Tuesday, November 6
East Lansing, Mich.
7 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Bowling Green
Photo by: Matthew Mitchell Photography
Spartan Women Open 2018-19 Campaign Hosting Bowling Green
11/5/2018 5:21:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MSU starts the season with three-straight home games.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State opens up the 2018-19 campaign with against Bowling Green on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Breslin Center to kickoff the 46th season of Spartan women's basketball. This is the first meeting between the two schools since 2010. Overall, MSU holds an 8-4 series lead over the Falcons.
JUST THE FACTS
• The Spartans return four of their top five scorers from last season in redshirt-junior Shay Colley (12.4 ppg), junior Taryn McCutcheon (10.2 ppg), senior Jenna Allen (9.9 ppg) and sophomore Sidney Cooks (9.5 ppg). MSU does say goodbye to All-Conference honorees Branndais Agee and Taya Reimer who are both playing overseas. Michigan State finished last season 19-14 overall and 7-9 in the Big Ten, advancing to the third round of the WNIT.
• In MSU's exhibition win against Hillsdale, 88-59, all nine Michigan State players that were in uniform scored, including three in double-figures as part of six players with seven or more points.
• Senior center Jenna Allen and redshirt-junior guard Shay Colley both posted double-doubles. Allen tallied a game-best 23 points to go with 10 rebounds, while Colley posted 15 points and 10 boards. Last season both Allen and Colley recorded one double-double apiece.
• Junior guard Taryn McCutcheon ended last season averaging 5.2 assists per game. Her 173 assists were fourth on the single-season Spartan list. McCutcheon also had a breakout season offensively for the Spartans, finishing the season second in scoring, averaging 10.2 ppg.
• New to Michigan State are three freshmen in guard Nia Clouden from Owning Mills, Maryland, Tory Ozment from Buford, Georgia and Kayla Belles from Ithaca, Michigan. After tearing her ACL in the first practice of the season last year, Claire Hendrickson is back as a redshirt-freshman.
WELCOME HOME
Michigan State will welcomes back Bowling Green head coach Robyn Fralick, who is a native of Okemos, Michigan. The former Robyn Flewelling had a decorated career at Okemos High School. She earned second team all-state honors on the hardwood as a junior, and was named to the All-Michigan fifth team as a senior. A three-time all-league selection, she was voted one of the top 100 players in Michigan her final two seasons and was named team MVP for the 1999-2000 campaign. In addition to her basketball honors, she was named all-league in soccer as well as honorable mention all-league in softball.
THE SCHEDULE
For the first time since the 2015-16 season, the Big Ten will have an 18-game schedule after two seasons of a 16-game docket. The conference played an 18-game league schedule in both 2015-16 and 2014-15. It is the sixth time in the last 12 years the conference has played an 18-game schedule.
The Spartans will spend the Thanksgiving holiday in Mexico at the Cancun Challenge, November 22-23. Michigan State will take on N.C. State on Thursday Nov. 22, before facing Kennesaw State on Friday, Nov. 23. The Spartans will close out the month of November hosting Virginia on Wednesday, Nov. 28 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
During the 2018-19 season at least 12 Michigan State women's basketball games will be televised on either the ESPN2 or the Big Ten Network. MSU will also have seven regular-season home contests aired on BTN Plus.
FREQUENT FLIER
Redshirt-junior guard Shay Colley spent time overseas this summer playing for the Canadian National Team. Playing in Europe, Colley helped guide Canada to the quarterfinals of the FIBA Women's World Cup.
SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN
Bowling Green returns a total of 10 letterwinners, including three starters, from last year's team that finished with an 11-19 overall record and a 3-15 mark in Mid-American Conference play. BGSU went 6-8 at the Stroh Center, 4-11 in road games and 1-0 in neutral-site games last year.
Head coach Robyn Fralick begins her first season at the helm of the Falcons. She spent four years as the head coach at Ashland with a stellar 104-3 record. The Eagles won the NCAA Division II National Championship in 2016-17 before returning to the national championship game and earning a runner-up finish last season.
FANS CONTINUE TO PACK THE BRESLIN
Michigan State women's basketball continues to pack the Breslin Center, finishing the 2017-18 season 10th in the nation and second in the Big Ten home attendance. The Spartans averaged 5,689 fans in 16 home games this season. MSU had a total of 91,026 fans pass through the gates. This is the 14th-straight season that the Spartans have been ranked in the top 15 nationally in attendance. MSU has had a total attendance of at least 80,000 since 2005-06.
