Saturday, February 12
Bloomington, Ind.
3 PM
Michigan State University
at
No. 7/6 Indiana
Photo by: Matthew Mitchell Photography
Spartan Women's Basketball Travels to No. 7/6 Indiana Saturday
2/11/2022 5:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MSU is facing its second-straight Top-10 team.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball will take on its second top-10 team in the last three days, facing No. 7/6 Indiana on Saturday, Feb. 12 in Bloomington, Indiana. Tipoff time is set for 3 p.m. at the Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. This matchup was originally scheduled for Jan. 19, before being postponed due to COVID-19 concerns within the IU program.
• The Spartans halted a two-game losing streak with a 63-57 upset of No. 4/4 Michigan Thursday at the Breslin Center. Michigan State improves to 13-10 overall and 7-5 in Big Ten play. Indiana stands 17-3 overall and 9-1 in league action. Last time out, the Hoosiers went on the road, capturing a 93-61 win against Illinois on Feb. 9.
• Thursday's win over No. 4/4 Michigan was the Spartans' highest ranked win over a Top 5-ranked team since Michigan State defeated No. 3/3 Oregon, 88-82 on Dec. 9, 2018. MSU's triumph over No. 4/4 Michigan was the Spartans' 10th win over an AP Top-5 team, including fourth under head coach Suzy Merchant, with all four wins over AP Top-5 teams coming in the friendly confines of the Breslin Center.
• Senior guard Nia Clouden remains at No. 4 on MSU's career scoring list now with 1,772 points for her career, just eight points shy of the No. 3 spot held by Liz Shimek (2002-06) with 1,780 points. Clouden's 20 points Thursday night gives the senior guard three-straight 20-point games in B1G action.
• Nia Clouden added to her accolades when she was named to the Dawn Staley Late Season Watch List. Clouden was also Named to the Midseason Team for Naismith Women's Player of the Year. The honors continued to pour in as the senior was also one of 10 guard named to the Lieberman Watch List.
SCOUTING INDIANA
The No. 7/6 Hoosiers are 17-3 overall and 9-1 in conference play. Indiana is the only one loss team remaining in the Big Ten after the Spartans defeated Michigan on Thursday. Indiana's only losses this season have come against ranked teams, including Stanford, N.C. State and Michigan.
Indiana is third in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.465), while standing second in field goal percentage defense (.383). The Hoosiers are scoring 72.6 points per game, while allowing only 58.9.
The veteran Indiana squad has five players averaging in double figures. IU has been without starter Mackenzie Holmes, who leads the team in scoring (17.9 ppg) for the last five games. Grace Berger is 11th in the league in scoring, averaging 15.2 ppg. Alexsa Gulbe (12.5 ppg), Ali Patberg (12.4 ppg) and Nicole Hillary-Cardano (11.5 ppg) also are scoring in double figures. Gulbe (6.3 rpg) and Berger (6.3 rpg) also stand 12th and 13th, respectively in the league in rebounding. The multi-facted Berger is also fifth in the Big Ten in assists with 5.2 per game.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE HOOSIERS
Michigan State leads the overall series with Indiana, 45-28. In Bloomington, Indiana has the advantage 21-17, while MSU leads 23-11 in East Lansing. On neutral territory, Michigan State is ahead in the series 5-3. The series has been tight of late, standing 5-5 over the last 10 meetings.
Last season, the teams' split two meetings. During the regular season, IU earned a 79-67 win at home on Jan. 31. Three Spartans scored in double figures with Nia Clouden leading the way with 19 points and Alisia Smith and Janai Crooms added 17 and 19 points, respectively.
In the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals, the No. 7-seeded Spartans upset No. 2-seeded Indiana, 69-61 on March 11, 2021 in Indianapolis. Nia Clouden scored a game-high 30 points, just one shy of the school record of 31 points in the Big Ten Tournament set by Aerial Powers, Tori Jankoska and Liz Shimek. For the third-straight game, sophomore guard Alyza Winston was in double figures adding 13 points. The Spartans are 3-2 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament against the Hoosiers.
