EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Allyssa DeHaan scored 18 points and Michigan State (No. 20 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP) handed St. Bonaventure its first loss with a 67-59 victory on Monday night.
Kalisha Keane and Lauren Aitch each scored 11 for Michigan State (9-3). DeHaan also had nine rebounds.Megan Van Tatenhove scored 19 for St. Bonaventure (11-1). Dana Mitchell added 18.Michigan State scored eight straight points to open a 55-44 lead with 6:30 remaining. DeHaan capped the surge with a jumper.The Bonnies, who were facing a ranked team for the first time this season, closed to 61-59 on an Andrea Doneth free throw with 1:12 left. But DeHaan responded with a jumper with 57 seconds remaining.Michigan State led 35-33 at halftime. St. Bonaventure kept the game close by shooting 54 percent from the floor in the first half. But the Bonnies shot just 36 percent in the second half, struggling to adjust as the Spartans switched back and forth between man-to-man and zone defenses.Michigan State is done with its difficult nonconference schedule, which included victories over North Carolina and Xavier, and a loss to Notre Dame. The Spartans finish the regular season with 17 consecutive Big Ten games.St. Bonaventure upset Michigan State 63-52 in New York last season. But the more athletic, bigger Spartans wore the Bonnies down in Monday's rematch.Michigan State has won four straight since losing its Big Ten opener to Indiana on Dec. 6.
