MSU Women's Basketball Concludes Homestand Against Florida A&M Thursday

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball will conclude its season-high five-game homestand, facing Florida A&M on Thursday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. The game will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.

• MSU improves to 4-0 for the fourth-straight season. The Spartans longest streak of late was a nine-game winning streak to start the 2020-21 campaign. Florida A&M comes to East Lansing with a 1-2 mark after a home win against Georgia State on Nov. 13.

• Michigan State has been showing off its offense early on this season. The Spartans have won every game this season by 30-plus points. The win over the Oakland marked the second margin of victory by over 40 points for MSU. The Spartans also defeated Delaware State by 43 points (80-37).

• Michigan State has two players averaging in double figures in scoring to start the season in sophomore guard/forward Matilda Ekh (11.3 ppg) and graduate guard Kamaria McDaniel (10.0 ppg). MSU has shown its deep bench through the first four games with six players averaging over 8.0 ppg.

• Sophomore forward Isaline Alexander tied her career high in points with nine against Oakland. She has had solid start to the season, averaging 8.3 points. She leads the team in rebounding with 6.0 rpg.

SCOUTING FLORIDA A&M
The Rattlers bring a 1-2 record into Thursday's match-up with the Spartans. FAMU is coming off a win in its home opener, beating Georgia State, 65-57, Tuesday afternoon in Tallahassee, Florida. The Rattlers got in the win column for the first time this season after a pair of in-state losses to open their ledger. FAMU lost at Florida, 83-55, on Nov. 7 in the season-opener and were defeated, 90-50, at South Florida, who is among teams receiving votes in the national polls, on Nov. 11.

Through three games, FAMU is averaging 56.7 points per game, while yielding 76.7 ppg to the opposition. The Rattlers are shooting 40.3 percent (60-of-149) from the field, 26.1 percent (12-of-46) from 3-point range and 77.6 percent (38-of-49) at the free throw line. Florida A&M also has a -4.3 rebounding margin (37.0-32.7 rpg), and a -9 turnover margin, averaging 23.3 turnovers per game, while forcing 14.3 miscues per game by the opposition.

Three Rattlers are averaging double-figures, led by senior guard Dylan Horton at 18.0 ppg, while senior guard Ahriahna Grizzle and junior guard Ivet Subirats are both averaging 10.3 ppg. Senior guard Mide Oriyomi leads the team with 7.3 rebounds per game. Horton and Subirats share the team's top honors behind the arc, both making five through three games.

FAMU head coach Shalon Pillow is in her third season as head coach and second season in action after the 2020-21 season was cancelled due to COVID. Pillow has a 4-27 record leading the Rattlers after going 3-25 last season and off to a 1-2 start this season.

SERIES HISTORY VS. RATTLERS
Thursday's meeting between Michigan State and Florida A&M is the first ever match-up.

While Thursday is the inaugural meeting between the Spartans and Rattlers, it marks the second-straight season and fifth in the last six that MSU has played a team from Florida. Last season, Michigan State played Florida Gulf Coast, who was ranked among others receiving votes, at the West Palm Beach Invitational in West Palm Beach, Florida and falling, 85-84 in a double-overtime thriller, despite a program record-breaking 50-point performance from Nia Clouden, on Dec. 20, 2021.

Michigan State played only a regional and Big Ten schedule in 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, for the only schedule without a Florida team on the docket. In 2019-20, MSU played No. 8/10 Florida State, losing 78-68, on Dec. 5, 2019 in the B1G/ACC Challenge. The year before, the Spartans hosted Florida Atlantic, winning 89-74, on Dec. 20, 2018. In the 2017-18 season, MSU beat No. 22/19 South Florida, 83-73, on Dec. 21, 2017 at the New Orleans Shootout.

BY THE NUMBERS VS. OAKLAND
• The Spartans have won every game this season by 30-plus points. The win over the Oakland marked the second margin of victory by over 40 points for MSU.
• Junior guard Gabby Elliott led the team in scoring with 12 points, her third game in double figures this season. This was the second time this year that she has led the team in scoring, also doing so against Delaware State to open the season. Elliott went 4-for-6 from the field.

LOCKING DOWN THE DEFENSE
Against Oakland, the Spartans allowed the fewest points in a second quarter in program history, yielding only five Bronco points in the frame. MSU's previous record was set in a Dec. 28, 2017 contest against Indiana, in which the Spartans allowed six Hoosier points in the second quarter. In the second and third quarters, MSU allowed only nine points.