MOVE OVER COACH
Freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann's nine helpers against Michigan on Thursday night gives her 122 for her freshman season. After becoming just the eighth Spartan women's basketball player to register 100 assists as a freshman in MSU's game last week vs. Maryland on Feb. 3, Hagemann now has moved up to No. 6 on MSU's assists by a freshman list, passing former Spartan and current assistant coach Kristin Haynie (2001-02) with 117 helpers. Next up is Kiana Johnson (2011-12) at No. 5 with 129 assists.
MAMMA MIA
With six points, freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh now has 272 for her first season as Spartan, moving up to tie for No. 14 on MSU's freshman scoring list pulling away from a tie for No. 15 with Bella Engen (1994-95) with 266 points, and now tied with Brittney Thomas (2007-08) with 272 points.
Ekh's two 3-pointers marks her eighth game in a row and 14th overall game this season with multiple triples. Ekh now has 52 treys this season, continuing her grip on the No. 3 spot on MSU's list for 3-pointers by a Spartan freshman. Next up at No. 2 is Tori Jankoska (2013-14) with 64 triples.
PLAY THE BEST TO BE THE BEST
By facing No. 4/4 Michigan on Thursday and No. 7/6 Indiana on Saturday, it marks the first time that MSU has played back-to-back games against Top-10 teams since the 2016 Big Ten Tournament, when the Spartans beat No. 9/9 Ohio State (3/5/16), 82-63, in the semifinals before losing to No. 5/5 Maryland (3/6/16), 60-44, in the championship game in consecutive days. It is the first time since facing Top-10 teams in back-to-back games in the regular-season since 2006, when MSU lost to No. 7/7 Ohio State (1/22/06), 67-65, and at No. 8/8 Purdue (1/26/06), 73-53. That marked the Spartans' second set of back-to-back Top-10 foes in the 2005-06 season, as the Green & White played No. 2/1 Tennessee (11/24/05) and No. 10/10 Maryland (11/25/05) in consecutive days of the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
MERCHANT MANIACS
Suzy Merchant has coached three of the most prolific scorers in MSU history. Three of the top leaders in career scoring have come during Merchant's tenure. Tori Jankoska (2013-17) is the Spartans' all-time leading scorer with 2,212 points, while Aerial Powers (2013-16) scored 1,817 points in three season as MSU. Nia Clouden is 19 points from passing All-American Liz Shimek (2002-06) for third on the all-time scoring list. Clouden is currently fourth in career scoring with 1,772 points.
GROWING UP
Freshman forward Isaline Alexander was a key part of the MSU's upset against No. 4/4 Michigan on Feb. 10. She swatted a career-high three blocks, matching her season total of three rejections, with one block in three different outings, and having half of the Spartans' total on the night in Thursday's game. Alexander was one point shy of her career-high with seven points. She scored eight against Niagara (Nov. 14, 2021), as she had scored just six points in her limited action since that outing for just 14 combined points.
WATCHING THE WATCH LISTS
Nia Clouden was added to the Dawn Staley Late Season Watch List. The Dawn Staley Award is given annually to a player who exemplifies the skills that she possessed throughout her career; ball handling, scoring, her ability to distribute the basketball and her will to win. Clouden is one of three Big Ten players named to the watch list along with Penn State's Makenna Marisa and Iowa's Caitlin Clark. The Owings Mills, Maryland native is ninth in the NCAA in scoring, averaging 21.0 points per game, which is also third in the Big Ten.
MOVING ON UP
Senior guard Nia Clouden remains at No. 4 on MSU's career scoring list now with 1,772 for her career, just eight points shy of the No. 3 spot held by Liz Shimek (2002-06) with 1,780 points.
Clouden made three triples against Michigan on Feb. 10 to give her 52 3-pointers this season and 138 for her career, matching former Spartan player and current MSU assistant director of sports performance Annalise Pickrel (2010-14) for the No. 9 spot on MSU's career 3-pointers list. Clouden is now six away for the No. 8 spot held by Christine Powers (1991-95) with 144 treys.
SPARTAN FUN FACTS
ANATOMY OF RECORD BREAKER
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 21.3 points per game behind Iowa's Caitlin Clark (27.6 ppg) and Penn State's Makenna Marisa (22.7 ppg). Clouden also holds the eighth spot in the league in assists with 4.1 helpers per contest, while freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann is third with 5.8 apg. Hagemann is also eighth in the league in assist/turnover ration (1.9). Clouden is also first in the league in free-throw percentage (.890). Clouden (.430) and freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh (.4226) stand fourth and fifth, respectively in 3-point field goal percentage.
