Spartan Women Conclude Road Trip at Rutgers Sunday

Sunday, January 30

Piscataway, NJ

2 PM

Michigan State University

Rutgers

Photo by: Matthew Mitchell Photography

1/29/2022 11:24:00 AM | Women's Basketball

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MSU takes on the Scarlet Knights in the back half of a long road trip.

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball closes out its two-game road swing at Rutgers on Sunday, Jan. 30 at 2 p.m. for its final game of the month. The Spartans have now won three three-straight games after a dominating 79-58 win at Penn State on Jan. 27.

• MSU also improves to 11-8 overall and 5-3 in league contests. The Scarlet Knights are 7-14 overall and 0-9 in Big Ten action. The series between Michigan State and Rutgers is tied 6-6 with the Scarlet Knight, taking the only meeting last season in East Lansing, 63-53.

• Freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh posted her fourth-straight game with a 3-pointer and finished with three treys against Penn State on Jan. 24, giving her 43 for her first season as a Spartan, moving up to No. 3 on MSU's list for 3-pointers by a Spartan freshman, passing Maxann Reese (1996-97) with 41 triples ... Ekh needs four more to catch Taryn McCutcheon (2016-17) at No. 3 with 47 3-pointers.

• Senior guard Nia Clouden's 16 points on Thursday gives her 1,684 career points, taking over sole possession of the No. 5 spot on MSU's career scoring list, pulling away from a tie with Kisha Kelley (1991-95) with 1,668. With five assists against Penn State, Clouden took over the No. 6 spot in career assists with 504.

• The Spartans three-game Big Ten regular-season winning streak is their longest since the 2019-20 season when MSU beat Wisconsin (Jan. 12), Ohio State (Jan. 16 )and Rutgers (Jan. 20).

SCOUTING RUTGERS
Rutgers stands 7-14 overall this season and are still looking for its first Big Ten win, holding an 0-9 league record. Last time out was one of the Scarlet Knights most lopsided losses falling to Maryland, 72-52. Rutgers has several close battles in the Big losing to Penn State 52-48 and Purdue 60-58.

The Scarlet Knights leading scorer this season is Osh Brown, who is scoring 9.9 points per game, while adding 9.2 rebounds per game. Brown is fourth in the Big Ten in rebounds, while Tyia Singleton stands fifth in blocks with 1.2 bpg. Sayawni Lassiter is also fifth in the league in steals with 1.9 spg.

The Rutgers defense remains one of the best in the Big Ten. The Scarlet Knights are fourth in blocks per game (4.0 bpg), while holding the third spot in steals per game (9.7 spg). As a team, Rutgers is only scoring 56.6 ppg., while allowing only 58.9 ppg. The Scarlet Knights are shooting 40.2 percent from the field and 27.1 percent from long range.

SERIES HISTORY VS. THE SCARLET KNIGHTS
The series between Michigan State and Rutgers is tied 6-6. The Spartans had won two-straight in the series, before the Scarlet Knights captured the game last season. The series is short between the two teams with the first meeting now happening until 2006 in East Lansing with MSU winning, 73-71. The home teams lead in their own arenas with RU leading at Jersey Mike's Arena 3-2 and MSU having the advantage at the Breslin Center 4-3.

In the last meeting, RU's stifling fourth-quarter defense was too much for Michigan State women's basketball to overcome, falling to No. 25 Rutgers, 63-53, on Deb. 24, 2021 in East Lansing.

The Rutgers defense held the Spartans top two scorers, Nia Clouden and Alyza Winston, to only nine points combined. Taiyier Parks led MSU with 12 points and five rebounds, while Tory Ozment added 10 points, three assists and two steals.

MAMMA MIA
Freshman guard/forward Ekh's 15 points at PSU gives her 233 for the season, now just 33 points shy of cracking MSU's single-season scoring by a freshman Top 15 list, as the No. 15 spot is currently at 266 points by Bella Engen (1994-95). Ekh's three triples also moves her to 43.4 percent (43-of-99) for the season, currently good for the No. 2 spot on the freshman 3-point percentage list, just ahead of Joiner's .386 (30-of-101) in 2020-21, and behind the record holder Lindsay Bowen (2002-03) at .464 (77-of-166).

Ekh's six 3-pointers is tied for seventh for all time treys made in a game. The last time a Spartan reached that mark was Alyza Winston against Iowa on Dec. 12, 2020.

MOVING ON UP
Nia Clouden's 16 points against Penn State gives her 1,684 career points, taking over sole possession of the No. 5 spot on MSU's career scoring list, pulling away from a tie with Kisha Kelley (1991-95) with 1,668. With five assists against Penn State, Clouden moved up to No. 6 in career assists with 504. Clouden joins Tori Jankoska as the only MSU players to finish their careers in the top 10 in scoring and assists.

BATTLE ON THE BOARDS
Michigan State had a dominating 45-18 rebounding advantage against Penn State on Jan. 27. MSU's +27 rebounding advantage was its highest of the season topping the previous season-high of +22 vs. Florida Gulf Coast (12/20/21). The 45 rebounds was the Spartans' fifth game with 40+ rebounds, including second in B1G play, and matching the 45 boards vs. Nebraska (12/30/21) for the most in the conference game this season. MSU had 14 offensive rebounds Thursday night, nearly matching PSU's total rebounds of 16.

