Michigan State Women's Basketball Dominates Oakland in 91-50 Blowout

Another phenomenal performance from the Lady Spartans saw Michigan State jump out to a commanding lead and never look back. The energy and passion were evident from every Spartan who stepped onto the court, and it showed both in the statistics and on the scoreboard.

Michigan State dominated from beginning to end, nearly doubling up the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in a convincing 91-50 victory. Here's how the Spartans got it done.

The Spartans started hot and only continued to heat up as the opening quarter progressed. While the entire team played well, it was truly the Theryn Hallock show in the first 10 minutes.

Hallock led the team with four rebounds, while no other Spartan had more than one. She also recorded Michigan State's only steal of the quarter, turning it into a phenomenal layup on the other end. She added five points to her impressive opening quarter as the Spartans dominated Oakland 27-8.

If the first quarter belonged to Hallock, the second belonged to Australian freshman Manique Bobongie.

She opened the quarter by drilling a three-pointer before adding two smooth left-handed layups. On both drives, Bobongie attacked the lane, found an opening and took advantage of it.

Fellow freshman Lily Williams also showcased her size and talent, displaying the skills that made her an All-American. She received a beautiful pass from Kennedy Blair down low, fought through traffic and converted the basket while drawing a foul.

Williams wasn't finished. On the ensuing defensive possession, she blocked an Oakland shot, raced down the court and scored a second consecutive basket.

Toward the end of the quarter, Michigan State held a comfortable lead of more than 20 points. However, the Spartans began settling for three-point attempts, and none of them seemed to fall. Michigan State struggled from beyond the arc, making it look like a game in which the team was trying to find its outside shooting rhythm. While the lead was substantial, the Spartans needed to be careful not to give the Grizzlies an opportunity to climb back into the game.

Despite the struggles from three-point range, Michigan State entered halftime with a commanding 51-26 advantage.

Blair led the Spartans with 10 points and was tied for the team lead in assists with three. Hallock also had three assists to go along with seven points, four rebounds and a steal.

Bobongie led Michigan State with six rebounds while adding seven points. Coming off the bench, Williams was second on the team with nine points, going a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line.

The opening minutes of the third quarter belonged to Kennedy Blair. After disagreeing with a few calls, Blair appeared to find another gear. Her defense became suffocating, her rebounding more aggressive and her court vision looked like Tom Brady surveying the football field.

She found Hallock on two consecutive possessions with beautiful passes before delivering a no-look pass to Bobongie, who couldn't quite finish the opportunity.

Michigan State opened the second half with a 13-2 run, putting even more distance between itself and Oakland.

Williams continued to make her presence felt defensively, recording another monster block when she stood her ground and flat-out denied an Oakland shooter. A few possessions later, she found herself on the receiving end of an outstanding pass from Hallock for another basket.

Hallock took over as the quarter progressed, knocking down bucket after bucket. She poured in 11 points in the third quarter alone, bringing her total to 18 through three quarters.

The Spartans carried a commanding 75-38 lead into the final period.

Bobongie got things rolling again to open the fourth quarter.

One of her most impressive finishes came on a beautiful reverse layup following a dazzling pass from Blair. Blair continued to showcase her outstanding court vision, while Bobongie finished the play with style.

Michigan State continued to extend its advantage, eventually building a lead nearly twice the size of Oakland's total. With the outcome firmly in hand, the Spartans turned to several of their depth players late in the game, giving them valuable opportunities to get on the court.

The final buzzer confirmed a dominant 91-50 victory.

It was a statement win for Michigan State, which took care of business from beginning to end. The Spartans showcased their depth, defensive intensity and offensive firepower in a performance that featured contributions from throughout the roster.

Hallock led the way with 18 points and eight rebounds, including a team-high seven defensive rebounds. She also finished second on the team with four assists and tied for second with two steals.

Freshman Bobongie finished second on the team with 15 points while adding seven rebounds of her own. Blair contributed 10 points and a team-high eight assists, continuing to demonstrate her importance as the engine of the Michigan State offense.

Freshman Kathy-Emma Otto recorded a double-double with 11 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Williams led the bench with 12 points and paced the Spartans with three blocks.

Michigan State improved to 3-0 with the convincing victory and will look to keep its undefeated start alive when the Lady Spartans travel to Harvard for a Sunday showdown.