In league contests, Hagemann is second in assists, averaging 6.8 apg, while Clouden is seventh in scoring with 20.3 ppg.
As a team, the Spartans are fifth in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.446) and third in 3-point field goal percentages (.369). Michigan State is second in assists, averaging 17.7 apg.
AROUND THE NATION
The Spartans are distributing the ball really well through the first 23 games. Michigan State is 12th in the nation and second in the Big Ten with 407 total assists and are 12th in assists per game, averaging 17.7 apg. MSU is also 17th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.321). Senior guard Nia Clouden has been stellar in getting to the line. She is third in the nation in free throws made (137) and 18th in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.890). Clouden is also up to eighth in the country in scoring with 21.3 ppg.
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.
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 308-197 record at Michigan State. Karen Langeland is the all-time leader with a 376-290 record at MSU. Merchant is also four wins away from tying Langeland for the most Big Ten wins by a MSU coach with 156. Merchant is currently 152-98 in Big Ten games. She also reached 500 career wins against Valparaiso on Tuesday, Nov. 16. Overall, she holds a 509-287 record overall.
UP NEXT
After taking on the Hoosiers, the Spartans will play one more game on the road before returning home. MSU will travel to Wisconsin on Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Michigan State will then return home to take on Penn Sate on Monday, Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
20 DIMES FOR WINS
The Spartans improved to 9-1 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. MSU's only loss with 20 assists came against No. 17/14 Maryland (2/3/22).
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
Michigan State women's basketball knocked off No. 4/4 Michigan, 63-57, Thursday night at a spirited and raucous Breslin Center.
The Victory for MSU over No. 4/4 Michigan was the Spartans' highest ranked win over a Top 5 ranked team since Michigan State defeated No. 3/3 Oregon, 88-82 on Dec. 9, 2018.
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.
CLOSING OUT THE GAMES
The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 235 of its last 247 games (.951) when leading with five minutes left, including 185 of their last 199. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 269-20 (.931) when holding a lead with five minutes left. This season, MSU is 12-1 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.
• The Spartans halted a two-game losing streak with a 63-57 upset of No. 4/4 Michigan Thursday at the Breslin Center. Michigan State improves to 13-10 overall and 7-5 in Big Ten play. Indiana stands 17-3 overall and 9-1 in league action. Last time out, the Hoosiers went on the road, capturing a 93-61 win against Illinois on Feb. 9.
• Thursday's win over No. 4/4 Michigan was the Spartans' highest ranked win over a Top 5-ranked team since Michigan State defeated No. 3/3 Oregon, 88-82 on Dec. 9, 2018. MSU's triumph over No. 4/4 Michigan was the Spartans' 10th win over an AP Top-5 team, including fourth under head coach Suzy Merchant, with all four wins over AP Top-5 teams coming in the friendly confines of the Breslin Center.
• Senior guard Nia Clouden remains at No. 4 on MSU's career scoring list now with 1,772 points for her career, just eight points shy of the No. 3 spot held by Liz Shimek (2002-06) with 1,780 points. Clouden's 20 points Thursday night gives the senior guard three-straight 20-point games in B1G action.
• Nia Clouden added to her accolades when she was named to the Dawn Staley Late Season Watch List. Clouden was also Named to the Midseason Team for Naismith Women's Player of the Year. The honors continued to pour in as the senior was also one of 10 guard named to the Lieberman Watch List.
SCOUTING INDIANA
The No. 7/6 Hoosiers are 17-3 overall and 9-1 in conference play. Indiana is the only one loss team remaining in the Big Ten after the Spartans defeated Michigan on Thursday. Indiana's only losses this season have come against ranked teams, including Stanford, N.C. State and Michigan.
Indiana is third in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.465), while standing second in field goal percentage defense (.383). The Hoosiers are scoring 72.6 points per game, while allowing only 58.9.