SPARTAN FUN FACTS

The Spartans' 79 points was their second-highest in not just a B1G game, but also in a conference road game this season, behind 83 at Ohio State (1/12/22) in 89-83 loss.
In league games, Nia Clouden is seventh in the league in scoring (19.4 ppg), while Matilda Ekh stands 12th (15.8 ppg). DeeDee Hagemann is second in B1G games in assists per game (6.7 apg).
The MSU freshman have been strong in the scoring column this season with Matilda Ekh scoring in double figures 12 times, while DeeDee Hagemann has reached double figures seven times.

TREYS FOR DAYS
Senior guard Nia Clouden netted three 3-pointers Thursday night, marking her third game in a row with three or more triples as part of six this season. It was Clouden's ninth game this season with multiple 3-pointers. The three triples gives her 36 for the season and 122 treys for her career, moving up to No. 12 on MSU's career 3-pointers list, passing All-American Aerial Powers (2013-16) with 121 triples and just one shy from Eileen Shea (1987-91) at No. 11 with 123 and two shy from former teammate Branndais Agee (2013-18) at No. 10 with 124 3-pointers.

FINDING THE DIFFERENCE
In Michigan State's 11 wins the Spartans are averaging 80.8 ppg, while allowing only 60.7 ppg. In losses, MSU is scoring only 67.9 ppg, while allowing 77.3 ppg. Nia Clouden and Matilda Ekh are both leading the team in scoring in both wins and losses. Clouden is scoring 20.2 ppg in wins and 22.6 ppg in losses. Ekg is averaging 14.0 ppg in wins and 10.6 ppg in losses. The biggest difference in the wins and losses is taking care of the ball. In MSU's losses, the Spartans are turning over the ball 17.9 time per game and only 14.2 in wins.

WHERE DO WE STAND?
With a 5-3 conference record, Michigan State is currently sixth in the Big Ten standings with Indiana standing as the only undefeated team in the league with a 6-0 record. Michigan is second with an 9-1 mark followed by Iowa (8-1), Ohio State (7-3) and Maryland (6-3). Rutgers is the only team in the Big Ten still looking for a conference win with an 0-9 record.

DOING MORE WITH LESS
Losing senior Tory Ozment and junior Julia Ayrault to season-ending injuries at the beginning, MSU was already playing with a short bench. Against Nebraska on Dec. 30, the bench got even shorter. The Spartans played without freshman DeeDee Hagemann and senior Laurel Jacqmain because of COVID-19 protocols and junior Moira Joiner was out with concussion symptoms. Against the Huskers, MSU had nine players available and played eight. On Jan. 17, the Spartans announced that they would be without junior guard Moira Joiner for the rest of the season.

FANTASTIC FRESHMAN
Freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh's 23 points against Minnesota on Jan. 23 was her second 20-point outing in the last three games, and second-highest of the season behind her career-high 27 points at Ohio State (1/12/22). It was Ekh's third total 20-point game this season, also netting 20 vs. Illinois (12/9/21). She is now also tied for the most 20+ points games by a Spartan freshman since Clouden had three 20-point outings in 2018-19.

ANATOMY OF RECORD BREAKER

Several records fell against FGCU for Nia Clouden. She set the record for made field goals with 17. She also tied Aerial Powers school record with 15 made free throws.
With 50 points against Florida Gulf Coast on Dec. 20, Nia Clouden broke Tori Jankoska's record of 42 points, which was set against Ohio State on 1/19/17.
The 50 points is second-most scored by a DI women's basketball player this season, just behind Kansas State's Ayoka Lee who set the Division I scoring record with 61 points on Jan. 23.

BIG TIME B1G HONOR
Senior guard Nia Clouden was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Dec. 27. The Owings Mills, Maryland native had a record setting-week at the West Palm Beach Invitational. Clouden scored 50 points in the Spartans' double overtime loss to Florida Gulf Coast on Dec. 20. The 50 points is also the most points scored in the NCAA this season. She became just third Big Ten player ever to score 50 points, joining Minnesota's Rachel Banham (2015-16) and Michigan's Naz Hillmon (2020-21).

LOOKING ACROSS THE LEAGUE
Senior guard Nia Clouden is third in the B1G in scoring with 21.2 points per game behind Iowa's Caitlin Clark (25.4 ppg) and Penn State's Makenna Marisa (22.3 ppg). Clouden also holds the eighth spot in the league in assists with 4.2 helpers per contest, while freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann is fifth with 5.3 apg. Hagemann is also 11th in the league in assist/turnover ration (1.8). Clouden is also second in the league in free-throw percentage (.893). In league contests, Hagemann is second in assists, averaging 6.7 apg, while Clouden is seventh in scoring with 19.4 ppg.

As a team, the Spartans are third in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (.757) and sixth in field goal percentages (.453). Michigan State is second in assists, averaging 18.1 apg.

