Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Host Ferris State in 2006 Exhibition Finale
11/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 10, 2006
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EAST LANSING, Mich.- The Spartans have one more tune-up with a Division II Michigan foe before opening the regular season on Friday, Nov. 7, as they welcome Ferris State into the Breslin Center for the first time.
The Spartans, ranked 17th in the Preseason USA Today/ESPN Coaches' and Associated Press Polls, are coming off a 64-55 win over Division II National Champions Grand Valley State on Nov. 2. Freshman Allyssa DeHaan led the team with 17 points and added six rebounds and four blocked shots. Senior Victoria Lucas-Perry added 16 points and eight assists and sophomore Aisha Jefferson scored 11 of her 13 points in the second half.
Ferris State, which returns four starters all of whom averaged double figures a year ago, will look to improve on its 18-10 mark from 2005-06. Ninth-year head coach Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk welcomes back a group that includes two All-GLIAC selections in seniors Erin Miller and Kristin Reinhart.
This is the first meeting between the two schools, but Michigan State squared off against three GLIAC schools in its time before the Big Ten incorporated women's sports in 1981. The Spartans posted a 24-4 overall record against Grand Valley State, Northern Michigan and Wayne State.
Spartan Notables
• Michigan State and Ferris State, though separated by just 120 miles, have never met on the basketball court. On the ice, however, the schools are both members of the CCHA and have met 96 times since 1979, with MSU winning 60 times.
• The Spartans, ranked 17th in the Preseason USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll, have appeared in 50 of the last 51 Coaches' Polls, dating back to Dec. 29, 2003.
• The Spartans, ranked 17th in the Preseason Associated Press poll, have appeared in 55 straight AP polls, dating back to Dec. 1, 2003.
• Head coach Joanne P. McCallie enters the 2006-07 season eight wins shy of 300 in her career.
• When senior Rene Haynes scores 10 or more points, MSU is 35-2, including 27-0 dating back to Feb. 12, 2004.
• The Spartans have made four consecutive NCAA Tournaments and appeared in five straight postseasons.
• MSU is one of just 10 teams in the nation to have made trips to the NCAA Regional Semifinals in each of the last two years.
• Senior Rene Haynes enters the season 162 points shy of 1,000 in her career and senior Victoria Lucas-Perry is 265 points shy of the milestone. • MSU is just 11 wins shy of reaching 550 wins in program history.
• Assistant coach Al Brown is entering his 37th year as a collegiate coach, having served as an aide for 32 campaigns and a head coach for five.
