Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Open Season against Delaware State on Monday on School Day
11/5/2022 10:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball
This is the 50th season of MSU women's basketball
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball opens its 50th season, hosting Delaware State on Monday, Nov. 7 at 12 p.m. The game against the Hornets is Spartans School Day with MSU welcoming area students for an afternoon of education and basketball.
• Michigan State brings back two starters in All-Big Ten and All-Freshman team honorees Matilda Ekh and DeeDee Hagemann.
• The game against the Hornets opens up a season-high five-game homestand. The Spartans will next take on Purdue Fort Wayne on Nov. 10 at 7 p.m.
• Spartan head coach Suzy Merchant enters her 16th season at the helm the squad. She holds a 311-172 record at MSU, along with a 512-292 career record. Last season, she reached a pair of milestones, winning her 500th career game against Valparasio on Nov. 16. Merchant followed that up with her 300th win at MSU against Bryant on Nov. 19.
• In recognition of the signing of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 of the Civil Rights Act on June 23, 1972, Spartan Athletics will honor selected individual achievements as well as team milestones from the last half century.
SCOUTING DELAWARE STATE
Delaware State captured a 71-50 exhibition win over Georgian Court in Memorial Hall on Wednesday. The Hornets unveiled a fairly new squad. Ten of the 11 players who played were new to the team. One of the newcomers, guard Savannah Brooks led all scorers with 19 points, including three 3-pointers. She also had a game-high five steals to help key the Lady Hornets' defensive effort. Joy Watkins returns for DSU, averaging 9.6 points and 1.5 rebounds per game.
In head coach E.C. Hill's first season the Hornets were 0-24 and 0-14 in MEAC action. The team averaged 46.8 ppg, while allowing 76.0
SERIES HISTORY VS. HORNETS
This is the third meeting between the Spartans and the Hornets. Michigan State holds a 2-0 series lead, including a 1-0 lead in East Lansing. The last time the teams met at the Breslin Center was in 2008 with MSU coming out on top, 71-41. In 2007, the Spartans beat the Hornets, 65-62 in Dover.
SEASON OPENERS
All-time, the Spartans are 34-15 in season openers, but 27-2 when the opener is in East Lansing. Coach Merchant is 12-3 in season openers at MSU, and has won 18 of her last 21, including her time at Eastern Michigan. Last season, the Spartans earned a dominating 93-31 win over Morehead State on Nov. 9 paced by six MSU players reaching double figures.
SPREADING OUT THE SCORING
In Michigan State's 90-56 win over Saginaw Valley State on Oct. 30, MSU had 12 of the 14 players in uniform score and all had at least three points, with three newcomer guards leading the way in double-figures. Junior transfer Gabby Elliott and graduate senior Kamaria McDaniel netted 14 points apiece, while freshman guard Theryn Hallock added 13 points off the bench in not just her debut for the Green & White, but college basketball. Fourteen of the 17 Spartans on the roster play in the exhibition.
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 (Grands Rapids, Mich.), Maddy Skorupski (Clarkston, Mich.) and Oliva Porter (Chapel Hill, North Carolina).
The Spartans also added three transfers to this season's squad. Detroit native Gabby Elliot 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.
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.
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 Matida 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.
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.
MOVING FORWARD
Redshirt-senior Tory Ozment and redshirt-junior Julia Ayrault both return from missing all of the 2021-22 season. Ozment returns from a left ACL tear, while Ayrault returns from left foot injury.
• Michigan State brings back two starters in All-Big Ten and All-Freshman team honorees Matilda Ekh and DeeDee Hagemann.
• The game against the Hornets opens up a season-high five-game homestand. The Spartans will next take on Purdue Fort Wayne on Nov. 10 at 7 p.m.
• Spartan head coach Suzy Merchant enters her 16th season at the helm the squad. She holds a 311-172 record at MSU, along with a 512-292 career record. Last season, she reached a pair of milestones, winning her 500th career game against Valparasio on Nov. 16. Merchant followed that up with her 300th win at MSU against Bryant on Nov. 19.
• In recognition of the signing of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 of the Civil Rights Act on June 23, 1972, Spartan Athletics will honor selected individual achievements as well as team milestones from the last half century.
SCOUTING DELAWARE STATE
Delaware State captured a 71-50 exhibition win over Georgian Court in Memorial Hall on Wednesday. The Hornets unveiled a fairly new squad. Ten of the 11 players who played were new to the team. One of the newcomers, guard Savannah Brooks led all scorers with 19 points, including three 3-pointers. She also had a game-high five steals to help key the Lady Hornets' defensive effort. Joy Watkins returns for DSU, averaging 9.6 points and 1.5 rebounds per game.
In head coach E.C. Hill's first season the Hornets were 0-24 and 0-14 in MEAC action. The team averaged 46.8 ppg, while allowing 76.0
SERIES HISTORY VS. HORNETS
This is the third meeting between the Spartans and the Hornets. Michigan State holds a 2-0 series lead, including a 1-0 lead in East Lansing. The last time the teams met at the Breslin Center was in 2008 with MSU coming out on top, 71-41. In 2007, the Spartans beat the Hornets, 65-62 in Dover.
SEASON OPENERS
All-time, the Spartans are 34-15 in season openers, but 27-2 when the opener is in East Lansing. Coach Merchant is 12-3 in season openers at MSU, and has won 18 of her last 21, including her time at Eastern Michigan. Last season, the Spartans earned a dominating 93-31 win over Morehead State on Nov. 9 paced by six MSU players reaching double figures.
SPREADING OUT THE SCORING
In Michigan State's 90-56 win over Saginaw Valley State on Oct. 30, MSU had 12 of the 14 players in uniform score and all had at least three points, with three newcomer guards leading the way in double-figures. Junior transfer Gabby Elliott and graduate senior Kamaria McDaniel netted 14 points apiece, while freshman guard Theryn Hallock added 13 points off the bench in not just her debut for the Green & White, but college basketball. Fourteen of the 17 Spartans on the roster play in the exhibition.
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 (Grands Rapids, Mich.), Maddy Skorupski (Clarkston, Mich.) and Oliva Porter (Chapel Hill, North Carolina).
The Spartans also added three transfers to this season's squad. Detroit native Gabby Elliot 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.
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.
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 Matida 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.
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.
MOVING FORWARD
Redshirt-senior Tory Ozment and redshirt-junior Julia Ayrault both return from missing all of the 2021-22 season. Ozment returns from a left ACL tear, while Ayrault returns from left foot injury.
Tuesday, September 22
Sunday, March 15
Sunday, March 01
Wednesday, February 18