Thursday, February 24
Ann Arbor, Mich.
6 PM
Michigan State University
at
No. 6/5 Michigan
Michigan State Travels to No. 6/5 Michigan in Regular-Season Road Finale
2/23/2022 6:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Spartans won the matchup in East Lansing on Feb. 10.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball prepares for the final week of the regular season, taking on No. 6/5 Michigan on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. at the Crisler Center. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network with Jason Ross Jr. and Meghan McKeown on the call.
• The Spartans enter the second meeting with the Wolverines with a 14-12 record, holding an 8-7 record in B1G games. Last time out, Michigan State suffered a 79-71 loss to Penn State at home. Michigan holds a 21-4 record overall record and the first-place Wolverines are 12-3 in the league.
• Freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann returned to the starting lineup after missing the Wisconsin game in concussion protocol. Against Penn State on Feb. 21, she notched 12 points, along with a career-high eight rebounds and added five assists. The new rebounding career-high tops the previous mark of seven boards vs. Florida Gulf Coast (12/20/21).
• Senior guard Nia Clouden's 17 points on Monday gave her 1,811 for her career, becoming just the third MSU women's basketball player with 1,800 points. Clouden is just six points away from tying Aerial Powers (2013-16) for No. 2 on MSU's career scoring list. Clouden now also has 435 career assists, needing just eight more to tie Deb Traxinger (1978-82) for fifth with 443 assists.
• 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 guards named to the Lieberman Watch List.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
The Wolverines bounced back from a two-game losing streak with a 71-59 win over No. 13 Maryland on Feb. 20. Michigan out-scored its opponent 26-18 in the fourth quarter to seal the victory, including a 10-0 run with 6:35 remaining. They had three players score in double-digits in the contest, including a 29-point, 11-rebound performance by Naz Hillmon.
Michigan sits atop the conference with a 21-4 overall record and a 12-3 showing in B1G play. At No. 6, they are the highest-ranked Big Ten team in the AP top-25. The Wolverines rank fifth in the B1G in scoring with 73.3 points per game, and have the second-best scoring defense in the conference, limiting opponents to just 60.1 points per contest.
Hillmon ranks third in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 20.9 points per game, which stands 12th in the NCAA. Hillmon is also averaging 9.2 rebounds per game and holds the second-highest field goal percentage in the conference at 57.7 percent accuracy. Maddie Nolan is second in three-point field goal percentage (44.1) and averages 2.2 threes per game. Emily Kiser is fourth in the league in blocks with 1.1 bpg.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE WOLVERINES
Michigan State leads the series by a 73-22 margin, holding a 28-14 advantage on the road. The Spartans have won six of their last 10 contests against Michigan, including a victory earlier this year.
The Wolverines had won three-straight in the series before MSU captured the victory earlier this season.
Last time out, Michigan State pulled off a 63-57 upset win at home against then-ranked No. 4 Michigan. The win inside the Breslin Center improved MSU to 36-8 all-time at home against the Wolverines. The Spartans were led by a 20-point performance from Nia Clouden. Clouden added four assists and three treys, while Tamara Farquhar put up 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds. The victory was MSU's highest ranked win over a Top 5 ranked team since they defeated No. 3/3 Oregon, 88-82 on Dec. 9, 2018.
HELPFUL HAGEMANN
Freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann returned to the Spartan starting lineup on Feb. 21 after missing one game in concussion protocol. She scored 12 points, along with a career-high eight rebounds and added five assists. The new rebounding career-high tops the previous mark of seven boards vs. Florida Gulf Coast (12/20/21).
The five assists give Hagemann 131 for the season, vaulting her from No. 6 to No. 4 on MSU's assists by a freshman record list, passing Kiana Johnson (2011-12) with 129 and current teammate Nia Clouden (2018-19) with 130. Next up is Brittney Thomas (2007-08) with 133 at No. 3.
