Michigan State University Athletics
Women's Basketball Heads To Wisconsin-Green Bay
12/12/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 12, 2001
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
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This Week's Action
Michigan State (7-1 overall) AT WISCONSIN-GREEN BAY (4-3 OVERALL)When Saturday, Dec. 15, 2001, 4 p.m. ESTSite Green Bay, Wis. (Phoenix Sports Center)Radio The Fan 730 AMCoaches MSU: Joanne P. McCallie (Northwestern 1987) Overall: 184-92 (10th year), MSU: 17-19 (2nd year) UWGB: Kevin Borseth (Lake Superior State 1976) Overall: 291-128 (15th year), UWGB: 66-31 (4th year)
Tip-Off -- Following a 10-day break for final exams, the Michigan State basketball team returns to the hard court at Wisconsin-Green Bay on Saturday, Dec. 15. MSU carries a three-game winning streak into the contest. After winning four of its first five games, UWGB has dropped two straight.
Note of the Day
Close Calls - Michigan State's last three wins have been by a combined five points. MSU beat Detroit, 62-61 on Nov. 28, beat Marquette, 65-63 on Dec. 2 and beat Oakland, 55-53 on Dec. 5.
The big difference in each win was free throw shooting. In the three victories, MSU shot 72.3 percent ( 60-of-83) from the charity stripe, while Spartan opponents shot a combined 58.3 percent (28-of-48) from the line.
Scouting Michigan State
MSU brings a 7-1 overall mark into the game. The Spartans have won three straight, following a 55-53 victory over Oakland Dec. 5. Three Spartans scored in double figures in the victory, led by Julie Pagel and Vnemina Reese with 12 points each.
The Spartans are led by junior forward Syreeta Bromfield, who is averaging 16.4 points and 8.0 rebounds. Sophomore forward Julie Pagel is averaging 9.4 points and 6.9 rebounds, while freshman guard Kristin Haynie is averaging 9.3 points and 3.8 steals. Junior guard Vnemina Reese rounds out the top four scorers at 8.6 points per game.
MSU is averaging 60.6 points per game, while allowing 57.8 points. MSU is connecting on 37.9 percent (167-of-441) of its shots from the field. In addition, the Spartans hold a 38.5-to-35.1 edge on the boards.
MSU Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie -- McCallie is in her second season at the helm of the MSU basketball program. McCallie was named to the position on March 27, 2000 becoming just the fourth coach in MSU women's basketball history. She is in her 10th year overall as a head coach, compiling a 184-92 (.667) overall mark. Prior to her arrival at MSU, McCallie spent eight years as the head coach at Maine, guiding the Black Bears to a 167-73 mark including six straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
McCallie is joined on her staff by associate head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, assistant coach Felisha Legette-Jack and assistant coach Janel Grimm.
Last Time Out -- In yet another close game, MSU beat Oakland 55-53 on Dec. 5 at the Breslin Center. Kristin Haynie hit a pair of free throws and Syreeta Bromfield connected on the back half of a pair in the final 1:04 for the victory. All told MSU canned five of its last six free throws for the win. Julie Pagel and Vnemina Reese added 12 points each, while Joy Johnson finished with 11.
This Week's Opponent
UWGB Phoenix
UWGB enters this week's action with a 4-3 mark. The Phoenix dropped a pair of games last week, falling at Kansas State (85-66) and at Wichita State (78-71). UWGB will host Northern Iowa Dec. 13, before playing MSU.
Senior forward Mandy Stowe (Ludington, Mich.) and junior guard Sara Boyer pace the Phoenix attack. Stowe is averaging 19.0 points and 5.3 rebounds. In addition, she is shooting 54.1 percent from the field and 80.0 percent from the free throw line. Meanwhile, Boyer is averaging 13.4 points and 2.7 rebounds.
Michigan State leads the all-time series with UWGB, 1-0. In the only meeting Dec. 5, 2000, MSU jumped out to a 39-22 halftime lead and cruised to a 74-60 win. Vnemina Reese led MSU with 18 points, while Donita Johnson chipped in 15. UWGB was led by Mandy Stowe with 15 points.
Below is a look at the all-time series.Date Location MSU-Opp12/5/00 East Lansing W, 74-60MSU leads 1-0
Spartan Notebook
Out Of The Gate - MSU holds a 7-1 mark after the first eight games. The 7-1 record is the third best start in school history. The 1973-74 squad began the season with a 12-1 slate, while the 1999-2000 squad started the season at 8-1.
