Michigan State University Athletics
Women's Basketball Begins Exhibition Slate Thursday with Wayne State
11/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 4, 2009
Spartan Sports Podcasts
Head Coach Suzy Merchant | Lauren Aitch | Aisha Jefferson
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State women's basketball team plays its first of two exhibition games on Thursday (Nov. 4) night, as they welcome Wayne State to the Breslin Center for a 6:30 p.m. tip. The Spartans enter the 2009-10 season ranked No. 10 in the initial Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls.
The Spartans, who were picked to finish second in the Big Ten by both the league's head coaches and media, finished last season 22-11 overall and 13-5 in Big Ten play. MSU advanced to its third NCAA Sweet 16, after a 63-49 upset of No. 1-seed Duke. One of the top defensive teams in the country, Michigan State led the Big Ten and ranked among the nation's top-25 in scoring defense, field goal percentage defense, 3-point field goal percentage defense, blocked shots and rebound margin.
Michigan State returns 12 of 13 letterwinners from last season, including nine student-athletes who started at least one game. In all, the Spartans welcome back 99.3% of its points, 95.0% of its rebounds, 89.3% of its assists, 97.9% of its blocks and 91.1% of its steals from a year ago. Senior Allyssa DeHaan highlights the returning Spartans, entering her senior season in the top-10 on the MSU career points and rebounds list, in addition to ranking eighth on the NCAA career blocks list. Redshirt senior Aisha Jefferson, the team's leading scorer from last season, needs 65 points to join DeHaan as one of 20 MSU players to reach the 1,000-point plateau. DeHaan, Jefferson, along with fellow seniors Lauren Aitch and Mandy Piechowski will be the captains of the 2009-10 squad.
Wayne State went 7-20 overall last season, including a 5-17 mark in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). The Warriors welcome back their leading scorer from last season, senior Brooke Bowers, who averaged 11.9 points per game in 2008-09. Bowers also led the team with 50 3-pointers made. Wayne State is coached by Gloria Bradley, who is entering her ninth season at WSU and has a record of 101-117 with the Warriors. Bradley also had a stop at Montclair State and sports a career record of 215-186 in 14 seasons as a head coach.