DOWN TO THE WIRE
There is still a lot on the line with just two games remaining in the Big Ten regular season. The Spartans stand seventh in the B1G standings games against Michigan and Ohio State remaining with an 8-7 record. Nebraska is just ahead of MSU with a 9-7 mark. Michigan stands in first place with a 12-3 record, while Ohio State, Iowa and Maryland are all tied for second with 12-4 records.
FANTASTIC FARQUHAR
Graduate forward Tamara Farquhar pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds against Penn State on Feb. 21, the third-highest of her Spartan career as part of her sixth double-figure rebounding game here at MSU and her eighth overall career double-digit rebounding outing. Farquhar added nine points, one shy of a double-double, marking the fifth time this season that she has had double-figures in points or rebounds, and was within two points or rebounds of a double-double. In her only season at MSU, she has been a force to be reckoned with on the boards. She is currently 11th in the Big Ten in rebounding, averaging 6.9 rpg.
NEVER NOT NIA
Few things are guaranteed in life, but you can usually count on senior guard Nia Clouden being in the MSU starting lineup. She has started all 113 games in which she has played at Michigan State. She has not missed a start since becoming a Spartan. Clouden is now No. 9 in the MSU career standings in games started with 113. She is just one start away from tying Spartan All-American Tori Jankoska (2013-17) with 114 career starts. Lindsey Bowen (2002-06) and Liz Shimek (2002-06) hold the record for games started with 131. With the 40 minutes Monday, Clouden now has 3,642 career minutes played, holding the No. 10 spot on MSU's career minutes played list.
GETTING TO THE LINE
Senior guard Nia Clouden had six games where she was getting to the free throw line at least 10 times with the last time coming against Minnesota on Jan. 23. In the last four games, she has only reached the charity stripe 11 times, going 8-for-11. She still remains first in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (.882). Clouden is also sixth in the NCAA in free throws made with 142.
MAMMA MIA
Freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh's 14 points against Penn State gives her 319 this season, passing not only Sidney Cooks (2017-18) for No. 10 on the freshman scoring list with 305 points, but also current MSU Director of Operations and Technology Julie Pagel Dombroski (2000-01) for No. 9 with 313 points. Next up is Kris Emerson (1983-84) with 363 points at No. 8. Former Spartan graduate assistant coach Kalisha Keane (2007-08) holds the record with 460 freshman points.
The four treys gives Ekh 62 for the season, becoming just the third Spartan freshman to make 60 or more 3-pointers, joining the freshman record holder Linsday Bowen (2002-03) with 77 and Tori Jankoska (2013-14) with 64, as Ekh needs just two more to tie Jankoska.
SINGLE-SEASON RECORDS
This season, Nia Clouden has already scored 530 points, which 10th all-time in the MSU single-season record books. Her 142 free throws is tied for third with Tori Jankoska in 2016-17. Averaging 35.7 minutes per game, Clouden is seventh. Matilda Ekh has a .440 3-point field goal percentage, which currently puts her second, while Clouden's .446 places her third.
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 at MSU. Nia Clouden is currently third in career scoring with 1,811 points. She is just six points away from tying Powers.
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
Nia Clouden continues to climb up the MSU record books. Clouden's 17 points give her 1,811 for her career, becoming just the third MSU women's basketball player with 1,800 points. Clouden is just six points away from tying Aerial Powers (2013-16) for No. 2 on MSU's career scoring list.
The six assists by Clouden against Penn State led MSU, as it was the 11th time this season that she topped the team in helpers and the 43rd time in her career. Clouden now has 435 career assists, needing just eight more to tie Deb Traxinger (1978-82) for sixth with 443 assists.
