LINCOLN, Neb. -  Michigan State's ferocious fourth-quarter comeback fell just short as the Spartans were topped by Nebraska, 71-67, Thursday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
 
Michigan State trailed by as many 21 points in the game, but the offense came to life with a 27-point fourth quarter. MSU played their second-straight game without head coach Suzy Merchant, who missed the game due to a medical incident.
 
The Spartans have now lost two-straight games, falling to 11-11 overall and 3-8 in Big Ten action. Nebraska improves to 13-9 overall and 5-6 in league play.
 
Four Spartans reached double figures led by 17 points from sophomore guard DeeDee Hagemann, including 15 in the second half to spark the Spartan comeback. Hagemann also tied her career-high with five steals. Sophomore forward Matilda Ekh scored 13 of her 15 points in the second half, while senior guard Moira Joiner added 15 points, with a new career-high five steals. Off the bench, senior forward Taiyier Parks scored 11 points with six rebounds.
 
Nebraska was led by 20 points from Isabelle Bourne, adding nine rebounds.
 
Both teams started slowly before Nebraska used a 10-0 run to take a 10-2 lead. Joiner scored the first six points of the game for the Spartans to help the MSU offense get going. The Spartans kept the Huskers off the scoreboard for over three minutes to only trail 14-10 after the first period.
 
In the second quarter, the Huskers used a 9-0 run to open up a 27-14 advantage, leading to an MSU timeout with 5:35 remaining in the half. Michigan State was hampered by three turnovers during the three-minute span of the run. After a Jaz Shelley trey, Nebraska took its first 20-point lead at 40-20 with 43 seconds remaining in the second quarter, and took a 40-22 halftime advantage.
 
Much like the first quarter, both teams started slowly in the third period. Turnovers started to mount for MSU with four over a 4:24 span as the Huskers built a 46-26 lead. Soon after, the Spartans made three-straight baskets to cut it to a 51-35 game, leading to a Nebraska timeout. MSU out-scored Nebraska 18-13 in the third period led by five points from Hagemann.
 
Ekh caught fire in the fourth quarter to begin the MSU comeback. After hitting the Spartans' first 3-pointer of the game at the end of the third, she went 2-for-3 from distance in the final 10 minutes. A Joiner trey made it a 61-55 game with under five remaining. The run extended to 12-0 after two Hagemann free throws. Nebraska was held over seven minutes without a field goal. MSU got the game down to one-point contest, but the Huskers went 11-for-17 from the line to seal the win.
 
Michigan State returns home to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Sunday, Feb. 2 facing No. 18/19 Michigan at 3 p.m. at the Breslin Center.
 
 
Michigan State Women's Basketball Post-Game Notes: at Nebraska
 
• Thursday night's Spartan starting five of graduate guard Kamaria McDaniel, sophomore guard DeeDee Hagemann, sophomore guard/forward Matilda Ekh, senior guard Moira Joiner and sophomore forward Isaline Alexander was the third-straight game that MSU started with that line-up and are now 1-2 with that line-up to open the game ... overall, it was one of MSU's seven different line-ups this season.
 
• Eight of Michigan State's 11 losses have been by 10 points or less, including three of the last five losses by four points in each game.
 
• MSU's defense entered the game forcing the opposition into 21.0 turnovers per game and forced 26 Nebraska miscues Thursday night.
 
• MSU had four players in double-figure scoring for the fourth-straight game and ninth time this season ... after winning their first time games when doing so, the Spartans have lost three of the last four occurrences as they are now 6-3 when four score in double-digits.
 
• Sophomore guard DeeDee Hagemann tallied 17 points, with 15 points coming in the second half, spearheading MSU's comeback, including five-straight points in the fourth quarter in one extended possession, making a bucket and getting fouled, then after missing the free throw, MSU collected the rebound and Hagemann was fouled while shooting a 3-pointer, making all three ensuing free throws ... Hagemann ended the night 9-of-11 from the free throw line, career highs for both makes and attempts from the charity stripe.
 
• Hagemann's 17 points was two points shy of her season and career-best of 19 vs. Western Michigan (11/13/22), and was her second-straight double-digit game as part of her seventh game of the season and 16th of her career with 10+ points.
 
• Hagemann snagged five steals, tying her career-high, matching five swipes this season vs. Indiana (12/29/22).
 
• Sophomore guard/forward Matilda Ekh netted 15 points, with 13 coming in the second half ... the 15 points was Ekh's third double-digit scoring outing in the last four games as part of the 15th game of the season and 34th of her career in double-figures ... Ekh was 3-for-6 from 3-point range, marking her 15th game this season with multiple 3-pointers, including her ninth with three or more triples.
 
• Ekh's three treys give her 123 for her career, moving up to tie for No. 12 on MSU's career 3-point field goals list, passing Aerial Powers (2013-16) with 121 3-pointers and tying Eileen Shea (1987-91) for No. 12.
 
• Senior guard Moira Joiner tossed in 13 points for her fourth-consecutive game in double-digits as part of the sixth in seven games and overall her 13th double-figure contest this season and 27th of her career ... Joiner netted one 3-pointer to give her 113 for her career, closing in on the No. 15 spot on MSU's career 3-pointers list, just three shy of tying Taylor Alton (2008-12) ... Joiner also shared the team-lead on the glass with six rebounds, marking the third-straight game with six rebounds as part of six-straight games with six or more boards.
 
• Joiner also swiped a career-high five steals, topping her top mark of four steals accomplished four times in her career, done once this season (vs. Florida A&M, 11/17/22) and three other times in previous seasons.
 
• Senior forward Taiyier Parks posted 11 points and six rebounds off the bench ... the 11 points was Parks' third game in a row in double-figures and has notched double-digits in six of the last nine games ... overall, Parks has eight double-figure scoring games this season and 31 in her career, the most of any active Spartan.