TV TIME
Big Ten schools will be featured on national television at least 78 times during the 2018-19 season. BTN will televise at least 69 games and ESPN2 will carry nine contests. In addition, for the fifth consecutive year, every Big Ten women's basketball conference game, including 126 regular-season contests and all 13 Big Ten Tournament games, will be produced and distributed by BTN, BTN Plus or an ESPN network.
During the 2018-19 season at least 12 Michigan State women's basketball games will be televised on either the ESPN2 or the Big Ten Network. MSU will also have seven regular-season home contests aired on BTN Plus.
COLLEY EARNS PRESEASON HONOR
To kickoff the beginning of Big Ten Women's Basketball Media Week, the conference released the Preseason Coaches and Media Polls, in addition to the preseason All-Big Ten teams on Monday. Michigan State redshirt-junior guard Shay Colley was earned Preseason All-Big Ten honors by the coaches.
Maryland was voted to finish first in both the coaches and the media polls, while Iowa was picked second in both. In the coaches poll, Michigan was voted third, while Minnesota earned the third spot in the media poll. Reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Megan Gustafson of Iowa was voted Preseason Player of the Year by both the coaches and the media.
Last season, Colley led the Spartans in scoring and was 23rd in the Big Ten, averaging 12.4 points per game. Colley was also tied for eighth in assists with 4.3 apg. In her first season with the Spartans, the guard also ended the season tied for fifth in steals with 1.9 spg.
The Spartans finished the 2017-18 season with a 19-14 record, advancing to the Sweet 16 of the WNIT. Michigan State will return four of its top scorers last season led by All-Big Ten honorees Colley, Taryn McCutcheon and Jenna Allen.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
The 38th season of Big Ten Conference women's basketball tips off Tuesday, with four conference schools in action and the remaining programs beginning their seasons later this week. All 14 Big Ten teams will also play at home at least once during the first week of the season, including three who will play host to nationally-ranked opponents (Ohio State vs. No. 22/21 USF on Tuesday, Northwestern vs. No. 21/20 Duke on Sunday live on BTN, and Penn State vs. No. 24 California, also on Sunday).
UP NEXT
Michigan State will begin the regular season with three-straight home games. MSU opens the season hosting Bowling Green on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. On Sunday, Nov. 11, the Spartans will take on East Tennessee State at 1 p.m., as part of a doubleheader with the MSU men's team. Michigan State will close out the homestand against Wright State on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m.
EXHIBITION REWIND: MSU 88, HILLSDALE 59
Three Spartans scored in double figures as Michigan State women's basketball stopped Hillsdale, 88-59, Thursday night at the Breslin Center in MSU's lone exhibition. Senior center Jenna Allen recorded a double-double with a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds, and was joined by redshirt-junior guard Shay Colley with a double-double, tallying 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Freshman guard Nia Clouden rounded out the three Spartans scoring in double figures, and was one assist and three rebounds shy of a triple-double. Clouden also distributed a game-high nine assists, while Colley added six helpers.
Michigan State shot 49.3 percent (35-of-71) from the field, while holding Hillsdale to 29.4 percent (20-of-68). Both teams shot an identical 27.8 percent from 3-point range, with MSU making 5-of-18 while HC was 10-of-36. Michigan State was 13-of-25 (52.0 percent) at the free throw line, while Hillsdale was 9-of-13.
Paced by Allen and Colley's 10 boards apiece, the Spartans had a 52-42 rebounding advantage. Redshirt-sophomore forward Mardrekia Cook snared nine rebounds, while Clouden corralled seven boards.
Hillsdale was led by a double-double by Brittany Gray with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Allie Dewire tallied 10 points. Dewire dished out a team-high four assists.
Postgame Notes vs. Hillsdale - Exhibition
• All nine Michigan State players that were in uniform Wednesday night scored, including three in double-figures as part of six players with seven or more points.
• Senior center Jenna Allen and redshirt-junior guard Shay Colley both posted double-doubles . . . Allen tallied a game-best 23 points to go with 10 rebounds, while Colley posted 15 points and 10 boards . . . last season both Allen and Colley recorded one double-double apiece.
• Freshman guard Nia Clouden was the third Spartan in double-figure scoring with 13 points, one assist shy of a double-double, adding seven rebounds and three steals.
• Colley dished out six assists, as MSU registered 24 helpers on the night . . . Colley also had two blocks and was joined by junior forward Victoria Gaines with a pair of rejections, part of MSU's seven blocks in the game.
• Sophomore forward Mardrekia Cook swiped a game-best four steals, followed by Clouden and Colley with two steals, as the Spartans had 10 steals in the game, leading to a 15-12 points off turnover advantage.
