Balance helps No. 23 Michigan State women top Illini 77-60

Updated: Jan 25, 2019, 05:12 am

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Three players scored 14 points and freshman Nia Clouden tied her career high with 11 assists and No. 23 Michigan State took control early Thursday night en route to a 77-60 win over Illinois.

Shay Colley, Taryn McCutcheon and Jenna Allen each had 14 points for the Spartans (14-5, 4-4 Big Ten), who improved to 11-0 at home. Colley had seven assists, McCutcheon had four 3-pointers and Allen had nine rebounds. MSU had 25 assists on 28 baskets, made 11 of 27 treys (41 percent) and outrebounded Illinoi 47-25.

Sidney Cooks, who had 12 points, and McCutcheon opened the game with 3's and MSU never trailed. It was 22-9 after one quarter. Illinois never got closer than seven the rest of the way.

Brandi Beasley scored 15 points for the Illini (9-10, 1-7), who have lost five straight overall and seven-straight to MSU, pushing her past 1,000 for her career. With 1,011 points she is the 30th Illini to reach that plateau. Leading scorer Alex Wittinger was held to seven points, almost nine points below her average.