Box Score | RVISION: Postgame Press Conference | RVISION: Highlights

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - After trailing by double-digits in the fourth quarter, the Rutgers women's basketball team mounted a comeback in the game's final two minutes to defeat Michigan State, 62-58, on Saturday afternoon at the RAC.

With the Spartans in the lead 54-44, RU discovered an 11-2 surge as a 3-pointer for Aliyah Jeune brought RU within one at 56-55 with less than a minute to go in the contest. Two free throws for Michigan State's Tori Jankoska returned the edge to the Spartans in the final seconds, however Kandiss Barber capitalized on a Khadaizha Sanders steal with a traditional 3-point play. Following a missed 3-pointer for the Spartan's Jankoska, Jeune tacked on two free throws to seal the win for the Scarlet Knights.

Rutgers improved to a mark of 3-3 in the Big Ten and 6-13 overall, while Michigan State, coming off an upset win over No. 11 Ohio State, fell to 13-5 overall and 3-2 in the league.

Junior guard Shrita Parker led RU with a career-high 20 points. Classmate Barber added 15 points, while sophomore Jeune posted 13 points in the win.

Michigan State was guided by Tori Jankoska with 20 points, including four three-pointers and a 6-for-6 showing at the free throw line.

Rutgers jumped to a 7-3 lead to start the game on a 3-pointer by Parker. From there, the teams went point-for-point as Michigan State edged the Scarlet Knights to create a 14-9 advantage of its own with 4:10 left in the first quarter. A 5-0 run for RU capped by two free throws for Barber tied it 14-14 with 2:48 on the clock. RU and Michigan State went on to trade points again as the Spartans held onto a slight 21-18 edge at the end of one.

The Scarlet Knights pulled back within three, 23-20, on Parker layup at the start of the third. However, the Spartans responded by pushing their edge to 34-25 at the 3:18 minute mark of the frame. RU cut into the margin with a 6-2 run of its own, led by 3-pointers for Parker and Jeune. Jeune beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer to end the second quarter and bring the Spartan's advantage down to 36-31.

Moving into the third, Michigan State grew its lead to 43-35 with less than three minutes to go in the frame. RU followed with two free throws from Sanders and a jumper for Parker to cut the margin in half with less than two to go. Although Michigan State tacked on two free throws, Victoria Harris added in a layup with one second on the clock, cutting the deficit to 45-41 at the end of the third quarter.

Harris opened the fourth with another layup, bringing the Scarlet Knights within two at 45-43. MSU went on to find success from the 3-point range for a 9-1 surge, including two from beyond the arc for Gussert, to generate its largest lead of the night at 54-44 with 7:44 remaining in the game.

The Scarlet Knights countered with an 11-2 run capped by a shot from downtown for Jeune to bring RU within one at 56-55 with 1:56 remaining in the game.

In the game's final seconds, Barber snagged a steal and went coast-to-coast, tipping in a layup and giving Rutgers the lead at 57-56. Two free throws for Jankoska flipped the lead back to the Spartans at 58-57. After a steal for Sanders, a 3-point play for Barber reclaimed the Rutgers lead, 60-58, with 20 seconds on the clock. Jeune would seal the win, sinking two at the charity stripe.

Rutgers remains home to host Iowa on Tuesday, Jan. 17 for a 7 p.m. tipoff at the RAC.

KNIGHT NOTES
- The starting lineup of KK Sanders, Shrita Parker, Alex Alfano, Victoria Harris and Jordan Wallace was used for the second consecutive game.
- Shrita Parker set a new career-high with 20 points. She resets her previous scoring benchmark of 18 captured against Penn State (Dec. 31) and versus Nebraska in the second round of last year's Big Ten Tournament. Parker had nine points in the first quarter and 16 points at the half.
- Parker is the third Scarlet Knight to score 20 or more points in a game this season and the first player to do so in regulation. The most points scored by an RU player this season was 22 by Kandiss Barber in the double overtime game with James Madison.
- Aliyah Jeune finished with 13 points. She has averaged 14.0 ppg over the last two contests and 10.3 ppg in the last four games.
- Kandiss Barber picked up eight of her 15 points from the line. Barber went 8-of-11 from the charity stripe (72.7 percent) setting a career mark in free throws made and taken. She entered the game hitting at a 37.1 percent clip (23-of-62).
- KK Sanders handed out nine assists. She has posted five or more assists in a game nine times in 2016-17. Over the last eight games she has averaged 6.4 apg.
- Rutgers captured a season-high 26 points off turnovers. The previous high was 22 in back-to-back games with Penn State (Dec. 31) and Wisconsin (Jan. 4) to open up home Big Ten play. The Spartans committed 18 miscues. RU opponents have registered 15 or more turnovers in five of the last six games.

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