In the first five minutes of the second half, the Lady Lions usually take control, but they took a bit longer than usual to get back to the formula, thanks to a Spartan surge to regain the lead.
That's when it happened.
Jess Strom hit a 3-pointer, the Lady Lions started getting steals and points off turnovers, Jen Brenden hit her 3-pointer and Penn State somehow, some way, had an eight-point lead.
It was all over after that. It always is.
"They outplayed us and they out-hustled us," Michigan State coach Joanne McCallie said. "We looked like Barbie dolls, and they looked like something else."
The guard play of Penn State stole the show, with both Strom and Tanisha Wright each scoring a game-high 24 points.
The first half was rough for Strom, who was guarded by Victoria Lucas-Perry of the Spartans, as she turned the ball over five times. Strom made up the difference, though, with 11 first-half points.
"In the second half you just have to come out with a whole new focus," Strom said. "And that's when we usually get it. We talk about first five minutes of the second half, and that's where we really try to make a run."
After Penn State regained the lead in the second half with 11:04 remaining, it became a game of foul shots. Penn State got to the line 28 times -- Michigan State only had 15 tries. That sealed the game.
"They're free points," Portland said. "I mean the darn thing doesn't move. It's been in the same place forever. That's always been a point of emphasis for us. It's an easy shot to make, you just have to make it."
Both against Michigan State yesterday, and in Thursday's shellacking of No. 24 Purdue, the Lady Lions scored more than 40 points in the second half.
Not too shabby.
"We're not all the way we want to be, but right now we're gaining more confidence every game," Wright said. "We just need to keep building on it. Right now, I just think everyone is really focused on what we need to do."
That focus has put the Lady Lions in a very enviable position in the Big Ten Conference -- an undefeated in-conference record.
Yesterday's game continued the Spartans' drought in the Jordan Center. In 12 trips to State College, Michigan State has never walked out with a win.
No visitor has won in eight games at the Jordan Center this season, but the Lady Lions record away from their friendly confines is 4-6.
"Penn State needs to play as well away from home as they do at home," McCallie said.
The Lady Lions hit the road, Thursday, against Northwestern.
