretched the lead to 16 at the 8:23 mark, which capped off a 10-1 run.\nHoosier head coach Kathi Bennett thought the Hoosiers' early runs in the second half were a key to IU's victory.\n"Anytime you can come out and do that, it gives you confidence, and the other team is scrambling a little bit," Bennett said. "We wanted to play with a little more heart in the second half and to rely on our defense and get some easy scores from our defense."\nThe Hoosiers' stingy defense held Michigan State to one free throw over a 7:01 span, and IU pulled down five more rebounds than the Spartans in the second half.\nMichigan State did dominate on the offensive boards, pulling down 15 for the game and getting 10 second-chance points to IU's three.\nSpartan head coach Joanne McCallie thought her team lacked leadership and said the senior-laden Hoosiers could pose a threat in the Big Ten Tournament. The Spartans start a mere one senior, while IU has four.\n"We struggled with leadership, people believing and motivating," McCallie said. "With (IU's) senior leadership, they are a dangerous team -- no doubt about that. I am not sure they have reached what they can do. They have a nice inside and outside combination."\nThe win was the Hoosiers' third in four games and has IU moving in the right direction following a five-game losing streak.\nSenior center Jill Chapman said the key to IU's turnaround was the team sticking together through its tough stretch of games.\n"Staying together and believing in each other and knowing we could do it was the main thing," Chapman said. "No one quit; we aren't going to quit until the very last game we have."\nThe Spartans played multiple zone defenses against IU, and the Hoosiers' perimeter shooters made Michigan State pay, hitting 8-of-16 three pointers in the game.\nThe Spartans forced the Hoosiers to commit 19 turnovers but couldn't contain the Hoosier shooters, as IU shot 56.8 percent from the field and converted 17-of-22 free throws. Senior forward Erin McGinnis led the Hoosiers with 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists. She knocked down 5 of 8 from the field and 4 of 6 from three-point range.\n"I was taking shots that were more open and in rhythm," McGinnis said of her performance. "A lot of times today, we made the extra pass to an open player and getting people open."\nChapman contributed her Big Ten-leading 12th double-double of the season with 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Senior guard Heather Cassady also scored in double figures with 13 points. The other Hoosier starters, senior guard Tara Jones and freshman forward Jenny DeMuth each chipped in with nine points.\nMichigan State also had three scorers in double digits with Kristen Haynie leading the way with 19 points.