EAST LANSING, Mich. — Kennedy Blair had 19 points, Rashunda Jones and Grace VanSlooten each scored 15 and No. 24 Michigan State ended Illinois’ 11-game win streak with an 81-75 victory on Sunday.
Blair made 4 of 10 shots and 11 of 12 free throws for the Spartans (14-1, 3-1 Big Ten Conference), who have won six in a row. She added nine rebounds and seven assists. VanSlooten hit 7 of 15 shots and grabbed nine rebounds. Jones sank both of her 3-point attempts and all five of her free throws. Emma Shumate hit three 3-pointers and scored 11 off the bench.
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Berry Wallace and reserve Maddie Webber scored 22 apiece to lead the Fighting Illini (13-2, 3-1). Gretchen Dolan scored 12 but missed 12 of 16 shots. Destiny Jackson had 10 rebounds and six assists to go with six points.
VanSlooten had eight points and Jones sank two 3-pointers to help Michigan State take a 23-18 lead after one quarter.
Illinois took a 24-23 lead in the second period, but Blair had baskets on both sides of a Shumate 3-pointer as Michigan State followed with a 9-0 run to take control.
Jones hit a jumper to give the Spartans their largest lead at 54-39 with four minutes left in the third quarter. Wallace scored the next five points and added a 3-pointer as the Illini used an 11-4 run to cut it to 58-50 heading to the fourth.
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Dolan scored in the paint and Webber hit from distance as Illinois scored the first five points to get within three. Juliann Woodard hit a 3-pointer and 3 of 4 free throws in a 10-3 spurt and Michigan State stayed in front.
Up next
Illinois: Hosts No. 19 Ohio State on Wednesday.
Michigan State: Visits Washington on Thursday.
