The high-caliber competition at the Cherokee Invitational women’s college basketball tourney in North Carolina showed in Indiana State’s 115-66 loss to No. 24-ranked Michigan State on Sunday.
On Monday, Tierney Kelsey led all scorers with 21 points, but Indiana State struggled from the field in an 89-68 loss to Old Dominion in the Cherokee Invitational consolation game.
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Kelsey notched her fourth 20-point game of the season for ISU (4-7), while Kayla Smith netted a season-high 16 points and a career-high nine rebounds. Da’Naria Washington dished out a season-high seven assists for the Sycamores.
In Sunday’s game, ISU put together a strong offensive opening half, but second-half struggles loomed large in the loss inside Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort.
How good is Michigan State? Despite ISU’s struggles in the second half, the Sycamores’ 66 points were the second-most by a Michigan State opponent this season. The Spartans are now 10-1 for the season.
ISU faces either Old Dominion or No. 14-ranked Ole Miss at 5 p.m. Monday, the invitational’s final day.
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Jayci Allen led ISU with 13 points off the bench, while Kennedy Claybrooks also finished in double-figures with 10. Allen went 3-for-6 from deep, while Kayla Smith and Claybrooks each knocked down a pair of 3-pointers, according to an ISU sports information report.
ISU overcame a slow start to outscore Michigan State 28-25 in the second quarter. Claybrooks and Smith combined for 15 points in the second, with Amerie Flowers scoring all of her nine points in the opening 20 minutes as the Sycamores pulled within 59-43 at the break. Things quickly went downhill after that, as Michigan State outscored ISU 56-23 in the final 20 minutes to pull away in convincing fashion.
Claybrooks opened the scoring for the Sycamores with a layup, and Tierney Kelsey added four early points as the Trees kept pace with the Spartans in the opening stages. The Spartans upped their lead to double digits midway through the frame before baskets from Flowers and Da’Naria Washington cut into the Sycamore deficit. Allen knocked down a three-ball with just over 90 seconds remaining in the frame, but Michigan State closed the quarter on a 9-0 run to take a 34-15 lead after one.
Camariyana Tavares hit an early layup in the second to get things going, with Samiyah Briggs and Allen both knocking down free throws to add to the scoring. Claybrooks and Smith both knocked down threes midway through the frame, the latter’s being part of a four-point play, as Indiana State tried to work its way back. Flowers caught fire with five points in a three-minute span, while Claybrooks added another trey as the Sycamores clawed it back to a 59-43 deficit at the half.
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Michigan State opened the third quarter with an 11-0 run, as Indiana State. Clemisha Prackett ended the drought for the Trees just past the midway point of the frame with a layup, and the junior post player added a pair of free throws shortly after. Allen knocked down a trey, and Kelsey tacked on a midrange jumper with just over two minutes remaining in the quarter. Indiana State struggled from there, as the Spartans closed on a 10-2 run to lead 87-54 after three quarters.
Allen hit a three 15 seconds into the fourth quarter, and Washington added a layup and two free throws. The Trees struggled from the field for the remainder of the game, though, as Washington’s layup with just under eight minutes left was the final basket for the Sycamores. Tavares and Briggs each knocked down a pair of late free throws, but Michigan State’s offense overwhelmed the Sycamores in a 115-66 loss.
Notes — Kelsey entered Sunday ranked third in the MVC in scoring, but was held to a season-low six points. Kelsey failed to score in double-figures for the first time this season. … Indiana State’s 28-point second quarter was the highest-scoring quarter for a Michigan State opponent this season. … Free throws had been a struggle for the Sycamores this season, but Indiana State went 23-for-29 (79.3 percent) from the charity stripe Sunday.
