Spartan Women Host No. 25 Rutgers to Conclude Homestand

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball concludes a two-game homestand against No. 25 Rutgers on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 3 p.m. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network with Lisa Byington and Christy Winters Scott on the call. This is the first and only regular-season meeting between the Spartans and the Scarlet Knights this season.

• The Spartans hold an overall record of 12-6 overall and 7-6 in Big Ten action. Last time out, a Tory Ozment buzzer beater pushed MSU past Purdue, 76-73. The played earned her a spot on the ESPN SportsCenter Top Ten at the No. 2 spot. Rutgers comes to town with a 10-3 overall mark of 10-3 and 6-3 in league contests.

• Despite a season-low six points against Purdue on Feb. 21, junior guard Nia Clouden now has 1,178 points, remaining at the No. 21 spot on MSU's career scoring list. Clouden needs just three points to crack the Top 20, as Rene Haynes (2003-07) holds the No. 20 spot with 1,181 points.

• Five of the Spartans' six losses have come against teams ranked in the top 25, including a pair of losses to No. 8 Maryland. MSU's only loss against a team not ranked is Nebraska on Jan. 10.

• With 19 assists against Purdue, the Spartans now stand ninth in the nation and third in the Big Ten in assists per game (18.1 apg). MSU is also 19th in the country and fifth in the B1G in assist/turnover ratio (1.27).

SCOUTING RUTGERS
Rutgers has returned after a near one-month layoff due to COVID-19 issues within the program. Since returning on Feb. 7, the Scarlet Knights have won five-straight games, including a win over then No. 21/20 Northwestern.

The Scarlet Knights have come back stronger than ever. Rutgers has scored 70 or more points in five consecutive games for the first time in Big Ten action, and the first time in any conference since the 1997-98 squad scored 70-plus in seven-straight in the Big East. RU's .483 team field goal percentage is seventh in the nation, while its 13.7 team steals per game in second in the country.

Arella Guirantes is third in the league in scoring, averaging 22.2 ppg, while also standing fourth in the Big Ten in steals per game with 2.2 spg. Guirantes is an all-around asset as she adds 5.2 helpers per game in the league. She also stands third in the conference with 2.2 blocks per game. Diamond Johnson will also add 17.3 ppg, which is good for seventh in the league in scoring.

SERIES HISTORY VS. SCARLET KNIGHTS
With a series sweep last season, Michigan State now holds a 6-5 series lead over Rutgers. Last year, the Spartans won on the road due in part to Moira Joiner's coming out party. The guard had her first 20-point game in the game on Jan 20, 2020. Joiner also drained the go-ahead trey at home to lead MSU past Rutgers, 57-53, on Feb. 13, 2020.

This has been a streaky series both teams have three-game winning streaks. After the Scarlet Knights won three-straight games from 2017-2019, MSU has quickly bounced back winning two games during the 2019-20 campaign.

LAST TIME VS. RUTGERS
Moira Joiner's 3-pointer with 1:54 remaining in the game completed Michigan State women's basketball's comeback with a 57-53 win over Rutgers on Feb. 13, 2020. MSU was able to overcome a 12-point second-half deficit.

The win snapped the Spartans' five-game losing streak. With the win, Michigan State evens out its record to 12-12 and 5-8 in Big Ten play. Rutgers falls to 17-7 overall and 7-6 in league play.

The Spartans were led by 16 points from senior guard Taryn McCutcheon who tied a season high with four 3-pointers. Sophomore forward Kayla Belles added 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while sophomore guard Nia Clouden score 10 points with five assists.

NEARING THE FINISH LINE
Michigan State is nearing the end of the regular season. After the Rutgers game, the Spartans have two more games currently scheduled at Nebraska (March 27) and Wisconsin (March 5/6). Michigan State has four postponed game that have yet to be re-scheduled.