AROUND THE NATION
The Spartans are distributing the ball really well through the first 19 games. Michigan State is 13th in the nation and second in the Big Ten with 332 total assists and are 12th in assists per game, averaging 18.1 apg. MSU is also 28th in the nation in field goal percentage (.453). Senior guard Nia Clouden has been stellar in getting to the line. She is first in the nation in free throws made (125) and 21st in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.893). Clouden is also ninth in the country in scoring with 21.2 ppg.

MERCHANT MILESTONES
Spartan head coach Suzy Merchant reached the 300-win mark as head coach of the Spartans against Bryant on Nov. 19. She now holds a 306-194 record at Michigan State. Karen Langeland is the all-time leader with a 376-290 record at MSU. Merchant is also nine wins away from tying Langeland for the most Big Ten wins by a MSU coach with 156. Merchant also reached 500 career wins against Valparaiso on Tuesday, Nov. 16. Overall, she holds a 507-284 record overall.

UP NEXT
MSU will conclude the trip at Rutgers on Sunday, Jan. 30 at 2 p.m. The Spartans then return home for National Girls and Women in Sports Day against Maryland on BTN on Thursday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m.

20 DIMES FOR WINS
The Spartans improved to 9-0 this season when dishing out 20 or more assists with 22 helpers on Jan. 27 at Penn State. It also marked MSU's third game in a row with 20+ assists after 20 vs. Northwestern (1/16/22) and 22 vs. Minnesota (1/23/22). The three-game streak is the Spartans' longest since opening the season with four-consecutive 20-helper outings.

SOLID FROM THE STRIPE
Going 15-for-17 from the free throw line against Florida Gulf Coast on Dec. 20, Nia Clouden tied the MSU record for single-game free throws made. All-American Aerial Powers also went 15-for-17 against Rutgers on Feb. 18, 2016. As a team, Michigan State is third in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (.762). Clouden matched that record going 15-for-17 from the charity stripe against Nebraska on Dec. 30.

The Spartans tied a school record going 10-for-10 from the charity stripe against the Beacons on Nov. 16. The last time MSU didn't miss from the free throw line with at least 10 attempts was against Central Michigan in the NCAA Tournament, going 11-for-11 on March, 23, 2019.

LAST TIME OUT
With five players in double figures, the Michigan State women's basketball team used a balanced attack to capture a 79-58 win over Penn State Thursday night at the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, Pennsylvania.

MSU improved to 3-0 this season with five or more in double figures this season, as the Spartans were led by 16 points from senior guard Nia Clouden, who also added five assists and five rebounds.

EKH EARNS ANOTHER B1G HONOR
On Jan. 24, guard/forward Matilda Ekh captured her second Freshman of the Week honor after leading the Spartans to a win against Minnesota on Jan. 23, scoring 23 points. Ekh also dished out a career-high six assists, topping her previous high of four, done twice in previous two games, at Ohio State (1/12/22) and vs. Northwestern (1/16/22). She also garnered the honor on Dec. 13. Ekh is now also tied for the most 20+ points games by a Spartan freshman since Nia Clouden had three 20-point outings in 2018-19. Fellow freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann also earned B1G Freshman of the Week honors on Nov. 15.

KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR CLOUDEN
Senior guard Nia Clouden added to her preseason accolades. Clouden was named to the John R. Wooden Award® Women's Preseason Top 50 Watch List and the 2022 Wade Trophy preseason Watch List, as well as the Naismith Watch List. She had already been named to the Lieberman Watch List and earned preseason All-Big Ten honors.

CLOSING OUT THE GAMES
The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 233 of its last 245 games (.951) when leading with five minutes left, including 183 of their last 197. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 267-20 (.930) when holding a lead with five minutes left. This season, MSU is 10-1 when leading with five minutes remaining.

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 167 of their last 195 games (.856) when scoring at least 70 points, and the Spartans are 187-36 (.839) under head coach Suzy Merchant when hanging at least 70 points on the scoreboard. This season, MSU is now 10-3 this season when scoring 70 points. The Spartans scored 71 points in losses to Notre Dame on Dec. 2 and Florida Gulf Coast on Dec. 20. MSU also fell to Ohio State, 89-83 on Jan. 12.

MEET THE NEW SIGNEES
Michigan State's Suzy Merchant announced the signing of two National Letters of Intent, including Theryn Hallock (Grand Rapids, Michigan/ Forest Hills Central High School) and Abbey Kimball (Grand Rapids, Michigan/ West Catholic High School).

Hallock is a 5-11 guard, who is a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, attends Forest Hills Central and is coached by Kristina Prins. As a junior, she averaged 23.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 6.6 steals per game. She reached the 1,000-career point mark as a junior last season. She also earned first-team all-state honors. Kimball is a 5-10 guard, who is a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, plays for head coach Jill VanderEnde at West Catholic High School. She is rated No. 80 nationally overall and No. 18 at her position by HoopGurlz. During her junior season, she averaged 22.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 5.0 steals per game. Kimball has captured first-team all-conference honors for three-straight seasons.