Spartan Kalisha Keane Named Big Ten Player of the Week

 

Spartan senior earns the award for the first time in her career. Photo courtesy of MSU SID.

 

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State women’s basketball senior Kalisha Keane was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday, as announced by the conference office. Keane led the Spartans to a pair of wins this week, earning MSU at least a share of the Big Ten Regular Season Championship.Â

 

Keane, who earns her first career weekly conference recognition, is the second Spartan to earn the honor this season, joining three-time player of the week, junior Lykendra Johnson.

 

The Ajax , Ontario , native, earned the award after averaging 22.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals in the two MSU wins. She also shot 53.1% from the field and went 5-of-11 (45.5%) from 3-point range.

 

In the Big Ten title clinching game on Sunday at Illinois , Keane led the Spartans with 27 points, going 10-of-18 from the field and 4-of-7 from behind the arc, while also adding four rebounds and three steals. She opened the week with 17 points, including five in MSU’s game-ending 14-2 run, vs. Northwestern. Keane chipped in six rebounds and two steals in the win.

 

A team captain, Keane leads the Spartans and is sixth in the Big Ten with 16.3 points per game this season, which is currently ninth on the MSU single-season list. She has scored in double-figures in 23 of MSU’s 27 games, including nine 20-point games, the eighth most in program history. Keane is tied for second in the Big Ten with 2.3 steals per game, while also leading the team and tying for third in the conference with 2.1 3-pointers a game. Her 58 3-pointers so far this season are eighth on the MSU single-season list. She is also second on the team in assists (2.2) and third in rebounds (5.0). Keane is the lone player in the Big Ten to rank among the conference’s top-15 in each of the shooting categories.

 

Keane will end her time at MSU plastered throughout the Spartan record book. She is currently eighth all-time in points with 1,463, while also sitting in third in steals (242) and 3-point field goals made (170). In addition, she is eighth in games played (130) and minutes played (3,434), ninth in field goals made (525), 13th in free throws made (243), 14th in assists (285) and games started (89), 19th in blocks (43) and 21st in rebounds (594).

 

The Spartans clinched a share of its third Big Ten Regular Season Championship, and have a chance for their first outright title with two games to play. MSU, ranked No. 10 in the latest Associated Press poll, is continuing its best start in program history at 24-3 overall and 12-2 in Big Ten play.

 

Keane and her fellow three seniors will be honored on Thursday night after the Spartans game against Ohio State . Tip for the game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network.