MSU Women's Basketball Close Out Road Schedule at Nebraska Saturday

Saturday, February 27

Lincoln, Neb.

2 PM ET

Michigan State University

Nebraska

MSU Women's Basketball Close Out Road Schedule at Nebraska Saturday

2/26/2021 2:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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The Huskers captured the earlier meeting in East Lansing.

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball will play its regular-season road finale at Nebraska on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed on Big Ten Network. This is the second meeting between the Spartans and the Cornhuskers this season with Nebraska taking the meeting in East Lansing, 68-64, on Jan. 10.

• The Spartans hold an overall record of 12-7 overall and 7-7 in Big Ten action. Nebraska is 11-10 overall and 9-9 in league play. Both teams are coming off of losses. MSU lost a tight battle against No. 25 Rutgers at home, while Nebraska fell to Minnesota on the road, 73-63.

• Junior guard Nia Clouden now has 1,184 points, cracking into the Top 20 on the MSU career scoring list and moving up to No. 19. She passed Rene Haynes (2003-07) for the No. 20 spot with 1,181 points and Victoria Lucas-Perry (2003-07) with 1,182 points. Clouden is just five points shy of the No. 18 spot held by Mary Kay Itnyre (1977-80) with 1,189 points.

• Six of the Spartans' seven 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. The Spartans currently stand No. 39 in the current NET rankings.

• With 14 assists against No. 25 Rutgers, the Spartans now stand ninth in the nation and third in the Big Ten in assists per game (17.8 apg).

SCOUTING NEBRASKA
Nebraska is 11-10 overall and 9-8 in Big Ten play. The Huskers have won two of their last three, as last Wednesday's 73-63 loss at Minnesota snapped a two-game win streak, but Nebraska is just 2-5 in its last seven games, with one of those losses coming to No. 9 Maryland (95-73 on Feb. 14), but one of the wins was a 71-64 victory at No. 24/22 Northwestern, before back-to-back wins with an 87-72 win over Penn State.

In the loss at Minnesota, Nebraska tied the ballgame at 62-62 with 3:43 to go on a three-point play by guard Sam Haiby, but the Huskers were out-scored by the Golden Gophers, 10-1, down the stretch. Haiby led Nebraska with a game-high 22 points and dished out a team-best six assists, while freshman Annika Stewart was the other Husker in double-figures, tallying 13 points off the bench. Forward Isabelle Bourne pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.

Nebraska is 11th in the B1G in scoring offense (68.8 points per game), while ranking seventh in scoring defense (70.2 ppg), to rank 10th in scoring margin (-1.4). The Huskers also lead the B1G and rank eighth in the NCAA in blocked shots per game (5.9)

On the season, Haiby leads the Huskers and ranks 11th in the B1G in scoring (17.1 ppg), as well as ranking eighth in the league in assists (4.5 apg). Bourne is sixth in the conference in rebounding (8.2 rpg). Center Kate Cain leads the B1G and ranks ninth in the NCAA in blocked shots per game (3.1). Cain also is 19th in the conference in rebounding (6.3 rpg)

Saturday is the Huskers' Senior Day with their final home regular-season game, and they'll honor their lone active senior on the roster, Kate Cain in a ceremony after the game.

SERIES HISTORY VS. CORNHUSKERS
This the second meeting of the season between the Spartans and the Huskers with Nebraska winning in East Lansing, 68-64 on Jan. 10, 2021.

Overall, the Huskers lead the series 8-4. In the last five games, Nebraska has won three of the last five. Michigan State is looking for its first win in Lincoln, as the Huskers are 5-0 at home against the Spartans. Last season, MSU earned an hard-fought overtime win in East Lansing, 78-70.

LAST TIME VS. NEBRASKA
Despite three players reaching double figures, the No. 23/24 Michigan State women's basketball team was edged by Nebraska, 68-64, on Jan. 10, 2021.

The Spartans were banged up and were not able to come back from trailing at half time by nine points.

Despite scoring only three points in the first half, junior guard Nia Clouden led the Spartans in scoring with 14 points, netting 11 points in the second half, to go along with four assists in the game before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Junior guard Tory Ozment was also solid in the second half with nine points, totaling 11 in the game.

NEARING THE FINISH LINE
Michigan State is nearing the end of the regular season. After the Nebraska game, the Spartans have one more games currently scheduled against Wisconsin (March 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).

SCORING SLUMP
After scoring in double-figures in the first 17 games of the season, junior guard Nia Clouden has been held to single digits in each of the last two contests with eight points against Rutgers on Feb. 24. Clouden had tallied not only 10+ points, but 12 or more points in the previous 17 games this season. The junior guard has now scored double-figures in 44 of her last 49 games played, now doing so in all but five games over the last two seasons, and in 67 of 82 career games played.

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.

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 1,184 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                 1,184
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 18.6 points, 4.1 assists and 1.6 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 eighth in scoring (18.6 ppg), as well as standing 13th in assists (4.1 spg). She is also 15th in steals with 1.6 spg. Junior guard Tory Ozment is fourth in assist/turnover ratio (2.4). Sophomore Julia Ayrault is sixth in blocks (1.2), while fellow sophomore Alyza Winston is eighth in 3-pointers made (1.8/game). As a team, the Spartans are third in assists (17.8 apg), fourth in steals (8.8 spg) and fifth in blocks (4.1 bpg). In league games, Ozment is sixth in the Big Ten in assists/turnover ratio (2.9).

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 17.8 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 (3.4) are providing over. 3.0 assists per game. Janai Crooms averages 2.9 apg, while Moira Joiner is adding 1.9 helpers per game.

THE STARTING 5
Nia Clouden is the only Spartan to have started all 19 games this season, making her 82nd career start in playing in her 82nd career game. Michigan State opened the game with a new starting five against Feb. 24 of junior guard Nia Clouden, junior guard Janai Crooms, sophomore guard Alyza Winston, junior guard/forward Tori Ozment and senior forward Alisia Smith. It was the Spartans' first game with that starting five and now the seventh different starting lineup for MSU.

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.