BALANCED ATTACK
Without Nia Clouden to dominate the box score this season, the Spartans are looking for a more balanced attack. In four games this season, four different player have led the team in scoring. Senior forward Taiyier Parks led in scoring with a career-high 18 against Purdue Fort Wayne. Sophomore guard Matilda Ekh was atop the score sheet with 20 against Western Michigan. Junior guard Gabby Elliott and senior guard Moira Joiner lead in scoring in the season opener against Delaware State with 13 points each. Elliott also led the team in scoring against Oakland with 12 points.

DID YOU KNOW?
Sophomore forward Isaline Alexander tied her career high in points with nine against Oakland. With 33 points in four games this season, she is only six points away from passing last seasons total points scored (38).

TOPPING THE CHARTS
Michigan State is among the Big Ten's leaders early on this season. The Spartans are currently second in the B1G in scoring margin (+43.8) and scoring defense (44.5 ppg). MSU is also fourth in rebounds (46.8 rpg) and second in assists (22.3 apg).

Sophomore guard Matilda Ekh is eighth in the Big Ten in 3-point field percentage (.444). Freshman guard Theryn Hallock is 10th in assists per game (4.8 apg), while sophomore guard DeeDee Hagemann stands 11th (4.3 apg).

NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
Despite a slow start to the season, sophomores Matilda Ekh and DeeDee Hagemann have started heating up. Against Western Michigan on Nov. 13, Hagemann set a new career high with 19 points, including going 5-for-6 from beyond the arc.

Matilda Ekh had the Spartans' first 20-point game of the season with 20 points. She was hot from long distance, shooting 6-for-8 from behind the 3-point line.

Not to be undone, sophomore forward Isaline Alexander has been exceptional through four games, averaging 8.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. She leads the team in rebounding this season.

AROUND THE NATION
Early this season, Michigan State is fifth in the nation and second in the Big Ten in assists, averaging 22.2, just behind Michigan (24.0). MSU us also 14th in the country in scoring defense, allowing only 44.5 ppg.

SEASON OPENERS
All-time, the Spartans are 35-15 in season openers, but 28-2 when the opener is in East Lansing. Coach Merchant is 13-3 in season openers at MSU, and has won 19 of her last 22, including her time at Eastern Michigan. Last season, the Spartans earned a dominating 86-37 win over Delaware State on Nov. 7.

UP NEXT
The Spartans will now hit the road for their only true non-conference road game, facing in-state rival Central Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 1 p.m. in Mount Pleasant.

PLAY THE BEST TO BE THE BEST
Michigan State will play seven teams that are ranked in the preseason top 25 polls, led by No. 4/6 Iowa (Jan. 18). At the Phil Knight Invitational, the Spartans will face two ranked teams. MSU will start with another team from the Hawkeye State in No. 8/9 Iowa State on Nov. 24. MSU will face either No. 12/12 North Carolina or No.20/20 Oregon in the final game of the PKI on Nov. 27. Big Ten teams Indiana, Ohio State, Maryland, Nebraska and Michigan are all ranked in both preseason polls.

MEET THE NEWBIES
MSU introduces four freshmen to the team this season, featuring Abbey Kimball (Grand Rapids, Mich.), Theryn Hallock (Grand Rapids, Mich.), Maddy Skorupski (Clarkston, Mich.) and Olivia Porter (Chapel Hill, North Carolina).

The Spartans also added three transfers to this season's squad. Detroit native Gabby Elliott is a junior guard who comes to MSU from Clemson. Graduate guard Kamaria McDaniel, who hails from Inkster, was an All-Big Ten honoree from Penn State, before transferring to Baylor. Graduate guard Stephanie Visscher from Lulea, Sweden, was an all-conference performer from Stephen F. Austin.

COMING BACK BETTER THAN EVER
Senior guard Moira Joiner has looked sharp in her first four games since returning from concussion symptoms that shut down her 2021-22 season. In four games, she is fourth in scoring, averaging 9.5 points per game. In the season opener against Delaware State tallied 13 points off the bench in her first action since Jan. 12, 2022 vs. Ohio State, after missing the remainder of the 2021-22 season due to injury. Joiner's 11 points against Western Michigan was her 17th career double-figure scoring game. Joiner also netted three 3-pointers against DSU, matching her season-high from last year. She one of only two Spartans to scored in double figures in at least three games.

