Michigan State University Athletics
No. 10 Spartans Look to Rebound at Detroit on Sunday
11/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 14, 2009
No. 10/10 Michigan State (0-1) at
Detroit Titans (1-0)
Date: Sunday, Nov. 15
Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Detroit, Mich.
Arena: Calihan Hall
TV: none
Radio: WJIM 1240 AM (Rick Berkey - play-by-play)
Internet: Live stats and audio at MSUSpartans.com
ABOUT DETROIT
The Titans opened with a 74-65 victory at Oakland on Friday afternoon. Sophomore Yar Shayok posted a double-double with 26 points and 14 rebounds in the win. Shayok was one of four Titans in double-figures, also including Demeisha Fambro's 17, Brigid Mulroy's 14 and Jalesa Jones' 12. Jones also added a team-high seven assists. Detroit went 12-19 last season under first year head coach Autumn Rademacher.
AGAINST THE TITANS
Michigan State leads the all-time series against the Titans, 15-7 and have won the last 10 meetings. MSU has won the last four games in Detroit, but are 4-5 there all-time. Last season, the Spartans downed the Titans, 85-48 in East Lansing (Nov. 19).
WHAT'S RETURNING FOR THE SPARTANS
• Nine players who started a game, including seven who started at least 10
• 12 of 13 letterwinners
• Top-six scorers (93.3% of last year's point total)
• Top-eight rebounders (95.0% of last year's rebounds total)
• 97.9% of last year's blocks, 91.1% of steals and 89.3% of assists
• Five All-Big Ten performers (DeHaan, Jefferson, Johnson, Keane, Thomas)
NATIONAL PRESEASON RECOGNITION
The Spartans were picked 10th in both national preseason polls - The Associated Press and the USA Today/ESPN Coaches'. It is the fifth time in the last six years, that the Spartans enter the season ranked in both national polls. Also, it is the highest preseason ranking in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' poll (previously 11th to begin 2005-06) and ties the previous high AP mark, set at the beginning of the 2005-06 season.
PRESEASON BIG TEN HONORS
Michigan State was picked second by both the coaches and media in the Big Ten Preseason Polls, released at the conference's media day. Ohio State topped both polls. In addition, senior Allyssa DeHaan was chosen to the five-player All-Big Ten Preseason Team by both parties.
Following OSU and MSU in the coaches poll was Minnesota, Purdue, Iowa, Illinois, Penn State, Northwestern, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan. In the media poll, Purdue was picked third, followed by Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Penn State, Indiana, Northwestern and Michigan.
Joining DeHaan on the preseason teams was Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year Jantel Lavender of Ohio State, her teammate Samantha Prahalis, Penn State's Tyra Grant and Illinois' Jenna Smith.
MERCHANT NAMES FOUR CAPTAINS FOR 2009-10 SEASON
Head coach Suzy Merchant named seniors Lauren Aitch, Allyssa DeHaan, Aisha Jefferson and Mandy Piechowski as the captains for the 2009-10 season. Jefferson was selected a captain for the third-straight season and Piechowski for her second consecutive campaign, while both Aitch and DeHaan are first time captains. It is the fifth time in program history that MSU has had four captains.
PLAYING THE BEST TO BECOME THE BEST
The Spartans will face one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in the country this season. Three of the 12 possible opponents are currently ranked in the top-15 in both national polls - No. 4/7 Notre Dame, No. 5/5 North Carolina and No. 11/15 Xavier - and in all nine of the 12 possible teams qualified for postseason play last season.
Michigan State is only one of six programs to face at least three of the top-15 teams in the preseason national polls in non-conference action, joining Connecticut, Stanford, Duke, Tennessee and Middle Tennessee. Of the six, only MSU and Tennessee will welcome three to its home arena. In addition, this season could mark the first time in MSU history that three ranked non-conference opponents have played the Spartans in East Lansing.
The Big Ten campaign as always will also be no slouch. Ohio State is No. 3 in both national polls, while Purdue is No. 23 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll and received votes in the AP poll. In all seven conference schools advanced to postseason play last season.
SWATTING HER WAY INTO THE NCAA RECORD BOOKS
Senior Allyssa DeHaan entered her senior season on pace to break the NCAA Division I blocked shots record. Currently, in seventh all-time with 408 blocks, she needs only 73 rejections to surpass the record held by Sandora Irvin of TCU (2001-05). DeHaan is also third on the NCAA list with a 3.92 blocks per game average.
DeHaan became the Big Ten's all-time blocked shots leader during MSU's Big Ten Tournament game against Wisconsin on March, 6, 2009. She surpassed Ohio State's Jessica Davenport (384) for the record. In addition, in last season's win over Stony Brook (Nov. 16, 2008), she became the fastest in conference history to reach the 300-block plateau, needing only 72 games.
HISTORIC COMPANY
Senior Allyssa DeHaan is one of only five Spartans to rank in the top-10 in both career points and rebounds. She is currently ninth all-time with 1,308 points and seventh with 732 rebounds.
