Michigan State women’s basketball is making steady progress.
But the Spartans will have to wait at least one more year to take their next and biggest step forward under head coach Robyn Fralick. No. 5 seed Michigan lost to No. 4 (and site host) Oklahoma, 77-71, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Norman, Okla., on Sunday night.
Michigan State (23-9) fell just shy of making its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2009, and from making it the first year where the Michigan men and women and Michigan State men and women all make the Sweet 16.
Oklahoma (26-7) advances to the Sweet 16, to face either South Carolina or Southern Cal.
Junior guard Rashunda Jones led Michigan State with 20 off the bench, including a nifty reverse layup to pull the Spartans with 69-65 with 3 minutes, 40 seconds left.
Jones had 16 points at the half as the Spartans led, 42-37, before the Sooners scored the first eight points of the second half, and led the rest of the game.
Redshirt sophomore guard Kennedy Blair (Dearborn Divine Child) scored 14 for Michigan State, and senior forward Grace VanSlooten added 13 points.
Aaliyah Chavez and Raegan Beers each scored 18 for the Sooners, in the Sweet 16 for a second straight year. Chavez had a big 3 late for Oklahoma, which shot just 18.2% (4-for-22) on 3’s. Beers added 14 rebounds.
Fralick is the first MSU women’s coach to lead the team to the NCAA Tournament in each of her first three years. Michigan State was a No. 9 seed two years ago and a No. 7 seed last year.
This is a developing story. Check back to detroitnews.com for updates.
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: No. 4 seed Oklahoma beat No. 5 Michigan State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday night in Norman.
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