Redshirt-junior guard Julia Ayrault also made her return to the lineup after missing all of last season. Ayrault has scored in all three games this season in limited action and had her first block of the season against Purdue Fort Wayne.

GUESS WHO'S BACK
Despite losing All-American Nia Clouden, the Spartans bring back a lot of fire power. MSU returns two starters in sophomore guard Matilda Ekh and sophomore guard DeeDee Hagemann. Ekh was third on the team in scoring, averaging 11.8 points per game. She was also eighth in the B1G in 3-pointers made with 2.3. Hagemann was sixth on the team in scoring, averaging 7.7 ppg and was fourth in the conference in assists (5.3 apg).

TITLE IX CELEBRATION
Throughout the season, Michigan State will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX. MSU Athletics kicked off its year-round celebration on June 23, 2022. While the work in advancing women's athletics is not complete, the Spartans will celebrate the advancements that have been made in the last 50 years.

LEGENDARY SPARTAN
Former Michigan State women's basketball guard Nia Clouden was drafted 12th in the first round by the Connecticut Sun at the 2022 WNBA Draft. Clouden was the 12th Big Ten student-athlete drafted by the Sun franchise (which began as the Orlando Miracle from 1999-2002). Clouden, an Owings Mills, Maryland native, became the eighth Spartan to be selected in the WNBA draft. Tori Jankoska was the ninth overall pick in the 2017 draft by the Chicago Sky, while Aerial Powers was the fifth overall pick in 2016 going to the Dallas Wings.

Maxann Reese and Kristen Rasmussen were the first Spartans selected in the WNBA, drafted in 2000. Reese was taken in the third round, while Rasmussen was selected in the fourth. In 2003, Syreeta Broomfield was drafted in the third round. In 2005, Kristin Haynie was the ninth overall pick by Sacramento, while Liz Shimek was taken in the second round by Phoenix in 2006.

LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE
The Spartans will once again play a very difficult schedule. Nine of the MUS's 2022-23 regular-season opponents competed in the NCAA Tournament last season, including MSU's ACC/Big Ten Challenge opponent Georgia Tech. All three teams at the Phil Knight Invitational competed in the NCAA Tournament with MSU facing Iowa State in the first game. The Spartans will then face either Oregon or North Carolina in the next game. From the Big Ten portion of the schedule, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska and Ohio State reached the NCAA Tournament.

SPARTANS: THE NEW CLASS
Michigan State women's basketball head coach Suzy Merchant announced the signing of two National Letters of Intent on Thursday, including Jordan Wood (Chicago, Illinois/Carmel Catholic High School) and Bree Robinson (Mississauga, Ontario/ Webb School).

Wood is a 6-4 forward, who is a native of Chicago, Illinois. She attends Carmel Catholic High School and is coached by Ben Berg. Wood is currently ranked No. 62 in the ESPNW HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings. As a junior, she scored 1,000 points, as well as leading the Corsairs to a Class 3A Illinois State Championship. Last season, she averaged 14.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, while also leading the team in assists (3.2 apg). She is a three-time All-East Suburban Catholic Conference and All-Area honoree, as well as capturing First-Team All-State accolades. Wood played AAU for Midwest Elite, competing on the EYBL Nike National circuit for coach Ralph Gesuado.

Robinson is a 5-8 guard, who is a native of Mississauga, Ontario, plays for head coach Matthew Shewmake at the Webb School (Tenn.). She helped lead the Webb school to a Tennessee State Championship, earning First-Team All-District 3 honors in the process. She also has a vast amount of international experience playing for Team Canada. She was the captain for Team Canada, playing in the U16 FIBA Americas in 2021, capturing a silver medal. She was also named Canletes 2022 All Canadian Player of the Year. She played for AAU Become One, competing on the GUAA Under Armour circuit for coach Handel Kipp.

CLOSING OUT THE GAMES
The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 242 of its last 255 games (.949) when leading with five minutes left, including 192 of their last 207. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 276-21 (.929) when holding a lead with five minutes left. This season, MSU is 4-0 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 174 of their last 204 games (.853) when scoring at least 70 points, and the Spartans are 194-41 (.826) under head coach Suzy Merchant when hanging at least 70 points on the scoreboard. This season, MSU is 4-0 this season when scoring 70 points.

MSU Women's Basketball Concludes Homestand Against Florida A&M Thursday

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Players Mentioned

Julia Ayrault

Nia Clouden

Moira Joiner

Taiyier Parks