No. 24 Michigan State women hold off stubborn Rutgers 70-64 in Big Ten Conference home opener

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Rashunda Jones scored four of her 14 points in the final 28 seconds and Kennedy Blair posted a double-double to help No. 24 Michigan State hold off Rutgers 70-64 on Sunday in the Spartans' Big Ten Conference home opener.

Kaylah Ivey hit a 3-pointer to get Rutgers within a point, but Jones hit a short jumper and then added two free throws following a Scarlet Knights turnover to help the Spartans (12-1, 1-1) prevail in their first home game in five weeks after going 5-1 on a lengthy road trip.

Blair filled the stat sheet with 12 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four steals. Ines Sotelo scored 12 with five rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Nene Ndiaye led the Scarlet Knights (8-5, 0-2) with 16 points and six rebounds before fouling out with 4:15 remaining. Faith Blackstone totaled 15 points and seven rebounds. Imani Lester added 11 points and Ivey scored 10 with five assists.

Michigan State took a five-point lead before going scoreless over the final 2:24 of the first quarter. Blackstone sank a 3-pointer and two free throws, scoring the final five points to tie it 15-all.

Sotelo had the first two baskets of the second quarter to ignite an 11-0 run for the Spartans. Ndiaye's layup with 1:45 to go was the final basket of the half and the Scarlet Knights trailed 32-27.

Lester had seven points in the third quarter and Rutgers outscored the Spartans by two to cut it to 52-49.

Up next

Michigan State: At Indiana on Thursday.

Rutgers: Hosts Wisconsin on Thursday.

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