No. 24 Spartan Women Conclude Road Swing at Nebraska Sunday

EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 24/22 Michigan State women's basketball concludes its two-game road trip at Nebraska on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 4 p.m. (ET). The Spartans head into the game with a 17-7 and 7-6 in Big Ten action. Nebraska is 11-14 overall and 6-8 in league play. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network with Mike Monaco and Brenda VanLengen on the call.

• The Spartans are looking for their second win of the season on the road in Big Ten play, standing 1-6 away from the Breslin Center on the road. MSU's win came against Michigan on Jan. 27.

• Shay Colley's 32 points against Indiana on Feb. 11 were the most points scored by a Spartan women's basketball player since Tori Jankoska scored 42 vs. Ohio State on Jan. 10, 2017. The 32 points is tied for the 14th-most in a single-game by an MSU women's basketball player. She has scored 20+ points six times this season.

• Redshirt-junior forward Victoria Gaines set a new career-high with 12 rebounds in the loss to Wisconsin on Feb. 14. She is now third on the team in rebounding, averaging 5.3 rpg. In B1G contests, she is bringing down 5.2 boards per contest. She is one of only three Spartans to reach double-figures in rebounding, along with Shay Colley and Jenna Allen.

• Now with 994 career points, senior Jenna Allen is just six points away from becoming the 27th player in Spartan history to reach the 1,000 career points plateau.

SCOUTING NEBRASKA
The Cornhuskers have an 11-14 overall and 6-8 Big Ten ledger, after an 89-63 loss at No. 7 Maryland on Thursday night. Nebraska has lost three of its last four, with the lone win in that span a 67-61 triumph over Purdue on Feb. 10, which came on the heels of a 67-61 loss at Michigan on Feb. 7 and an 82-78 loss to Indiana on Feb. 3.

Nebraska is fourth in the B1G in scoring offense (72.4 ppg) and 12th in scoring defense (69.8 ppg) to rank 10th in scoring margin (+2.6). The Huskers are also sixth in field goal percentage (.424), fifth in 3-point field goal percentage (.345) and sixth in free throw percentage (.710). Defensively, NU is second in the B1G and 20th in the NCAA in blocked shots (5.3 bpg).

Freshman forward Leigha Brown leads the Huskers with 10.2 points per game, coming off the bench. Brown is 11th in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (.759)

Junior guard Nicea Eliely is fourth in the league in steals (1.7 spg), while fellow junior guard Hannah Whitish is fourth in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (.354), tied for fifth in 3-pointers made per game (2.1) and tied for eighth in assists (4.4 apg).

Sophomore center Kate Cain is second in the league and 15th in the nation in blocked shots (2.6 bpg), as well as 17th in the B1G in rebounding with 6.2 rpg.

Amy Williams is in her third season at her alma mater, posting a 39-47 record. Williams has an overall record of 232-156 in her 12th season as a collegiate head coach.

SERIES HISTORY VS. NEBRASKA
Entering the lone match-up of the regular-season between the Spartans and Huskers, Michigan State trails the overall series with Nebraska, 7-3. The Huskers have won the last two meetings, including a 76-74 OT contest in Lincoln on Feb. 26, 2017 in the final game of the regular season and 79-69 last season in East Lansing. The Spartans' last win in the series was a 93-73 victory for MSU on Jan. 7, 2017 in East Lansing. MSU is in pursuit of its first win in Lincoln, winless in the previous four match-ups there.

LAST TIME VS. NEBRASKA
Jenna Allen scored a game-high 19 points as Michigan State dropped a Big Ten battle with Nebraska, 79-69, at the Breslin Center on Valentine's Day night, Feb. 14, 2018. Allen was one of four Spartans to score in double figures. Redshirt-sophomore guard Shay Colley returned to action after missing seven games with a knee injury to score 15 points, to go along with four rebounds and five assists. Sophomore guard Taryn McCutcheon and redshirt-sophomore forward Victoria Gaines both added 12 points. Nebraska was led by 17 points apiece from Hannah Whitish and Nicea Eliely.

DID YOU KNOW?
In the win against Purdue on Feb. 3, all five of MSU's starters posted double-figures for the first time this season. This was the third-straight game that three or more starters have tallied double-digits.

It marks the first time since Nov. 30, 2014 that the Spartans had all five starters net double-figures in an 85-39 victory over Miami (Ohio), when Anna Morrissey (17), Tori Jankoska (16), Jasmine Lumpkin (13), Becca Mills (10) and Aerial Powers (10) posted double-digits.

