Hoosiers drop fifth straight

There were four straight loses to avenge, a Big Ten record to improve and a home court to defend Thursday night for the IU women’s basketball team. Standing in its way was No. 12 Michigan State.

The Spartans handed the Hoosiers their fifth straight loss by a score of 69-55.

A late run by IU with just less than 10 minutes left in the second half was not enough to make up for the Spartans’ previous 30 minutes of energy.

The Hoosiers (8-11, 2-5) did not have enough on defense to counter the Spartans’ (17-2, 5-1) persistent offensive attack.

“Our fight was there, our desire was there, our hustle, our turnovers too, but it was through the work ethic,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said.

Michigan State shot 44.7 percent from the field and scored 21 points off IU’s 19 turnovers, 17 of which came in the first half.

The Hoosiers committed five turnovers in the second half, but the damage had already
been done.

Michigan State had trouble with turnovers as well with 27, but IU could not capitalize off those opportunities during the first half, which kept them behind the Spartans most of the way.

The Hoosiers also had trouble stopping the Spartans’ three-point shots. Michigan State finished shooting 62.5 percent from behind the arc.

IU senior guard Jori Davis noted that her team could have put more defensive pressure on the Spartans’ guards to prevent the threes.

Senior guard Whitney Lindsay said that the team did not come firing out of the gate like they needed to.

“The attack wasn’t there as much as it should have been,” Lindsay said. “The second half we attacked more. We need to do that in the beginning.”

Lindsay finished with 16 points, second behind Davis’ 20.

The Hoosiers finished shooting 41.7 percent from the field and converted four three-point shots.

The Hoosiers now prepare to face Penn State in three days.

“I think the last 10 minutes are what we are going to take to move forward to our next opportunity,” Legette-Jack said.