Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Open Regular Season With The Patriot League's Bucknell
11/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 16, 2006
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
EAST LANSING, Mich. - After two exhibition games spread out by 10 days, the Michigan State women's basketball team is ready for the regular season, starting with Friday night's game against Bucknell. The Bison, meanwhile, have already played three regular-season games entering the contest.
Michigan State, which won both its exhibitions, allowed just 51 points-per-game during the two tune-ups. The Spartans were led by freshman Allyssa DeHaan, who averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks in the games. Sophomore Mia Johnson averaged nine points and 9.5 rebounds in the two contests. Senior Victoria Lucas-Perry averaged 14 points and six assists.
Bucknell, 2-1 overall, posted an 85-77 win over Hampton on Friday before dropping a 63-56 decision at St. Joseph's on Sunday. The Bison downed Columbia, 71-53, on Tuesday night to lead into the showdown with the Spartans.
The Bison, predicted to finish tied for second in the Preseason Patriot League Poll, have been led by junior Hope Foster, who has averaged 19.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. Senior Lindsay Hollobaugh has averaged 18.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
Spartan Notables
• Michigan State and Bucknell's women's basketball teams have never met, but the men's teams have met on the court once with MSU coming up with a 64-52 win on Nov. 21, 2003.
• Friday's game is the Spartans' first-ever contest against a Patriot League school.
• The Spartans, ranked 17th in both the Preseason Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches' polls, have appeared in the last 55 AP polls.
• Freshman Allyssa DeHaan averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks per game in the Spartans' two exhibition contests.
• When senior Rene Haynes scores 10 or more points, MSU is 35-2, including 27-0 dating back to Feb. 12, 2004.
• Head coach Joanne P. McCallie enters the 2006-07 season eight wins shy of 300 in her career.
• The Spartans have made four consecutive NCAA Tournaments and made five straight postseason trips.
• 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.
• MSU is just 11 wins shy of reaching 550 wins in program history.