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 fifth in the B1G in scoring with 20.4 points per game behind Iowa's Caitlin Clark (26.9 ppg), Penn State's Makenna Marisa (22.8 ppg), Michigan's Naz Hillmon (20.9 ppg) and Iowa's Monika Czinano (20.7 ppg). Clouden also holds the eighth spot in the league in assists with 4.3 helpers per contest, while freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann is third with 5.7 apg. Hagemann is also sixth in the league in assist/turnover ration (1.9). Clouden is also first in the league in free-throw percentage (.882). Freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh (.440) and Clouden (.421) stand third and sixth, respectively in 3-point field goal percentage. In league contests, Hagemann is third in assists, averaging 6.5 apg, while Clouden is eighth in scoring with 18.8 ppg.
As a team, the Spartans are sixth in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.445) 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 26 games. Michigan State is 12th in the nation and third in the Big Ten with 459 total assists and are 12th in assists per game, averaging 17.7 apg. MSU is also 12th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.369). Senior guard Nia Clouden is sixth in the nation in free throws made (142) and 20th in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.882). Clouden is also up to 15th in the country in scoring with 20.4 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 310-198 record at Michigan State. Karen Langeland is the all-time leader with a 376-290 record at MSU. Merchant is also three wins away from tying Langeland for the most Big Ten wins by a MSU coach with 156. Merchant is currently 153-99 in Big Ten games. She also reached 500 career wins against Valparaiso on Tuesday, Nov. 16. Overall, she holds a 511-288 record overall.
UP NEXT
After a re-match with Michigan on the road on Thursday, Feb. 24, Michigan State will then prepare for Senior Day against Ohio State on Sunday, Feb. 27.
20 DIMES FOR WINS
The Spartans stand 9-2 this season when dishing out 20 or more assists after recording 21 helpers against Penn State on Feb. 21. Earlier this season, MSU had a three-game streak with 20+ assists after 22 vs. Penn State (1/27), 20 vs. Northwestern (1/16/22) and 22 vs. Minnesota (1/23/22). The three-game streak was 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).
LAST TIME OUT
A 10-point first-quarter deficit was too much to overcome as the Michigan State women's basketball team saw its comeback fall short against Penn State, 79-71, Monday evening at the Breslin Center. Senior guard Nia Clouden led the Spartans with 17 points to go along with six assists and six rebounds. Freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh once again reached double figures with 14 points and three assists, going 4-for-8 from beyond the arc.
EKH EARNS ANOTHER B1G HONOR
On Feb. 21, guard/forward Matilda Ekh captured her third Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor after leading the Spartans to a win against Wisconsin on Feb. 16., scoring 25 points. She also garnered the honor on Jan. 24 and Dec. 13. With four 20=point games, Ekh now has the most 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 236 of its last 248 games (.952) when leading with five minutes left, including 186 of their last 200. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 270-20 (.931) when holding a lead with five minutes left. This season, MSU is 13-1 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 168 of their last 197 games (.853) when scoring at least 70 points, and the Spartans are 188-37 (.836) under head coach Suzy Merchant when hanging at least 70 points on the scoreboard. This season, MSU is now 11-4 this season when scoring 70 points. The Spartans scored over 70 points in losses to Penn State on Feb. 21, 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. 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 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 enter the second meeting with the Wolverines with a 14-12 record, holding an 8-7 record in B1G games. Last time out, Michigan State suffered a 79-71 loss to Penn State at home. Michigan holds a 21-4 record overall record and the first-place Wolverines are 12-3 in the league.
• Freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann returned to the starting lineup after missing the Wisconsin game in concussion protocol. Against Penn State on Feb. 21, she notched 12 points, along with a career-high eight rebounds and added five assists. The new rebounding career-high tops the previous mark of seven boards vs. Florida Gulf Coast (12/20/21).
• Senior guard Nia Clouden's 17 points on Monday gave her 1,811 for her career, becoming just the third MSU women's basketball player with 1,800 points. Clouden is just six points away from tying Aerial Powers (2013-16) for No. 2 on MSU's career scoring list. Clouden now also has 435 career assists, needing just eight more to tie Deb Traxinger (1978-82) for fifth with 443 assists.
