Michigan State University Athletics
Women's Basketball Hosts No. 3/2 Notre Dame Wednesday
11/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
| #15/17 Michigan State (1-0) vs. No. 3/2 Notre Dame (1-0) | |
| Date | Wednesday, November 19 |
| Time | 7 p.m. ET |
| Location | East Lansing, Mich. | Breslin Center |
| Tickets | Click To Purchase |
| Television | Big Ten Network |
| Radio | WVFN 730AM | SpartanSportsNetwork.com |
| Game Notes | Michigan State | Notre Dame |
| Statistics | Michigan State | Eastern Michigan |
| Internet Coverage | Suzy Merchant Weekly Press Conference |
| Promotion | White Out! Wear white to the Breslin Center |
| Social Media | @MSU_WBasketball  | Facebook  |
ABOUT NOTRE DAME
The Fighting Irish, who entered the season ranked No. 3 nationally in both polls, have appeared in the last four Final Fours, losing in the championship game three times, including last season. Notre Dame will be led by preseason All-American Jewel Loyd and National High School Player of the Year Brianna Turner. The pair combined for 49 points in only 38 minutes in the Irish's 105-51 victory over UMass-Lowell in the opener.
AGAINST THE FIGHTING IRISH
Michigan State leads the all-time series with Notre Dame, 9-7. The Fighting Irish have won the last three meetings, in 2008, 2009 and 2013. The two schools last met in the Breslin Center on Nov. 19, 2009 with No. 5-ranked Notre Dame leaving with a 68-67 victory over the 21st-ranked Spartans. MSU is 5-3 all-time in East Lansing.
LAST MEETING WITH THE IRISH
The 2013-14 season started off on a down note, as the No. 19/18 Spartans fell 81-62 at No. 6/7 Notre Dame on Nov. 11. Four Spartans scored in double-figures, but the Irish controlled the glass and pulled away late. Becca Mills led the offensive effort with 15 points, on 7-for-13 shooting, and nine rebounds in a career-high 39 minutes. Annalise Pickrel posted her first career double-double with 11 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Pickrel also had a game-high five assists, which was a career high. Tori Jankoska chipped in 14 points off the bench, tying for the eighth-most points in a Spartan debut.
The Spartans led early, holding a 14-11 lead in the first six minutes, but the Irish followed with a 12-2 run over the next four minutes to take control. Notre Dame would push the lead to double-digits at the half, leading 36-24. Notre Dame jumped out early in the second half, growing its lead to as many as 21 (52-31) in the first five and a half minutes. The Spartans did not give in, getting within 11 on a couple occasions, but that was as close as they could get.
AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
Under Coach Merchant, Michigan State is 20-30 against ranked teams, including an 14-8 mark at Breslin Center.
No. 3/3 Notre Dame will be the fifth-highest ranked team to visit the Spartans in East Lansing, but the highest ranked non-conference opponent in Breslin Center history. Previously, No. 2/3 Ohio State visited on Feb. 20, 2005 (MSU won 66-64) and No. 2/2 Purdue came to town on Jan. 31, 1999 (MSU lost 75-55). Prior to Breslin, No. 2 Georgia beat MSU on Dec. 17, 1988 and No. 1 Iowa topped the Spartans on Feb. 5, 1988.
QUICK HITTERS FROM SUNDAY (No. 14/15 Michigan State 69, Eastern Michigan 61)
- Aerial Powers had 20 points and 15 rebounds, and Tori Jankoska added 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
- Anna Morrissey, who was making her first career start, hit a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws in the final 1:54 to ice the win.
- Michigan State had a 55-39 edge in rebounding.
- MSU erased a seven-point deficit midway through the first half and closed the half on a 13-4 run to lead 34-28 at the break. - Michigan State now leads the all-time series 18-3 against EMU, including winning 15 of the last 16 meetings. MSU is 11-1 against Eastern Michigan in East Lansing.
- Against in-state opponents, MSU is 42-2 since the beginning of the 2002-03 season.
- Morrissey posted career highs in points (9), rebounds (5), assists (2), blocks (1), steals (1) and minutes (36).
- Jankoska had her sixth career 20-point game, making a career-high 11 free throws, which is tied for the ninth-most in a MSU single-game.
- Powers posted her 11th career double-double. Her 15 rebounds were the second-most in her career.
IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER
The Spartans are 99-35 (73.9%) all-time in the month of November. Under Coach Merchant, Michigan State is 38-8 (82.6%) in November, with five of the eight losses coming against top-10 opponents. The Spartans have won 14 of their last 15 in the month.
ON BIG TEN NETWORK
Michigan State is 41-21 all-time on BTN, including a 10-2 mark last season.
POWERS HONORED
Michigan State sophomore Aerial Powers was one of three players named to the Big Ten Player of the Week honor roll on Monday. Powers earned the honor for the fourth time in her career. She led MSU to victory over Eastern Michigan on Sunday, totaling 20 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and three blocks in a career-high 38 minutes.
OFFENSIVE RHYTHM
Dating back to last season, sophomore Tori Jankoska has scored in double figures in 18 of her last 22 games, averaging 13.8 points during the stretch. The Spartans are 8-0 in her career when she leads the team in scoring, including Sunday's opener when she poured in 20 points.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
Over her past seven games, sophomore Aerial Powers has posted five double-doubles, including 20 points and 15 rebounds in Sunday's opener. During the stretch, she is averaging 14.7 points and 10.9 points. For her career, Powers has 11 double-doubles.
