No. 15/17 Women's Basketball Welcomes IUPUI Sunday

Nov. 22, 2014

#15/17 Michigan State (1-1) vs. IUPUI (1-1)
Date	Sunday, November 23
Time	2 p.m. ET
Location	East Lansing, Mich. \| Breslin Center
Tickets	Click To Purchase
Television	none
Radio	WVFN 730AM \| SpartanSportsNetwork.com
Game Notes	Michigan State \| IUPUI
Statistics	Michigan State \| IUPUI
Internet Coverage	BTN Plus (subscription) \|
Social Media	@MSU_WBasketball \| Facebook

ABOUT IUPUI
The Jaguars are making their first road trip of the season, after opening with a 89-69 loss to No. 10 Louisville and a 66-44 win over Eastern Illinois. IUPUI is coming off a 23-10 season, their second-straight 20-win season, and a second consecutive WNIT appearance. Three Jaguars are avergaing in double-figures, led by Valparaiso transfer Shaquira Scott's 12.5 points. Nevena Markovic, a second-team All-Summitt League performer last season, leads the team with 6.0 rebounds.

AGAINST THE JAGUARS
Michigan State leads the all-time series with IUPUI, 1-0. The Spartans won the lone meeting, 65-35, on Nov. 9, 2007 in the Breslin Center.

QUICK HITTERS FROM WEDNESDAY (No. 3/2 Notre Dame 71, No. 15/17 Michigan State 63)
- Aerial Powers led MSU with 27 points, the second-most in her career, and added 11 rebounds for her second-straight double-double. Powers also played a career-high 39 minutes.
- Tori Jankoska posted 20 points for the second-consecutive game.
- Jasmine Hines grabbed 12 rebounds, the third-most in her career and was the fifth time she posted double-digit rebounds.
- Anna Morrissey made her second-consecutive start, dishing out a team- and career-high four assists.
- Michigan State out-rebounded Notre Dame, 48-42, and grabbed 18 offensive rebounds.
- No. 3/2 Notre Dame was the highest ranked non-conference opponent in Breslin Center history.

IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER
The Spartans are 99-36 (73.3%) all-time in the month of November. Under Coach Merchant, Michigan State is 38-9 (80.9%) in November, with six of the nine losses coming against top-10 opponents. The Spartans have won 15 of their last 16 in the month.

OFFENSIVE START
Both sophomore Tori Jankoska and Aerial Powers have been off to a fast offensive start over the season's first two games. The pair became the first teammates to reach 20 points in the first two games in program history. The last Spartan to accomplish the feat was Liz Shimek to begin the 2005-06 season. Powers' 47 points are the third-most in program history in the first two games, while Jankoska's 40 are eighth.

Powers has also tallied double-doubles in the first two games, becoming the first Spartan since 2002 (Liz Shimek) to do so. Over her past eight games, Powers has posted six double-doubles. During the stretch, she is averaging 16.3 points and 10.9 points. For her career, Powers has 12 double-doubles.

Dating back to last season, Jankoska has scored in double figures in 19 of her last 23 games, averaging 14.1 points during the stretch. The Spartans are 8-0 in her career when she leads the team in scoring.

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 101 of its last 126 opponents (80.2%), including both games this season.

MERCHANT MARVELS
In Coach Merchant's first seven-plus seasons at MSU, the Spartans have gone 164-73 (69.3%). Her winning percentage is the 10th-best all-time among Big Ten coaches, and second among active conference coaches. Her 163 wins in her fist seven seasons were the fourth-most by a Big Ten coach in their first seven seasons. During her span, the 164 wins are third among Big Ten schools, trailing only new member Maryland (197) and Ohio State (167). Merchant has won at least 20 games in 10-straight seasons, not including the shortened 2006-07 season due to her maternity leave. In her career, she has 11 20-win seasons.

In conference games, she is 82-36 (69.5%), ranking her 10th all-time in career winning percentage in Big Ten games and second among active coaches. During her Spartan career, her 82 conference wins are the most in the Big Ten (Iowa and Ohio State-76).

Merchant also owns the most NCAA appearances as MSU head coach (six).

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 263-88 (.749) at Breslin and have been even more dominant of late in its cozy confines, having won 57 of its last 67 games (.851).

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.

BOUNCE BACK ABILITY
In Coach Merchant's first seven seasons, the Spartans are 51-17 (75.0%) following a loss.

ON THIS DATE Michigan State is 6-1 all-time on Nov. 23, having won its last five games, including a 81-68 win over Rice last season.