• The Spartans' 88 points Wednesday picked up right where they left off in 2017-18, as they closed out the season with five-straight games scoring 80+ points, part of scoring 80 or more in 16 games, averaging 75.1 points per game.
JUST THE FACTS
• The Spartans return four of their top five scorers from last season in redshirt-junior Shay Colley (12.4 ppg), junior Taryn McCutcheon (10.2 ppg), senior Jenna Allen (9.9 ppg) and sophomore Sidney Cooks (9.5 ppg). MSU does say goodbye to All-Conference honorees Branndais Agee and Taya Reimer who are both playing overseas. Michigan State finished last season 19-14 overall and 7-9 in the Big Ten, advancing to the third round of the WNIT.
• In MSU's exhibition win against Hillsdale, 88-59, all nine Michigan State players that were in uniform scored, including three in double-figures as part of six players with seven or more points.
• Senior center Jenna Allen and redshirt-junior guard Shay Colley both posted double-doubles. Allen tallied a game-best 23 points to go with 10 rebounds, while Colley posted 15 points and 10 boards. Last season both Allen and Colley recorded one double-double apiece.
• Junior guard Taryn McCutcheon ended last season averaging 5.2 assists per game. Her 173 assists were fourth on the single-season Spartan list. McCutcheon also had a breakout season offensively for the Spartans, finishing the season second in scoring, averaging 10.2 ppg.
• New to Michigan State are three freshmen in guard Nia Clouden from Owning Mills, Maryland, Tory Ozment from Buford, Georgia and Kayla Belles from Ithaca, Michigan. After tearing her ACL in the first practice of the season last year, Claire Hendrickson is back as a redshirt-freshman.
WELCOME HOME
Michigan State will welcomes back Bowling Green head coach Robyn Fralick, who is a native of Okemos, Michigan. The former Robyn Flewelling had a decorated career at Okemos High School. She earned second team all-state honors on the hardwood as a junior, and was named to the All-Michigan fifth team as a senior. A three-time all-league selection, she was voted one of the top 100 players in Michigan her final two seasons and was named team MVP for the 1999-2000 campaign. In addition to her basketball honors, she was named all-league in soccer as well as honorable mention all-league in softball.
THE SCHEDULE
For the first time since the 2015-16 season, the Big Ten will have an 18-game schedule after two seasons of a 16-game docket. The conference played an 18-game league schedule in both 2015-16 and 2014-15. It is the sixth time in the last 12 years the conference has played an 18-game schedule.
The Spartans will spend the Thanksgiving holiday in Mexico at the Cancun Challenge, November 22-23. Michigan State will take on N.C. State on Thursday Nov. 22, before facing Kennesaw State on Friday, Nov. 23. The Spartans will close out the month of November hosting Virginia on Wednesday, Nov. 28 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
During the 2018-19 season at least 12 Michigan State women's basketball games will be televised on either the ESPN2 or the Big Ten Network. MSU will also have seven regular-season home contests aired on BTN Plus.
FREQUENT FLIER
Redshirt-junior guard Shay Colley spent time overseas this summer playing for the Canadian National Team. Playing in Europe, Colley helped guide Canada to the quarterfinals of the FIBA Women's World Cup.
SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN
Bowling Green returns a total of 10 letterwinners, including three starters, from last year's team that finished with an 11-19 overall record and a 3-15 mark in Mid-American Conference play. BGSU went 6-8 at the Stroh Center, 4-11 in road games and 1-0 in neutral-site games last year.
Head coach Robyn Fralick begins her first season at the helm of the Falcons. She spent four years as the head coach at Ashland with a stellar 104-3 record. The Eagles won the NCAA Division II National Championship in 2016-17 before returning to the national championship game and earning a runner-up finish last season.
FANS CONTINUE TO PACK THE BRESLIN
Michigan State women's basketball continues to pack the Breslin Center, finishing the 2017-18 season 10th in the nation and second in the Big Ten home attendance. The Spartans averaged 5,689 fans in 16 home games this season. MSU had a total of 91,026 fans pass through the gates. This is the 14th-straight season that the Spartans have been ranked in the top 15 nationally in attendance. MSU has had a total attendance of at least 80,000 since 2005-06.
TV TIME
Big Ten schools will be featured on national television at least 78 times during the 2018-19 season. BTN will televise at least 69 games and ESPN2 will carry nine contests. In addition, for the fifth consecutive year, every Big Ten women's basketball conference game, including 126 regular-season contests and all 13 Big Ten Tournament games, will be produced and distributed by BTN, BTN Plus or an ESPN network.
