Career Highs from Alexander and Joiner Lead Spartans Past CMU

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - A trio of Spartans scored 17 points, as the Michigan State women's basketball team topped Central Michigan, 84-54, Saturday afternoon in Mount Pleasant.

MSU head coach Suzy Merchant, who is a Central Michigan graduate, coached in Mount Pleasant for the first time in her Michigan State coaching career. She improves to 3-0 all time against the Chippewas at the helm of the Spartans. Overall, MSU improves to 6-0 this season, while Central Michigan drops to 0-4.

The Spartans had four players in double figures led by senior guard Moira Joiner, sophomore forward Isaline Alexander and junior guard Gabby Elliott, who all dropped 17 points. Joiner tied her career high with five treys, while Alexander set a new career mark with her 17 points. Graduate guard Kamaria McDaniel added 10 points. McDaniel and sophomore guard DeeDee Hagemann both led the way with four helpers each.

Central Michigan had three players in double figures, led by Rochelle Norris's 12 points off the bench.

The teams went back and forth early on with CMU taking an early 14 -12 lead with four minutes remaining in the period. Harris got off to a fast start for the Chippewas with seven points midway through the first quarter. A Joiner trey tied the score at 15-15 with 3:07 left in the quarter. MSU used a 5-0 run to re-take the lead 17-15. MSU ended the quarter with a slight 21-20 advantage.

In the second period, Central Michigan used a 6-0 run to go back on top 32-31 with 5:13 left in the half, as the Spartan shooting went cold. Before the half ended, the Spartan offense caught fire. Michigan State ended the quarter on a 9-0 run and kept the Chips off scoreboard for the final 4:50 of the half.

With Taiyier Parks, Matilda Ekh, Elliott and Tory Ozment all picking up two fouls in the first half, Joiner and Alexander were go to players in the first half. Joiner led all scorers with 12 points at the half.

MSU scored the first eight points of the second half to break open a 48-34 lead. MSU went on 23-5 run to put the game out of reach 64-40 with 40 second remaining in the third period.

The Spartans took their biggest lead of the game, 38 points, with 2:30 left in the game. Alexander scored eight of her 17 points in the final stanza. Once again, Michigan State made good use of its bench. The Spartan reserves out scored the Chippewas bench, 42-19.

MSU will now travel to Portland, Oregon for the Phil Knight Invitational. MSU starts the tournament against No. 7/8 Iowa State on Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m. (ET). Michigan State will then face either No. 13/13 North Carolina or No. 21/19 Oregon on Sunday, Nov. 27.

Michigan State Women's Basketball Post-Game Notes: vs. Central Michigan

• Michigan State improves to 30-8 all-time against Central Michigan, including 12-4 in Mount Pleasant, as the Spartans are made their first trip there since 1999. MSU has won nine in a row in the series overall, dating back to 1996, and have won the last three match-ups there, as CMU's last win in the series and the Chippewas last win in Mount Pleasant was Nov. 29, 1993, in a tight, 60-59, contest.

• Michigan State improved to 6-0 and has won all five games by at least 30 points, as well as three wins by 40+ points.

• MSU's 6-0 start is their best start since the 2020-21 MSU team started 9-0 before a loss in game 10.

• The Spartans have had at least one single-digit quarter in every game this season. Against the Chippewas, MSU held CMU to only eight points in the third period. In the quarter, the Spartans forced seven turnovers and held the Chips to 4-for-12 from the field.

• Michigan State used the same starting lineup for the sixth-straight game in senior forward Taiyier Parks, graduate guard Kamaria McDaniel, junior guard Gabby Elliott and sophomore guards Matilda Ekh and DeeDee Hagemann.

• Four Spartans netted double-figures, led by 17 points from sophomore forward Isaline Alexander, junior guard Gabby Elliott and senior guard Moira Joiner. Graduate Kamaria McDaniel also added 10 points. Saturday was the fifth game with four or more in double-figures, moving to 5-0 when three or more net 10+ points.

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Team Stats

Gabby Elliott

Isaline Alexander

Moira Joiner

Kamaria McDaniel

Players Mentioned

Moira Joiner

Tory Ozment

Taiyier Parks