And she helped get things going for the Michigan State women's basketball team as it extended its win streak. Tate had 10 points in the opening quarter while playing a part in the No. 22-ranked Spartans recording an 82-61 victory over Penn State on Wednesday evening at Breslin Center.

Michigan State (16-3, 6-2 Big Ten), which has won four straight, had four different players score in double figures. Theryn Hallock led the way with 17 points, Julia Ayrault scored 16, Jocelyn Tate 15 and Grace VanSlooten 10. The Spartans hit 13 of 27 3-pointers and outscored the Nittany Lions 38-20 in the paint.

Penn State overcame a 12-point deficit in the middle stages of the opening quarter to own a 30-27 advantage at the half. And after the teams were tied entering the final quarter, Penn State outscored Ohio State 11-8 to close out the win. Wednesday offers the Nittany Lions a chance to record a second straight win over a top-25 opponent.

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Michigan State has a record of 15-3 in Spartans coach Robyn Fralick's second season. The Spartans have gained national recognition by being ranked in the Associated Press Top 25.

The Spartans (16-2, 7-0 Big Ten) climbed four spots to No. 8 in the new AP Top 25 released Monday. They beat Penn State 90-85 on Wednesday and edged then-No. 19 Illinois 80-78 on Sunday to extend their lonest winning streak in six years to 11 straight.

Returning to East Lansing after a successful two-game road trip, the Michigan State University women’s basketball team rediscovered its early-season form, dominating defensively.

Julia Ayrault also reached double figures scoring for MSU and finished with 12 points. Kendall Bostic, who began her college career at MSU, had a double-double to lead Illinois (13-5, 3-4) and finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds.

After brief rough patches, the Michigan State and Michigan's women's basketball teams appear to be back on track.

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