During the 2018-19 season at least 12 Michigan State women's basketball games will be televised on either the ESPN2 or the Big Ten Network. MSU will also have seven regular-season home contests aired on BTN Plus.
COLLEY EARNS PRESEASON HONOR
To kickoff the beginning of Big Ten Women's Basketball Media Week, the conference released the Preseason Coaches and Media Polls, in addition to the preseason All-Big Ten teams on Monday. Michigan State redshirt-junior guard Shay Colley was earned Preseason All-Big Ten honors by the coaches.
Maryland was voted to finish first in both the coaches and the media polls, while Iowa was picked second in both. In the coaches poll, Michigan was voted third, while Minnesota earned the third spot in the media poll. Reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Megan Gustafson of Iowa was voted Preseason Player of the Year by both the coaches and the media.
Last season, Colley led the Spartans in scoring and was 23rd in the Big Ten, averaging 12.4 points per game. Colley was also tied for eighth in assists with 4.3 apg. In her first season with the Spartans, the guard also ended the season tied for fifth in steals with 1.9 spg.
The Spartans finished the 2017-18 season with a 19-14 record, advancing to the Sweet 16 of the WNIT. Michigan State will return four of its top scorers last season led by All-Big Ten honorees Colley, Taryn McCutcheon and Jenna Allen.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
The 38th season of Big Ten Conference women's basketball tips off Tuesday, with four conference schools in action and the remaining programs beginning their seasons later this week. All 14 Big Ten teams will also play at home at least once during the first week of the season, including three who will play host to nationally-ranked opponents (Ohio State vs. No. 22/21 USF on Tuesday, Northwestern vs. No. 21/20 Duke on Sunday live on BTN, and Penn State vs. No. 24 California, also on Sunday).
UP NEXT
Michigan State will begin the regular season with three-straight home games. MSU opens the season hosting Bowling Green on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. On Sunday, Nov. 11, the Spartans will take on East Tennessee State at 1 p.m., as part of a doubleheader with the MSU men's team. Michigan State will close out the homestand against Wright State on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m.
EXHIBITION REWIND: MSU 88, HILLSDALE 59
Three Spartans scored in double figures as Michigan State women's basketball stopped Hillsdale, 88-59, Thursday night at the Breslin Center in MSU's lone exhibition. Senior center Jenna Allen recorded a double-double with a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds, and was joined by redshirt-junior guard Shay Colley with a double-double, tallying 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Freshman guard Nia Clouden rounded out the three Spartans scoring in double figures, and was one assist and three rebounds shy of a triple-double. Clouden also distributed a game-high nine assists, while Colley added six helpers.
Michigan State shot 49.3 percent (35-of-71) from the field, while holding Hillsdale to 29.4 percent (20-of-68). Both teams shot an identical 27.8 percent from 3-point range, with MSU making 5-of-18 while HC was 10-of-36. Michigan State was 13-of-25 (52.0 percent) at the free throw line, while Hillsdale was 9-of-13.
Paced by Allen and Colley's 10 boards apiece, the Spartans had a 52-42 rebounding advantage. Redshirt-sophomore forward Mardrekia Cook snared nine rebounds, while Clouden corralled seven boards.
Hillsdale was led by a double-double by Brittany Gray with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Allie Dewire tallied 10 points. Dewire dished out a team-high four assists.
Postgame Notes vs. Hillsdale - Exhibition
• All nine Michigan State players that were in uniform Wednesday night scored, including three in double-figures as part of six players with seven or more points.
• Senior center Jenna Allen and redshirt-junior guard Shay Colley both posted double-doubles . . . Allen tallied a game-best 23 points to go with 10 rebounds, while Colley posted 15 points and 10 boards . . . last season both Allen and Colley recorded one double-double apiece.
• Freshman guard Nia Clouden was the third Spartan in double-figure scoring with 13 points, one assist shy of a double-double, adding seven rebounds and three steals.
• Colley dished out six assists, as MSU registered 24 helpers on the night . . . Colley also had two blocks and was joined by junior forward Victoria Gaines with a pair of rejections, part of MSU's seven blocks in the game.
• Sophomore forward Mardrekia Cook swiped a game-best four steals, followed by Clouden and Colley with two steals, as the Spartans had 10 steals in the game, leading to a 15-12 points off turnover advantage.
• The Spartans' 88 points Wednesday picked up right where they left off in 2017-18, as they closed out the season with five-straight games scoring 80+ points, part of scoring 80 or more in 16 games, averaging 75.1 points per game.
Players Mentioned
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