ALLEN APPROACHING A MILESTONE
Senior center Jenna Allen scored three points in the win against Indiana on Feb. 11. She now has seven double-digit game in the last 10 outings and 17 for the season. Now with 994 career points, Allen is just nine points away from becoming the 27th player in Spartan women's basketball history to reach the 1,000 career points plateau. Allen added three rebounds against Iowa and now has 524 career boards.

She has four 20+ point outings this season and five in her career. Against both Oregon and FAU, Allen tied a career-high with three 3-pointers, matching three triples from at Notre Dame (12/16/17), which was also when her career-high of 28 points came.

GRUELING WEEK
The Spartans are concluding their second three-game week of the season, going 1-1 so far this week. The previous time MSU went 1-2 with a win over Maryland on Jan. 17 and losses to Ohio State on Jan. 14 and Rutgers on Jan. 20.

GAINES GETTING UP
Redshirt-junior forward Victoria Gaines set a new career-high with 12 rebounds in the loss to Wisconsin on Feb. 14. She is now third on the team in rebounding, averaging 5.3 rpg. In B1G contests, she is bringing down 5.2 boards per contest. She is one of only three Spartans to reach double-figures in rebounding, along with Shay Colley and Jenna Allen.

LUCKY 77
With 77 points Feb. 11, Michigan State has scored in the 70s in five-straight games. In four of the last five wins, the Spartans have scored 77 points, after netting 77 in a 77-60 upset of No. 9 Maryland (Jan. 17), a 77-60 victory at home vs. Illinois (Jan. 24) and winning at Michigan 77-73 (Jan. 27) before Monday's 77-61 win over Indiana. MSU's lone non-77 points in a victory was 74 in a 74-66 win over Purdue.

CRASHING THE BOARDS
The Spartans are 13-0 this season when out-rebounding the opposition. MSU had a 38-32 rebounding advantage over Indiana on Feb. 11, marking the first time in its last four games that the Spartans had out-rebounded the opposition after being out-rebounded in not only the previous three games but four of the last five. The first time MSU had more rebounds than the opponent was against Illinois on Jan. 24. Michigan State is 3-5 when its opponents have more rebounds.

HOME-COURT ADVANTAGE
There are now only two teams left in the Big Ten with unblemished home records. The Spartans lead the way with a 13-0 home record this season, while Iowa is also perfect at home with a 12-0 mark.

BIG SHOT SHAY
Junior guard Shay Colley netted a career-high 32 points Feb. 11. She topped her previous season-high of 28 points from at Northwestern (Jan. 3) and her previous career-high of 31 points from at South Dakota (March 22, 2018) in last season's WNIT. Colley's 31-point outing is the first 30+ game this season by a Spartan and the first since Colley's 31 points at South Dakota.

Colley's 32 points is the most points scored by a Spartan women's basketball player since Tori Jankoska scored 42 vs. Ohio State on Jan. 10, 2017. The 32 points is tied for the 14th-most in a single-game by an MSU women's basketball player.

MOTHER NATURE GETS IN THE WAY
The Spartans game against Penn State that was postponed on Jan. 31 was the first time MSU had a game re-schedule since the 2015-16 season. That season storms in the Mid-Atlantic area re-scheduled a matchup between MSU and Maryland twice. The game was originally set to be played on Jan. 23 was finally played on Feb. 5.

The Spartans also had travel woes on the way to Iowa. Michigan State was scheduled to travel to Iowa City on Wednesday, Feb. 6, but were unable to land in Iowa. MSU finally reached Iowa on Thursday morning prior to the game.

CLOUDEN CLEANING UP
Freshman sensation Nia Clouden is climbing up the MSU freshman record charts. She remains seventh in freshman assists with 105 helpers. She is now just one assist away from tying Kim Archer who had 106 assists during the 1983-84 season. Current teammate Taryn McCutcheon holds the record for freshman assists with 169 during the 2016-17 season. Clouden also has scored 279 points this season, which places her No. 15 in freshman scoring, passing Kim Archer (1983-84).

MCCUTCHEON MOVIN' ON UP
With one assist against Wisconsin on Feb. 14, junior guard Taryn McCutcheon is fourth in career helpers with 449 in just three seasons. She passed Deb Traxinger (1978-82), who had 443 career assists. She is one of just seven Spartans to reach the 400-assist mark. McCutcheon is now 12 assists away from passing Christine Powers (1991-95), who had 460. MSU Hall of Famer Kristin Haynie (2001-05) is the all-time career leader in assists with 574 helpers.