Postponed Games
Dec. 31 at Ohio State
Jan. 21 vs. Indiana
Jan. 28 vs. Michigan
Feb. 4 at Illinois

SMALL MARGIN OF ERROR
Four of Michigan State's losses have come by six points or less. In back to back games in January, MSU lost to No. 12/12 Maryland by six points (93-87) and Nebraska by four points (68-64). Overcoming large deficits in February, the Spartans fell to No. 22/20 Northwestern by three points (63-60) and No. 11/11 Michigan by four (86-82).

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
The exciting game against Purdue on Feb. 21 was full of season firsts. The win was the first time this season that the Spartan won when trailing at the half, now standing 1-5. Michigan State also captured its first win in a game decided by five points or less.

REACHING MORE MILESTONES
Michigan State head coach Suzy Merchant is approaching even more milestones. She is nearing her 500th career win and her 300th win as head coach at MSU. In her 25-year career, Merchant holds an overall record of 494-274, making her just seven wins away from the 500 win mark. She is also 293-154 during her 14 seasons at the helm of the Spartans, standing eight wins away from the 300-win plateau.

On Feb. 16, 2016, Merchant captured her 400th career win in historic fashion. In a dramatic 114-106 win over Minnesota at the Breslin Center, All-American Aerial Powers scored a career-high 40 points, as the Gophers Rachel Banham scored 52. On Feb. 24, 2016, Merchant won her 2ooth game at Michigan State in a win over Illinois.

CLOUDEN WITH A CHANCE OF SCORING
Junior guard Nia Clouden netted a career-high 34 points against No. 11/11 Michigan, the most points in a game by a Spartan women's basketball player since Tori Jankoska's school-record 42 points vs. Ohio State on Jan. 10, 2017. Clouden's 34 points is tied for the seventh-most in school history, and is also tied for the No. 8 spot on MSU's single-game scoring record (two players scored 35 points). She is the fifth different Spartan to net 34 points in a game, but the first to do so since 2008 when Aisha Jefferson tallied 34 vs. Notre Dame on Nov. 29, 2008. Clouden's 34 points was her second 30-point outing of her career, both coming this season, previous scoring 32 vs. Maryland (1/7/21), her previous career-high.

HOW WINSTON GOT HER GROOVE BACK
Sophomore guard Alyza Winston led the Spartan bench for the second-straight game with 18 points against Michigan on Feb. 16. After not scoring in double-figures in the previous five games, Winston has netted double-digits in the last three games after 16 points on Feb. 21 against Purdue. Winston now has 10 games this season with 10+ points as part of 11 games for her career in double-digits. She returned to the starting lineup against the Boilermakers.

ANATOMY OF A COMEBACK
Against Purdue on Feb. 21, MSU trailed by nine points with 3:18 left in the fourth quarter, 71-62. The Spartan defense turned up the heat to spearhead the MSU comeback. Michigan State fought for three steals in less than a minute to tie the score at 71-71 with 1:23 remaining. Junior guard Nia Clouden's jumper in the paint later tied the score at 73-73 to set up Tory Ozment's dramatic finish. With time expiring, Ozment drained a trey from the left side for the game winner.

FEELING COMFORTABLE
Senior forward Alisia Smith posted the first double-double of her short MSU career with 18 points and 10 rebounds against Purdue on Feb. 21. The 18 points was one shy of her Spartan career of 19 points at Wisconsin (1/24/21). Sunday was Smith's 12th game for the Green & White after transferring from Penn State in the offseason. Overall, it was Smith's seventh career double-double after six at Penn State (one in 2019-20, five in 2018-19). Smith's 18 points was her sixth double-figure scoring output, while the 10 rebounds was her second double-figure outing on the glass. Of Smith's six double-digit point games, five of come in the last eight games, all eight of which she has started.

JOINING THE CLUB
Against Maryland on Jan. 7, Nia Clouden scored her 1,000th career point with a jumper from the left wing with 9:43 left in the third quarter for her 14th point in the game. Clouden became the 29th player in MSU women's basketball history to reach the 1,000 career points plateau. She now has 1,178 points in her Spartan career, climbing up to No. 23 on the MSU career scoring list. She became the seventh player in the last seven years to reach the 1,000-point mark.

