STATE COLLEGE — Alex Bentley was Penn State’s offensive star Sunday with 24 points. Still, the senior guard had no qualms about giving credit for the team’s 20th victory to the defense.

“We needed more energy on the defensive end and we just needed to get after it; that’s when the game started to turn around,” Bentley said of eighth-ranked Penn State overcoming a slow start to overwhelm No. 23 Michigan State, 71-56.

Maggie Lucas added 19 points as the Lady Lions (20-3, 10-1) won their 18th straight home game and built a two-game lead in the Big Ten Conference because second-place Purdue lost to Michigan on Sunday.

Nikki Greene had 13 points for Penn State, which closed the first half with a 21-7 run to take a five-point lead and opened the second half with another 21-7 run to build a 19-point margin.

Michigan State (18-6, 6-4) Annalise Pickrel scored 16 points for the Spartans and Jasmine Thomas and Jasmine Hines added eight apiece, but the Spartans scored just five second-chance points against Penn State despite outrebounding the Lady Lions 41-33.

Penn State’s slow start coincided with Bentley’s rough beginning — the senior guard didn’t score until six minutes had elapsed.

“Coach challenged me to get to the lane and my posts helped me with screens and seals, so half of my points really go to them,” Bentley said.