She is currently seventh in the Big Ten and 97th in the NCAA with 4.5 assists per game.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME
The Spartans improved to 13-0 this season at home this season and have a 16-game home winning streak dating back to last year. MSU continues to have the best home record in the Big Ten for overall games (13-0) and tied with Iowa at 6-0 for the best home mark in the B1G for conference games. Michigan State and Iowa remain the only unbeaten home teams in the league.

MSU's 16-game home winning streak is the longest since a streak of 20 games overlapping the 2009-10 and the 2010-11 seasons.

The Spartans were 11-5 at the Breslin Center last season, while finishing the 2016-17 season 11-3 at home. During the 2015-16 season, MSU went 13-2 in East Lansing. The Spartans most home wins came during the 2010-11 season with 15 wins.

BEATING THE BEST
The Jan. 17 upset win over No. 9/9 Maryland was Michigan State's fourth home win over a ranked team, marking the first time that the Spartans have defeated four ranked teams at home since 2004-05 when MSU defeated No. 18/17 Iowa, No. 11/12 Minnesota, No. RV/24 Purdue and No. 2/3 Ohio State.

The win was MSU's fourth home win over a ranked team, joining No. 3 Oregon (88-82 on Dec. 9), No. 16 Iowa (84-70 on Dec. 30) and No. 18 Minnesota (Jan. 9), marking the second time in last four seasons that the Spartans have beat four ranked teams in the same season. In 2015-16, the Spartans topped No. 16 Northwestern (home), No. 5 Ohio State (home) and No. 9 Ohio State (neutral).

MSU's losses against ranked teams were against then-No. 15/13 NC State on Nov. 22 and No. 20/23 Rutgers on the road on Jan. 20. The Spartans only other loss to a ranked team was against No. 16/16 Iowa on Feb. 7.

The Spartans are now 4-3 this season against ranked opponents, improving to 23-17 overall at home vs. ranked foes under head coach Suzy Merchant.

PUTTING UP THE NUMBERS
In 24 games this season, the Spartans have had a player score at least 20 points 13 times, including Shay Colley scoring a career-high 32 against Indiana on Feb. 11 and 24 points against Wisconsin on Feb. 14. Senior center Jenna Allen has scored at least 20 points four times with a season-high 27 points against Oregon on Dec. 9. Colley has scored at least 20-points six times this season. Freshman guard Nia Clouden scored a career-high 27 against Iowa on Dec. 30 and 20 points in the second meeting against Iowa on Feb. 7.

B1G BY THE NUMBERS
The Spartans continue to hold several top spots in the Big Ten rankings this week, sitting first in both 3-point field goal percentage (.394) and in 3-pointers made per game (7.7). Michigan State is second in scoring offense with 77.9 ppg, trailing Iowa's leading 80.6 ppg, along with also ranking second in assists (19.5 apg), turnover margin (+2.6) and assist/turnover ratio (1.4). MSU is third in scoring margin (+10.8), field goal percentage (.454) and steals (8.3 spg).

SPREADING THE WEALTH
Michigan State has had success when it spreads the ball around this season. The Spartans are 12-0 when they have 21 or more assists in a game. Seven different players have led the team in assists this season, topped by junior guard Taryn McCutcheon, who has led MSU eight times.

The Spartans improved to 17-0 when having more assists than their opponents. In MSU's losses to NC State, Northwestern, Indiana, Ohio State and Iowa, the Spartans averaged only 12.5 assists per game, including a season-low nine against Ohio State.

LOOKING AT THE TOP 25
With a win last week, the Spartans stand No. 24 in the AP poll and No. 22 in the USA Today Coaches' poll. This is the 10th-straight game that Michigan State has been ranked.

AGAINST THE GREAT LAKES STATE
Michigan State has had great success against other collegiate programs in the state of Michigan over the past 16 seasons. Since the beginning of the 2002-03 season, the Spartans are 57-5 (.919) against in-state rivals, including a 42-5 (.894) mark under Coach Merchant. All-time, Michigan State is 190-60 (.760) against other Michigan schools.

BY THE NUMBERS
Michigan State's 88-82 upset of No. 3 was MSU's first upset win over an AP Poll top 5 team since a 107-105 3OT victory over No. 5 Ohio State on Feb. 27, 2016. It was the Spartans' biggest upset win since a 68-64 upset of No. 3 Tennessee on April 3, 2005 in the NCAA Tournament. It was the highest regular-season win since a 82-73 OT win over No. 3 Notre Dame on Dec. 2, 2004.

CLOSING IT OUT
The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 189 of their last 200 games (.945) when leading with five minutes left, including 139 of their last 152. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 224-17 (.929) when holding a lead with five minutes left. This season, the Spartans are 17-1 with the only loss coming against Indiana on Jan. 6.

