Women's Hoops Kicks Off Season With Fright Night

Oct. 14, 2006

EAST LANSING, Mich. - For the 12th-straight year, the Michigan State basketball season kicked off with a bang on Friday night on the Breslin Center floor, with both the women's and men's teams participating in "Fright Night."

"What a great event for the community," head coach Joanne P. McCallie said. "I love the tradition that Coach Tom Izzo has established and I'm glad we've been a part of it for the last seven years."

When doors opened at 9 p.m., thousands rushed into the arena, looking for the free posters and schedule cards that were handed out before standing in line for player and coach autographs.

The lights went down at 10:15 p.m. and the women's basketball team thrilled the crowd with their own choreographed version of Michael Jackson's "Thriller," with sophomore Aisha Jefferson (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne) leading the pack as the King of Pop. The team was then introduced individually, with each player shedding their mask before waving for the crowd.

After the men's team was introduced, the women hit the floor for a five-minute scrimmage. In the game, the Green overtook the White, 18-8, but freshman Takeya Fortner (Flint, Mich./Northern) led the White's cause by hitting two jumpers, including the first of the young season.

Both senior co-captains, Victoria Lucas-Perry (Flint, Mich./Powers Catholic) and Rene Haynes (Columbus, Ohio/Wellington School) chipped in two buckets for the Green squad, with Lucas-Perry nailing a three. Sophomore Mia Johnson (Minneapolis, Minn./St. Louis University) nailed her first trifecta of the season for the Green, giving a glimpse of her form that helped her hit 64 as a freshman for the Billikens in 2004-05. Freshman Mandy Piechowski (Shelby Township, Mich./Utica) hit a jumper in her Spartan debut.

"We're just really excited for the start of the season," McCallie said. "We have a great group of girls."

Michigan State will get back to the Breslin Center floor on Wednesday, Oct. 25 for the Green & White game at 7 p.m.