After their 69-53 victory over Illinois on Wednesday, the No. 24 Michigan State Spartans have won their first five Big Ten road games for the first time in program history.

Junior Becca Mills led MSU with a career-high 22 points and also set a career-high for free throws made, going 8-8.Freshman Tori Jankoska marked her fourth 20-point game this season by joining Mills in, scoring 22 points as well. She also tied her season-high with eight field goals made.

MSU had 41 points in the first half and pulled away with a 17-point lead at halftime. The Spartans’ largest lead was when they were up by 23 points midway through the second half. They were able to hang on and win although they were outscored 29-28.

The Spartan defense enabled them to hold Illinois’ leading scorer Amber Moore to a season-low of five points. She averages 15.5 a game. Ivory Crawford scored 20 points to lead the Fighting Illini.

The Spartans remain on the road to face the Cornhuskers in Lincoln, Neb. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.

Sierra Williams is a multimedia journalist for Impact Sports.

Photo: Nubia Buckingham/Impact Sports