The veteran Indiana squad has five players averaging in double figures. IU has been without starter Mackenzie Holmes, who leads the team in scoring (17.9 ppg) for the last five games. Grace Berger is 11th in the league in scoring, averaging 15.2 ppg. Alexsa Gulbe (12.5 ppg), Ali Patberg (12.4 ppg) and Nicole Hillary-Cardano (11.5 ppg) also are scoring in double figures. Gulbe (6.3 rpg) and Berger (6.3 rpg) also stand 12th and 13th, respectively in the league in rebounding. The multi-facted Berger is also fifth in the Big Ten in assists with 5.2 per game.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE HOOSIERS
Michigan State leads the overall series with Indiana, 45-28. In Bloomington, Indiana has the advantage 21-17, while MSU leads 23-11 in East Lansing. On neutral territory, Michigan State is ahead in the series 5-3. The series has been tight of late, standing 5-5 over the last 10 meetings.
Last season, the teams' split two meetings. During the regular season, IU earned a 79-67 win at home on Jan. 31. Three Spartans scored in double figures with Nia Clouden leading the way with 19 points and Alisia Smith and Janai Crooms added 17 and 19 points, respectively.
In the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals, the No. 7-seeded Spartans upset No. 2-seeded Indiana, 69-61 on March 11, 2021 in Indianapolis. Nia Clouden scored a game-high 30 points, just one shy of the school record of 31 points in the Big Ten Tournament set by Aerial Powers, Tori Jankoska and Liz Shimek. For the third-straight game, sophomore guard Alyza Winston was in double figures adding 13 points. The Spartans are 3-2 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament against the Hoosiers.
MOVE OVER COACH
Freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann's nine helpers against Michigan on Thursday night gives her 122 for her freshman season. After becoming just the eighth Spartan women's basketball player to register 100 assists as a freshman in MSU's game last week vs. Maryland on Feb. 3, Hagemann now has moved up to No. 6 on MSU's assists by a freshman list, passing former Spartan and current assistant coach Kristin Haynie (2001-02) with 117 helpers. Next up is Kiana Johnson (2011-12) at No. 5 with 129 assists.
MAMMA MIA
With six points, freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh now has 272 for her first season as Spartan, moving up to tie for No. 14 on MSU's freshman scoring list pulling away from a tie for No. 15 with Bella Engen (1994-95) with 266 points, and now tied with Brittney Thomas (2007-08) with 272 points.
Ekh's two 3-pointers marks her eighth game in a row and 14th overall game this season with multiple triples. Ekh now has 52 treys this season, continuing her grip on the No. 3 spot on MSU's list for 3-pointers by a Spartan freshman. Next up at No. 2 is Tori Jankoska (2013-14) with 64 triples.
PLAY THE BEST TO BE THE BEST
By facing No. 4/4 Michigan on Thursday and No. 7/6 Indiana on Saturday, it marks the first time that MSU has played back-to-back games against Top-10 teams since the 2016 Big Ten Tournament, when the Spartans beat No. 9/9 Ohio State (3/5/16), 82-63, in the semifinals before losing to No. 5/5 Maryland (3/6/16), 60-44, in the championship game in consecutive days. It is the first time since facing Top-10 teams in back-to-back games in the regular-season since 2006, when MSU lost to No. 7/7 Ohio State (1/22/06), 67-65, and at No. 8/8 Purdue (1/26/06), 73-53. That marked the Spartans' second set of back-to-back Top-10 foes in the 2005-06 season, as the Green & White played No. 2/1 Tennessee (11/24/05) and No. 10/10 Maryland (11/25/05) in consecutive days of the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
MERCHANT MANIACS
Suzy Merchant has coached three of the most prolific scorers in MSU history. Three of the top leaders in career scoring have come during Merchant's tenure. Tori Jankoska (2013-17) is the Spartans' all-time leading scorer with 2,212 points, while Aerial Powers (2013-16) scored 1,817 points in three season as MSU. Nia Clouden is 19 points from passing All-American Liz Shimek (2002-06) for third on the all-time scoring list. Clouden is currently fourth in career scoring with 1,772 points.
GROWING UP
Freshman forward Isaline Alexander was a key part of the MSU's upset against No. 4/4 Michigan on Feb. 10. She swatted a career-high three blocks, matching her season total of three rejections, with one block in three different outings, and having half of the Spartans' total on the night in Thursday's game. Alexander was one point shy of her career-high with seven points. She scored eight against Niagara (Nov. 14, 2021), as she had scored just six points in her limited action since that outing for just 14 combined points.