SPARTANS IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
The Spartan guard tandem of freshman guard Nia Clouden and junior Taryn McCutcheon rank tied for second and tied for fifth in the B1G and 28th and 62nd in the NCAA, respectively in assist-to-turnover ratio. Clouden has a 2.39 ratio, while McCutcheon stands 2.06. McCutcheon is also 97th in the nation and seventh in the league in assists per game, dishing out 4.5, to go with ninth in the conference and 77th in the country in total assists (107). McCutcheon is also 37th in the country and second in the conference in 3-point percentage (.415). Senior center Jenna Allen is 75th in the country and seventh in the league in field-goal percentage with a 50.0 percentage.

As a team, MSU is seventh in the NCAA and second in the B1G in assists per game, averaging 19.5. Michigan State is also eighth in the country and second in the conference in assist/turnover ratio (1.40). MSU is also seventh in the nation and tops in the league in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting 39.4 percent behind the arc. The Spartans are also 20th in the country and second in the Big Ten in scoring offense, netting 77.9 points per game, as well as ranking 49th in the nation and third in the league in scoring margin at +10.8. MSU is also 23rd in the country and third in the league in field goal percentage, shooting 45.4 percent from the field.

AROUND THE BIG TEN
As of Monday, the Big Ten ranked No. 4 in the NCAA RPI (Ratings Percentage Index). In addition, seven Big Ten schools are among the top 60 in the NCAA team RPI rankings, including four in the top 25. Iowa leads the group at No. 11, followed by No. 17 Maryland, No. 19 Rutgers and No. 23 Michigan State. Indiana is next at No. 40, with Purdue at No. 51 and Michigan at No. 56 rounding out the group.

MERCHANT HONORED WITH ATHENA AWARD
Michigan State head women's basketball coach Suzy Merchant has been named the recipient of the 2018 ATHENA Leadership Award, as announced by the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce. Merchant was presented her award at a luncheon at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center on Dec. 6. The ATHENA Award honors individuals who strive towards the highest levels of professional accomplishment, who excel in their chosen field, have devoted time and energy to their community, and who pave paths for other women to follow.

ALLEN AND CLOUDEN CAPTURE B1G HONORS
Michigan State's Jenna Allen and Nia Clouden both captured Big Ten honors on Dec. 31 as announced by the league office. Allen earned Big Ten Player of the Week accolades, while Clouden garnered the Freshman of the Week honor. Clouden was also named USBWA National Freshman of the Week.

This was Allen's second Player of the Week award this season and second of her career. Clouden captured her first Freshman of the Week honor and became the first Spartan to earn the award since Victoria Gaines on Jan. 2, 2017. This is the first time since the Freshman of the Week award began during the 2009-10 season that MSU has received both honors in the same week. The Spartans are also the first team to sweep the awards this year.

2018 ACC/B1G CHALLENGE RECAP
Michigan State was one of the six Big Ten teams to earn a victory in the 12th annual ACC/Big Ten Women's Basketball Challenge, as the ACC won the Challenge, 8-6. MSU was joined in the win column by Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State, Purdue and Minnesota. The Spartans' 25-point margin of victory (91-66) was not only the largest margin of victory, but also the highest B1G score. Overall, it was the third-largest margin of victory in the challenge, behind Notre Dame's 34-point margin in 105-71 win over Iowa and 29-point margin in Florida State's 87-58 win over Penn State. MSU's 91 points was the second-highest scored in the Challenge behind Notre Dame's 105 points.

BOUNCE BACK ABILITY
In Coach Merchant's first 12 seasons, the Spartans are 79 -32 (71.2%) following a loss.

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. Overall, MSU has scored at least 70 points in 19 of 23 games this season. MSU has won 135 of its last 150 games when scoring at least 70 points, and MSU is 153-25 under head coach Suzy Merchant when hanging at least 70 points on the scoreboard. This year, MSU is 17-2 when scoring at least 70 with a loss to No. 13 NC State on Nov. 22 and a loss to No. 16 Iowa on Feb. 7.

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.

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 last 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.

This season, the Spartans are fourth in the Big Ten and 14th in the nation in attendance, averaging 5,485 fans per game. Michigan State packed 9,520 fans into the Breslin Center as MSU stopped Iowa on Dec. 30. Purdue leads the league in attendance, averaging 6,525 fans per game, while South Carolina is first in the nation with 11,016 per game.

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. 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.

UP NEXT
After taking on Nebraska on Sunday, Feb. 17 in Lincoln, the Spartan will host Ohio State on Thursday, Feb. 21.

