Postgame: Bowling Green

Louisville, Ky. — Nobody was taking Bowling Green lightly heading in to Saturday’s NCAA Tournament first-round game with MSU.

So it came as no surprise that, before fading late, the No. 12-seed Falcons gave the No. 5-seed Spartans a run for their money for much of the game.

This was a good first game for MSU. The team did almost everything well, made appropriate adjustments and were able to put the Big Ten Tournament loss to Iowa behind them.

In that game against Iowa, nobody wanted to step up and make a play outside of Aisha Jefferson. It was the exact opposite Saturday. Jefferson still was there, but Jasmine Thomas and Brittney Thomas both shrugged off slow starts — they were a combined 2-of-10 for five points at halftime — to combine to finish 7-for-12 with 17 points in the second half.

All five of MSU’s starters scored at least eight points.

This game was a real positive sign going forward. The Spartans took care of business against a dangerous team — and they did it with defense. Shocking, I know.

PLAYER OF THE GAME Senior forward Aisha Jefferson – It’s amazing what Jefferson is doing considering her laundry list of injuries and ailments. She scored 17 points with nine rebounds and three assists in 27 minutes. It was her second straight solid effort and it’s clear she plans on leaving every single ounce of energy she has on the floor. She does not want her career to end.

Bonus recognition goes out to Jasmine Thomas. She has struggled at times this season with her shooting and her confidence, but she came out today and played a solid game. She didn’t let her tough start (1-for-6 in the first half) get to her and made a real impact in the second half, shooting 4-for-7. She finished with 11 points and six rebounds in 28 minutes and has been a double-digit scorer in three of the last four games.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Spartans now are 8-1 all-time in first round NCAA Tournament games and have won six straight in the first round, a streak that goes back to 2004.

Suzy Merchant improved to 3-1 in NCAA Tournament games at MSU, but this was her first tournament win away from Breslin Center.

AREA OF IMPROVEMENT

Junior forward Kalisha Keane’s struggles continued Saturday. She was 0-for-9 before hitting a wide-open lay-up in the final minute.

After her 27-point showing against Purdue on Feb. 25, Keane has shot 8-for-37 (21.6 percent) from the field and 3-of-23 from 3-point range.

The Big Ten’s Sixth Player of the Year has scored 23 points (5.75 ppg) in that span.

Getting Keane going is going to be paramount for the Spartans against Kentucky on Monday. Without Keane contributing, MSU is going to have a tough time against a Wildcats team that went to the SEC Tournament final.

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