WATCHING THE WATCH LISTS
Nia Clouden was added to the Dawn Staley Late Season Watch List. The Dawn Staley Award is given annually to a player who exemplifies the skills that she possessed throughout her career; ball handling, scoring, her ability to distribute the basketball and her will to win. Clouden is one of three Big Ten players named to the watch list along with Penn State's Makenna Marisa and Iowa's Caitlin Clark. The Owings Mills, Maryland native is ninth in the NCAA in scoring, averaging 21.0 points per game, which is also third in the Big Ten.
MOVING ON UP
Senior guard Nia Clouden remains at No. 4 on MSU's career scoring list now with 1,772 for her career, just eight points shy of the No. 3 spot held by Liz Shimek (2002-06) with 1,780 points.
Clouden made three triples against Michigan on Feb. 10 to give her 52 3-pointers this season and 138 for her career, matching former Spartan player and current MSU assistant director of sports performance Annalise Pickrel (2010-14) for the No. 9 spot on MSU's career 3-pointers list. Clouden is now six away for the No. 8 spot held by Christine Powers (1991-95) with 144 treys.
SPARTAN FUN FACTS
- Five Spartans have played all 23 games this season in Nia Clouden, Matilda Ekh, Taiyier Parks, Alisia Smith and Tamara Farquhar. With Clouden, Ekh and Smith starting all 23 games.
- Graduate forward Tamara Farquhar is now 11th in the Big Ten in rebounds in league contests, averaging 6.8 rpg.
- The MSU freshman have been strong in the scoring column this season with Matilda Ekh scoring in double figures 15 times, while DeeDee Hagemann has reached double figures seven times.
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 third-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 and Delaware's Jasmine Dickey who scored 52 on Feb. 4.
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 21.3 points per game behind Iowa's Caitlin Clark (27.6 ppg) and Penn State's Makenna Marisa (22.7 ppg). Clouden also holds the eighth spot in the league in assists with 4.1 helpers per contest, while freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann is third with 5.8 apg. Hagemann is also eighth in the league in assist/turnover ration (1.9). Clouden is also first in the league in free-throw percentage (.890). Clouden (.430) and freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh (.4226) stand fourth and fifth, respectively in 3-point field goal percentage.
In league contests, Hagemann is second in assists, averaging 6.8 apg, while Clouden is seventh in scoring with 20.3 ppg.
As a team, the Spartans are fifth in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.446) and third in 3-point field goal percentages (.369). Michigan State is second in assists, averaging 17.7 apg.
AROUND THE NATION
The Spartans are distributing the ball really well through the first 23 games. Michigan State is 12th in the nation and second in the Big Ten with 407 total assists and are 12th in assists per game, averaging 17.7 apg. MSU is also 17th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.321). Senior guard Nia Clouden has been stellar in getting to the line. She is third in the nation in free throws made (137) and 18th in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.890). Clouden is also up to eighth in the country in scoring with 21.3 ppg.
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.
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 308-197 record at Michigan State. Karen Langeland is the all-time leader with a 376-290 record at MSU. Merchant is also four wins away from tying Langeland for the most Big Ten wins by a MSU coach with 156. Merchant is currently 152-98 in Big Ten games. She also reached 500 career wins against Valparaiso on Tuesday, Nov. 16. Overall, she holds a 509-287 record overall.
UP NEXT
After taking on the Hoosiers, the Spartans will play one more game on the road before returning home. MSU will travel to Wisconsin on Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Michigan State will then return home to take on Penn Sate on Monday, Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
20 DIMES FOR WINS
The Spartans improved to 9-1 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. MSU's only loss with 20 assists came against No. 17/14 Maryland (2/3/22).
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
Michigan State women's basketball knocked off No. 4/4 Michigan, 63-57, Thursday night at a spirited and raucous Breslin Center.
The Victory for MSU over No. 4/4 Michigan was the Spartans' highest ranked win over a Top 5 ranked team since Michigan State defeated No. 3/3 Oregon, 88-82 on Dec. 9, 2018.
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.
CLOSING OUT THE GAMES
The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 235 of its last 247 games (.951) when leading with five minutes left, including 185 of their last 199. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 269-20 (.931) when holding a lead with five minutes left. This season, MSU is 12-1 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.
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