LAST TIME OUT
Despite a team-high 24 points from redshirt-junior guard Shay Colley, the No. 24 Michigan State women's basketball team was stopped by Wisconsin on the road, 79-62, Thursday night in Madison.

Michigan State falls to 17-7 overall and 7-6 in Big Ten action, while Wisconsin improves to 12-13 overall and 3-10 in league play.
For the fourth-straight game, the Spartans were led by Colley, who knocked in 24 points. She was just shy of a double-double with nine rebounds. Colley now has five 20+ games this season and two this week after scoring 32 against Indiana on Monday. The other Spartan in double figures was freshman guard Nia Clouden, who scored 16 points to go along with three boards. Redshirt-junior forward Victoria Gaines set a new career high with 12 rebounds and tied a career-high with four blocks.

The Badgers were led by Marsha Howard who scored 24 points to go along with nine rebounds.

POST-GAME NOTES VS. WISCONSIN
• The 24 points by redshirt-junior guard Shay Colley on Thursday was her sixth 20+ point outing of the season and 10th of her career ... It was also her 14th double-figure outing of the season and 28th of her career.

• Redshirt-junior forward Victoria Gaines set a new career high with 12 rebounds against Wisconsin on Thursday. Her previous career high was 11 set three times, most recently against Ohio State on Jan. 13, 2019. She also tied her career high with four blocks. She also had four blocks against Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament on March 1, 2018.

• MSU's starting lineup of junior guards Shay Colley and Taryn McCutcheon, sophomore forward Sidney Cooks, freshman guard Nia Clouden and senior forward Jenna Allen was the sixth-straight time this season that the Spartans have started with that quintet.

• McCutcheon made her 24th start of the season and 89th of her career ... Allen also notched her 24thstart of the season and 52nd of her career ... Colley started for the 17th time this season and made the 39th start of her career ... Clouden posted her 24th start of the season ... Cooks made her sixth start of the season and 28th of her career.

WELCOME TO SPARTAN NATION - SIGNING DAY
Michigan State women's basketball head coach Suzy Merchant announced the signing of five National Letters of Intent, including Julia Ayrault (Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan/Grosse Pointe North), Cydni Dodd (Indianapolis, Indiana/Warren Central), Moira Joiner (Saginaw, Michigan/Heritage), Taiyier Parks (Cleveland, Ohio/North Royalton) and Alyza Winston (Muskegon, Michigan/ Muskegon). The class was ranked No. 6 by ESPNW Hoop Gurlz as of Nov. 15.
Ayrault is a 6-2 guard who plays for head coach Gary Bennett at Grosse Pointe North High School in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan and played AAU basketball for Rob Ruhstorfer and the Michigan Mystics. Ayrault is currently ranked No. 14 in her position and No. 75 overall by ESPN HoopGurlz. Last season, she averaged 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game and led Grosse Pointe North to the Class A Final Four. Ayrault set program records of scoring 497 points scored in a season.

Dodd is a 6-5 center who plays for head coach Stacy Mitchell at Warren Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana and AAU basketball for Danny Riego and the Indiana Gym Rats EYBL. She is currently ranked No. 14 in her position and No. 84 overall by ESPN HoopGurlz. As a junior, Dodd averaged 11.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game on 70 percent shooting from the field. Dodd was named to the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Underclass Large School All-State team. Joiner is a 5-10 guard who plays for head coach Vonnie Delong at Heritage High School in Saginaw, Michigan and played AAU basketball for Jeff Taylor and the Michigan Storm. She is ranked No. 13 in her position and No. 57 overall by ESPN HoopGurlz. Joiner is a three-time Associated Press All-State honoree.

Parks is a 6-2 forward who plays for head coach Matt Stricker at North Royalton High School in North Royalton, Ohio and played AAU basketball for Andre Gault and the SMAC. She is ranked No. 11 in her position and No. 93 overall by ESPN HoopGurlz. As a junior, she averaged 19.0 points to go along with 16.0 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 3.0 blocks per game. She earned first-team All-Conference honors as both a freshman and a junior.

Winston is a 5-7 guard who plays for head coach Rodney Walker at Muskegon High School in Muskegon, Michigan, which is the same high school that produced current Spartan Mardrekia Cook. Winston also played AAU basketball for Monique Brown and Michigan Crossover EYBL. Winston is ranked No. 18 in her position and No. 70 overall by ESPN HoopGurlz.

No. 24 Spartan Women Conclude Road Swing at Nebraska Sunday

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Players Mentioned

Jenna Allen

Nia Clouden

Shay Colley

Mardrekia Cook

Sidney Cooks

Victoria Gaines

Tori Jankoska

Taryn McCutcheon