• 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 guards named to the Lieberman Watch List.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
The Wolverines bounced back from a two-game losing streak with a 71-59 win over No. 13 Maryland on Feb. 20. Michigan out-scored its opponent 26-18 in the fourth quarter to seal the victory, including a 10-0 run with 6:35 remaining. They had three players score in double-digits in the contest, including a 29-point, 11-rebound performance by Naz Hillmon.
Michigan sits atop the conference with a 21-4 overall record and a 12-3 showing in B1G play. At No. 6, they are the highest-ranked Big Ten team in the AP top-25. The Wolverines rank fifth in the B1G in scoring with 73.3 points per game, and have the second-best scoring defense in the conference, limiting opponents to just 60.1 points per contest.
Hillmon ranks third in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 20.9 points per game, which stands 12th in the NCAA. Hillmon is also averaging 9.2 rebounds per game and holds the second-highest field goal percentage in the conference at 57.7 percent accuracy. Maddie Nolan is second in three-point field goal percentage (44.1) and averages 2.2 threes per game. Emily Kiser is fourth in the league in blocks with 1.1 bpg.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE WOLVERINES
Michigan State leads the series by a 73-22 margin, holding a 28-14 advantage on the road. The Spartans have won six of their last 10 contests against Michigan, including a victory earlier this year.
The Wolverines had won three-straight in the series before MSU captured the victory earlier this season.
Last time out, Michigan State pulled off a 63-57 upset win at home against then-ranked No. 4 Michigan. The win inside the Breslin Center improved MSU to 36-8 all-time at home against the Wolverines. The Spartans were led by a 20-point performance from Nia Clouden. Clouden added four assists and three treys, while Tamara Farquhar put up 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds. The victory was MSU's highest ranked win over a Top 5 ranked team since they defeated No. 3/3 Oregon, 88-82 on Dec. 9, 2018.
HELPFUL HAGEMANN
Freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann returned to the Spartan starting lineup on Feb. 21 after missing one game in concussion protocol. She scored 12 points, along with a career-high eight rebounds and added five assists. The new rebounding career-high tops the previous mark of seven boards vs. Florida Gulf Coast (12/20/21).
The five assists give Hagemann 131 for the season, vaulting her from No. 6 to No. 4 on MSU's assists by a freshman record list, passing Kiana Johnson (2011-12) with 129 and current teammate Nia Clouden (2018-19) with 130. Next up is Brittney Thomas (2007-08) with 133 at No. 3.
DOWN TO THE WIRE
There is still a lot on the line with just two games remaining in the Big Ten regular season. The Spartans stand seventh in the B1G standings games against Michigan and Ohio State remaining with an 8-7 record. Nebraska is just ahead of MSU with a 9-7 mark. Michigan stands in first place with a 12-3 record, while Ohio State, Iowa and Maryland are all tied for second with 12-4 records.
FANTASTIC FARQUHAR
Graduate forward Tamara Farquhar pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds against Penn State on Feb. 21, the third-highest of her Spartan career as part of her sixth double-figure rebounding game here at MSU and her eighth overall career double-digit rebounding outing. Farquhar added nine points, one shy of a double-double, marking the fifth time this season that she has had double-figures in points or rebounds, and was within two points or rebounds of a double-double. In her only season at MSU, she has been a force to be reckoned with on the boards. She is currently 11th in the Big Ten in rebounding, averaging 6.9 rpg.
NEVER NOT NIA
Few things are guaranteed in life, but you can usually count on senior guard Nia Clouden being in the MSU starting lineup. She has started all 113 games in which she has played at Michigan State. She has not missed a start since becoming a Spartan. Clouden is now No. 9 in the MSU career standings in games started with 113. She is just one start away from tying Spartan All-American Tori Jankoska (2013-17) with 114 career starts. Lindsey Bowen (2002-06) and Liz Shimek (2002-06) hold the record for games started with 131. With the 40 minutes Monday, Clouden now has 3,642 career minutes played, holding the No. 10 spot on MSU's career minutes played list.
