Opening the second half with a 13-4 run, the Spartans (11-8 overall, 3-4 Big Ten) took the lead and never looked back for a 74-62 victory to keep the Wildcats (4-14, 0-6) winless in the Big Ten.

“The biggest thing for us was to keep our pace offensively in transition,” MSU head coach Suzy Merchant said. “They’ve played everyone tough in the first half, they were only down five against Ohio State at half-time so we knew that they can hang around and they’re good enough.”

Coming back from an average first half, sophomore center Allyssa DeHaan pumped up her offense to end the game with 19 points and four blocks.

“I think in the first half she was a little timid and she hasn’t been shooting the ball real well,” Merchant said. “But I thought she did a much nicer job in the second of being much more aggressive.”

Just past the 13-minute mark in the second half, Northwestern center Amy Jaeschke lit up the hardwood to sink 19 of the Wildcats’ next 21 points. Jaeschke finished with a game-high 26 points.

“They put (Jaeschke) at the high post and we made the decision not to double,” Merchant said. “But she is a talented kid, and when (Northwestern) got her, they got a heck of a player. She’s one of the best players in the country, so she’s a tough matchup.”

With 13 minutes to go, the Spartans kept the lead by at least 10 points for most of way until the final buzzer sounded. Freshman forward Kalisha Keane led the Spartans with 23 points.

“A win is a win,” Merchant said. “I don’t care where it’s at or who it’s against.”

The Spartans return to tip off against Indiana at 2 p.m. Sunday to Breslin Center.