INDIANAPOLIS – They call it Michigan State or Spartan basketball! Strong rebounding, touch defense and points in the paint.

That’s the formula the Spartan women used to fight their way to a Big 10 title, number 1 seed and into the championship game in the NCAA Tournament here April 5. And that’s just what Baylor University used to turn back the Spartans, 84-62 and claim its first NCAA title.

“They out rebounded us 45-22 said a disappointed Kelli Roehrig after the game, “and that’s it alone.” The Lady Bears used their superior post play to get multiple chances and tally points in the paint when they had the ball and a stifling man-to-man defense to disrupt the Spartan offense.

Center Sophia Young led all scorers with 26 points, joined by forward Steffanie Blackmon with 22 and forward Emily Niemann 19. Nieman turned the game into a rout with uncanny outside shooting and tough inside play to boot. Niemann went 5-7 from three-point range in the first half and scored 15 points, stretching the Spartan’s patented zone defense and opening things up on the inside.

“Niemann was the key,” said MSU head coach, Joann P. McCallie. “The outside shooting of Niemann in the first half was really critical to just the overall confidence and opening up the inside. “Then their post players did a great job.”
That was the story.

Baylor built a 19-point early lead before MSU cut it to nine with less than a left in the half. Niemann sank an NBA distance three-pointer with 8 seconds left to send Baylor into the locker room with a 12-point lead.

It was all Young and Blackmon in the second half. Young scored 19. Lindsay Bowen led MSU scoring with 20 points, followed by Kristin Haynie with 17.

Young and Blackmon dominated on both ends of the court, limiting MSU’s outstanding post players, Roehrig and Liz Shimek to 8 and 7 points respectively. Baylor finished the season, 33-3, while the Spartans ended, 34-4.

The 34-4 mark is the best in MSU history, and the disappointed Spartans took solace in the knowledge that the future looks bright and the loss in the finals is the beginning, not the end.