PRESEASON POLLING
Michigan State opened the season No. 14 in the preseason Associated Press poll and No. 15 nationally in the preseason USA Today coaches' poll. It is MSU's highest preseason ranking since beginning the 2009-10 season at No. 10 in both rankings.
Nine of MSU's 2014-15 opponents are now currently ranked - Notre Dame (3/2), Baylor (8/12), Maryland (9/8), Nebraska (16/15), Iowa (18/18), Rutgers (22/24), Syracuse (23/22), Georgia (24/rv) and Purdue (24/rv). In addition, Penn State, Minnesota, Northwestern and Ohio State are receiving votes in one of the two polls.
CRASHING THE BOARDS
The Spartans finished last season second in the Big Ten and 23rd in the nation in rebound margin (+7.3). MSU has been top-40 in the nation in rebound margin in each of Merchant's seven seasons. The Spartans have led the Big Ten in four of the last six seasons. MSU has out-rebounded 100 of its last 125 opponents (80.0%), including Eastern Michigan in the opener (55-39).
2014-15 CAPTAINS
Seniors Jasmine Hines and Becca Mills will be captains for the 2014-15 season. Both are first time captains.
BIG TEN CHAMPIONS
Michigan State won its fourth Big Ten regular-season championship last season. The Spartans finished the season tied with Penn State atop the conference standings at 13-3. MSU previously won Big Ten regular season titles in 1997, 2005 and 2011.
Michigan State has now won at least 10 Big Ten games in 12-straight seasons. It is the longest active streak in the Big Ten (with Penn State second at four). MSU is 140-58 (70.7%) in conference play over the last 12 seasons, trailing only Ohio State (141-57; 71.2%) in wins.
MSU is one of seven Division I teams to have double-digit conference wins in each of the last 12 seasons - Chattanooga, Connecticut, Duke, Green Bay, Liberty and Stanford also reached 10 conference wins in 2013-14.
The Spartans have finished third or better in the conference in each of the last six seasons - winning the title in 2010-11 and 2013-14, placing second in 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2011-12, and third in 2012-13. In all, MSU has finished no worse than third place in nine of the last 10 years.
More recently, MSU has won 57 of its last 75 Big Ten regular season games (76.0%). The Spartans started this season 4-0 in Big Ten action for the fifth time in program history (1987-88, 1989-90, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2013-14). Also, MSU's 8-2 record was tied for the best 10-game start in program history (1996-97, 2004-05, 2006-07, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2013-14).
20-FOR-11
The Spartans reached the 20-win plateau for the 11th straight season last year. The streak is the longest active streak in the Big Ten (Penn State is second with four in a row). MSU was one of 10 teams in the nation to have won at least 20 games in each of the last 11 seasons - Baylor, Bowling Green, Connecticut, Duke, Green Bay, Marist, Middle Tennessee State, Stanford and Tennessee.
SIX CONSECUTIVE INVITATIONS TO THE BIG DANCE
Michigan State made its sixth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2013-14, and its 11th in the last 12 years. Overall, the Spartans qualified for their 13th straight postseason. It was the first time in program history that MSU has appeared in six-straight NCAA Tournaments. MSU has won at least one game in nine of its last 10 NCAA Tournament trips.
MSU is one of 17 schools, including only two in the Big Ten (Iowa) who have qualified for the last six NCAA Tournaments [Baylor, Connecticut, DePaul, Duke, Fresno State, Georgia, Gonzaga, Iowa, Iowa State, Michigan State, Middle Tennessee, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt].
MAGIC NUMBERS
In head coach Suzy Merchant's tenure, when two numbers on the scoreboard were achieved it typically has been a sign of a MSU win. When the Spartans have scored at least 70 points, their record is 76-5 (93.8%), and have won 59 of their last 60 games. Also, when they hold opponents to 60 points or less, their record is 121-11 (91.7%).
CLOSING IT OUT
The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 103 of their last 104 games (99.0%) when leading with five minutes left, including winning 54 games in a row. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 145-5 (96.7%) when holding a lead with five minutes left.
HOME COOKING
The 2014-15 basketball season is the Spartans' 26th inside the Breslin Center. MSU has an all-time record of 263-87 (.751) at Breslin and have been even more dominant of late in its cozy confines, having won 57 of its last 66 games (.864).
FANS CONTINUE TO PACK THE BRESLIN
The Spartans ended last season ranked seventh in the nation and second in the Big Ten with 7,145 fans per game. It marked the 10th-straight season that the Spartans have been among the nation's top-15 in attendance, and the fifth consecutive year they have been in the top-10. The average is the third best in program history.
ON THIS DATE
Michigan State is 3-3 all-time on November 19. The Spartans had won its first three games on this date before losing to No. 5 Notre Dame in 2009, at No. 2 Baylor in 2010 and at Florida Gulf Coast in 2011.
Suzy Merchant RADIO SHOW
The Suzy Merchant Radio Show will begin on Wednesday, Dec. 3. The show, typically held on Wednesdays if no conflicts, is held 12-1 p.m. at Reno's East on Abbott Road. It can be heard locally on WVFN 730AM or at SpartanSportsNetwork.com.