Other top starts include the 1976-77 unit which started the year with an 11-2 mark. Four different seasons have started with a 7-2 mark, as the 1983-84, 1984-85, 1986-87 and 1990-91 squads all began the season with a 7-2 mark.
It is quite a turnaround from last year when MSU was 5-3 after the first eight games in 2000-01.
Minutes Piling Up - Six Spartans are averaging at least 17 minutes per contest, led by Julie Pagel at 31.0 minutes per game. Vnemina Reese is also averaging over 30 minutes, at 30.4 mpg. Guard Kristin Haynie (29.8 mpg) and forward Syreeta Bromfield (28.0 mpg) round out the top four.
Pagel On A Roll - Since being held to a season-low one point at Arkansas State, sophomore forward Julie Pagel has been on a scoring tear lately. She is averaging 10.8 points over the past five games. In this same time span, she is shooting 55.6 percent (15-of-27) from the field and 77.4 percent (24-of-31) from the free throw line.
Pagel's Game - For the season, Pagel is averaging 9.4 points and 6.9 rebounds. She is second on the team in field goal percentage at 51.2 percent (22-of-43) and second in free throw percentage at 77.5 (31-of-40).
Streak Snapped - Junior forward Syreeta Bromfield had her streak of six straight games in double figure scoring snapped against Oakland. Bromfield finished with just seven points, but hauled down a team-best 10 rebounds.
For the season, Bromfield is averaging a team-best 16.4 points and 8.0 rebounds.
She arrived at MSU after leading Tallahassee Community College to a third-place finish at the Junior College National Basketball Championships in March 2001. She closed her career at TCC's all-time leading scorer (1,055 points) and rebounder (529 boards).
Approaching Milestones
- * Maria Recker needs five more three-point field goals to moved into sixth place on MSU's all-time three-point chart. Recker has 38 career threes, tying for eighth all-time at MSU.
* Julie Pagel needs 112 more points to reach 500 for her career.
* With four more steals, Vnemina Reese would record 150 in her career.
* Abby Salscheider needs 45 more points to reach 400 for her career. She enters this week's action with 355 career points in 94 games.
Moving On Up - With four assists vs. Oakland, junior guard Vnemina Reese moved into the top 10 on MSU's career assists chart. Reese, who has led MSU in assists in each of the past two seasons, has 283 career helpers. The 283 assists ties her for ninth place with Carlotta Taylor (1987-90) on MSU's all-time chart. Former Spartan Maxann Reese (1997-2000) is eighth with 291 career assists.
Upcoming - MSU will face Providence College on Friday, Dec. 21, at 7 p.m., at the Breslin Center. The Providence game will mark Daddy-Daughter night at the Breslin. With one paid parent admission, the child gets in free.
Getting Defensive - MSU head coach Joanne P. McCallie has preached that defense gets the job done. In MSU's six wins, the Spartans' defense is allowing just 56.1 points. In addition, MSU held opponents to just 38.3 percent (139-of-363) shooting from the field and forced 143 turnovers. The Spartans have 97 steals in this same time span.
MSU currently ranks second in the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing 57.8 points per game.
Johnson Hits For Double - After scoring a combined 12 points in her previous four outings, freshman forward Joy Johnson equaled her career best with 11 points vs. Oakland.
From The Line - In the past three games, free throw shooting has played a part in the final outcome. In those three games, Michigan State canned 72.3 percent (60-of-83) of its shots. In the win over Oakland, MSU hit 19-of-27 shots, including five of the final six attempts in gaining a 55-53 win.
For the season, MSU is connecting on 69.1 percent (121-of-175) of its shots from the charity stripe. Individually, Kristin Haynie leads MSU from the line at 78.3 percent (36-of-46)
Spartan Quick Shots -
* Freshman forward Joy Johnson has averaged 5.8 rebounds per game in her last six outings.
* MSU is outscoring its opponents 279-to-254 in the second half.
* The Spartans are 4-1 on the road this season with wins over Arkansas State (70-59), Monmouth (60-52), Detroit (62-61) and Marquette (65-63).
Haynie's Numbers - Freshman guard Kristin Haynie continues to pace the Spartan attack in steals with 30, an average of 3.8 per game. That mark ranks second in the Big Ten Conference.
