MSU women’s basketball game blog: Spartans fall to Purdue in title game

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — The Michigan State women’s basketball team is making it second appearance ever in the Big Ten Tournament championship game this afternoon against Purdue at the Sears Centre Arena. The game can be seen on ESPN2 at 4 p.m.

MSU only other appearance in the title game was in 2005 and it defeated Minnesota 55-49.

Purdue will be trying for its second straight tournament title and ninth in the 19-year history of the event. The Boilermakers are 36-10 all-time in the tournament. MSU is 0-3 all-time against Purdue in the tournament.

MSU coach Suzy Merchant had an interesting Purdue story that she shared following the Spartans’ win over Penn State on Saturday night.

MSU starters are Kiana Johnson, Jasmine Thomas, Klarissa Bell, Courtney Schiffauer and Becca Mills
Purdue’s starters are Courtney Moses, Dee Dee Williams, KK Houser, Drey Mingo and Sam Ostarello.

4:07 – MSU 4, Purdue 4 – Fast start here offensively compared to yesterday
4:09 – Purdue 8, MSU 4 – Spartans scored on first two possessions but have been off on last three. Thomas shot an airball and then MSU had a shot clock violation.
4:10 – Purdue 10, MSU 4 – Mingo with a pair of FTs at 16:48 mark. Purdue has scored eight straight
4:11 – Purdue 12, MSU 6.: Mills picks up second foul and Jasmine Hines is in. Mingo makes a pair of free throws and has eight points early at 16:07 mark
4:14 – Purdue 12, MSU 8: We’re at first media timeout with 15:26 left. Mingo with 8 points and Schiffauer has 4 points for MSU. Purdue is perfect from the field (4-4)
4:19 – Purdue 18, MSU 8: Merchant calls timeout after basket by Taylor Manuel at 12:50 mark. Purdue is 7-7 from field. Hines has two fouls now
4:22 – Purdue 20, MSU 8: We’re at media timeout and Purdue just missed its first shot after Thomas had a block. Boilermakers are 8-9 and Mingo has 12 points. 11:37 left in 1st half
4:27 – Purdue 25, MSU 8 : Houser drains 3 and MSU is down  17
4:28 – Purdue 27, MSU 10: Houser makes a pair of free throws at 8:55 mark.
4:31 – Purdue 27, MSU 10: We’re at the media timeout with 7:46 left. Mingo has 14 points. MSU is struggling badly from the field like in the first half Saturday.
4:40 – Purdue 33, MSU 10: Nothing going right for MSU as Annalise Pickrel is called for a charge heading into the media timeout with 3:05 left. Spartans 5-27 from the field, while Purdue is 13-23.
4:43 – Purdue 33, MSU 10: Mills now picks up third foul but Purdue misses the free throw
4:45 – Purdue 33, MSU 12: Thomas ends MSU’s long scoring drought. We’re just under a minute left in 1st half
4:52 – Purdue 33, MSU 14: It’s been a brutal first half for the Spartans. They shot just 21.9 percent (7-32) and have been led by Jasmine Thomas and Courtney Schiffauer’s 4 points. Drey Mingo has 14 for Purdue, which shot 48.1 percent (13-27).
5:02 – Purdue 33, MSU 14: Second half about to begin. Things can’t get much worse for the Spartans
5:10 – Purdue 37, MSU 21: Spartans have trailed by as much as 13 but have closed the deficit to 16 here in the early stages of the 2nd half. Thomas had 4 points and Johnson made a 3. 16:39 left and Purdue calls timeout.
5:15 – Purdue 39, MSU 23: Spartans had scored seven straight but Moses hit a jumper to end that spurt. 14:44 left
5:20 – Purdue 41, MSU 26: Spartans pulled within 13 after 3 by Thomas but Houser banked in long 2 as shot clock was about to expire.
5:23 – Purdue 41, MSU 29: Pickrel made a big 3 and MSU is withing 12 at media timeout with 11:04 remaining.
5:32 – Purdue 45, MSU 33: Spartans back within 12 at media timeout with 7:40 left. Thomas has 13 points and 5 rebounds.
5:34 – Purdue 46, MSU 35: Thomas scores again and MSU is withing 11
5:42 – Purdue 56, MSU 43: At final media timeout, Spartans are down 13. 2:50 left. MSU got within nine after Mills made a pair of free throws with 5:42 left. Moses answered with back-to-back 3s.
5:50 – Purdue 62, MSU 47: It’s a final and Purdue wins tournament for second straight year and ninth time.