Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Face Grand Valley State in Sunday's Exhibition Finale
11/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 7, 2009
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State women's basketball team wraps up exhibition play on Sunday (Nov. 8), when it hosts Grand Valley State for a 2 p.m. tip at the Breslin Center. The Spartans, who beat Wayne State, 79-47, on Thursday in their first exhibition game, enter the 2009-10 season ranked No. 10 in the initial Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls.
Sunday's game can be heard live on WJIM 1240 AM with Rick Berkey and Mo Gerhardt calling the action. Also, the broadcast is available on MSUSpartans.com or SpartanRadioNetwork.com.
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.
Grand Valley State was picked 13th in Division II and second in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) in preseason polls, after going 20-10 last season. The Lakers return four starters and eight letterwinners, including preseason All-GLIAC honorees Emma Veach and Jasmine Padin. GVSU is coached by Janel Burgess, who has posted a 36-22 record in her first two seasons as a head coach.