Years   Player          Points
2020-21   Nia Clouden 1,178
2019-20   Taryn McCutcheon 1,119
2018-19   Jenna Allen 1,098
2017-18   Branndais Agee 1,250
2015-16   Tori Jankoska 2,212
2014-15   Aerial Powers 1,817
2014-15   Becca Mills 1,157

PARTY LIKE ITS 1985
Junior guard Nia Clouden is looking to become the first Spartan since Kris Emerson in the 1985-86 season to lead the team in scoring, assists and steals per game. She is currently averaging 19.2 points, 4.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Emerson led with 16.9 points, 3.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game during the 1985-86 season.

AROUND THE LEAGUE
Around the Big Ten, Nia Clouden ranks fifth in scoring (19.2 ppg), as well as standing 13th in assists (4.1 spg). She is also 14th in steals with 1.7 spg. Junior guard Tory Ozment is fourth in assist/turnover ratio (2.6). Sophomore Julia Ayrault is fifth in blocks (1.2), while fellow sophomore Alyza Winston is eighth in 3-pointers made (1.9/game). As a team, the Spartans are third in assists (18.1 apg), third in steals (8.9 spg) and fifth in blocks (4.0 bpg). In league games, Ozment is second in the Big Ten in assists/turnover ratio (3.5).

KEEPING YOUR BALANCE
While Nia Clouden leads the team in scoring and assists, the rest of the Spartan squad is rather balanced. MSU has eight players averaging over 5.0 ppg. Averaging 18.1 assists per game, Michigan State is getting helpers from all over the place. There are four players averaging over. 2.0 apg. Nia Clouden (4.1) and Tory Ozment (3.6) are providing over. 3.5 assists per game. Janai Crooms averages 3.0 apg, while Moira Joiner is adding 2.0 helpers per game.

THE STARTING 5
Nia Clouden is the only Spartan to have started all 18 games this season, making her 81st career start in playing in her 81st career game. Against Purdue on Feb. 21, MSU debuted a new lineup of junior guard Nia Clouden, sophomore guard Alyza Winston, sophomore guard/forward Julia Ayrault, sophomore guard Moira Joiner and senior forward Alisia Smith. It is the sixth different starting lineup for the Spartans.

MASK UP, MICHIGAN
Things will look very different in the Breslin Center to start the season. Currently, there will be no fans in the stands, but players families are allowed. Crowd noise will be piped and the music will be going to get the players hyped up. From the comfort of home, fans can look for familiar faces in the cardboard cutouts in the stands. All postgame media will be done via Zoom this year.

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. The Green & White have won 156 of their last 179 games (.883) when scoring at least 70 points, and the Spartans are 176-30 (.854) under head coach Suzy Merchant when hanging at least 70 points on the scoreboard. The Spartans are now 12-2 this season when reaching the 70-point mark with the only losses coming against Maryland on Jan. 7 and Michigan on Feb. 16.

CLOSING OUT THE GAMES
The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 220 of its last 233 games (.944) when leading with five minutes left, including 170 of their last 185. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 255-19 (.931) when holding a lead with five minutes left. This season, MSU is 11-0 when leading with five minutes remaining.

CLOUDEN EARNS PRESEASON HONORS
Michigan State junior guard Nia Clouden has been named Preseason All-Big Ten by both the coaches and media. During the 2019-20 campaign, Clouden finished the season first on the team in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game, which was also eighth in the Big Ten. Last season, Clouden captured second-team All-Big Big Ten honors after being named to the honorable mention squad as a freshman.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Branndais Agee

Jenna Allen

Julia Ayrault

Kayla Belles

Nia Clouden

Janai Crooms

Tori Jankoska

Moira Joiner

Taryn McCutcheon

Tory Ozment

Alisia Smith

Alyza Winston