GETTING TO THE LINE
Senior guard Nia Clouden had six games where she was getting to the free throw line at least 10 times with the last time coming against Minnesota on Jan. 23. In the last four games, she has only reached the charity stripe 11 times, going 8-for-11. She still remains first in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (.882). Clouden is also sixth in the NCAA in free throws made with 142.
MAMMA MIA
Freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh's 14 points against Penn State gives her 319 this season, passing not only Sidney Cooks (2017-18) for No. 10 on the freshman scoring list with 305 points, but also current MSU Director of Operations and Technology Julie Pagel Dombroski (2000-01) for No. 9 with 313 points. Next up is Kris Emerson (1983-84) with 363 points at No. 8. Former Spartan graduate assistant coach Kalisha Keane (2007-08) holds the record with 460 freshman points.
The four treys gives Ekh 62 for the season, becoming just the third Spartan freshman to make 60 or more 3-pointers, joining the freshman record holder Linsday Bowen (2002-03) with 77 and Tori Jankoska (2013-14) with 64, as Ekh needs just two more to tie Jankoska.
SINGLE-SEASON RECORDS
This season, Nia Clouden has already scored 530 points, which 10th all-time in the MSU single-season record books. Her 142 free throws is tied for third with Tori Jankoska in 2016-17. Averaging 35.7 minutes per game, Clouden is seventh. Matilda Ekh has a .440 3-point field goal percentage, which currently puts her second, while Clouden's .446 places her third.
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 at MSU. Nia Clouden is currently third in career scoring with 1,811 points. She is just six points away from tying Powers.
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
Nia Clouden continues to climb up the MSU record books. Clouden's 17 points give her 1,811 for her career, becoming just the third MSU women's basketball player with 1,800 points. Clouden is just six points away from tying Aerial Powers (2013-16) for No. 2 on MSU's career scoring list.
The six assists by Clouden against Penn State led MSU, as it was the 11th time this season that she topped the team in helpers and the 43rd time in her career. Clouden now has 435 career assists, needing just eight more to tie Deb Traxinger (1978-82) for sixth with 443 assists.
SPARTAN FUN FACTS
- Five Spartans have played all 26 games this season in Nia Clouden, Matilda Ekh, Taiyier Parks, Alisia Smith and Tamara Farquhar. With Clouden, Ekh and Smith starting all 26 games.
- Graduate forward Tamara Farquhar is now 12th in the Big Ten in rebounds in league contests, averaging 6.9 rpg.
- With four 3-pointers Monday night, Ekh now has nine treys in her last two games after making five behind the arc last time out, at Wisconsin on Feb. 16 ... Ekh now has three or more 3-pointers in 11 total games.
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 fifth in the B1G in scoring with 20.4 points per game behind Iowa's Caitlin Clark (26.9 ppg), Penn State's Makenna Marisa (22.8 ppg), Michigan's Naz Hillmon (20.9 ppg) and Iowa's Monika Czinano (20.7 ppg). Clouden also holds the eighth spot in the league in assists with 4.3 helpers per contest, while freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann is third with 5.7 apg. Hagemann is also sixth in the league in assist/turnover ration (1.9). Clouden is also first in the league in free-throw percentage (.882). Freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh (.440) and Clouden (.421) stand third and sixth, respectively in 3-point field goal percentage. In league contests, Hagemann is third in assists, averaging 6.5 apg, while Clouden is eighth in scoring with 18.8 ppg.
As a team, the Spartans are sixth in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.445) 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 26 games. Michigan State is 12th in the nation and third in the Big Ten with 459 total assists and are 12th in assists per game, averaging 17.7 apg. MSU is also 12th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.369). Senior guard Nia Clouden is sixth in the nation in free throws made (142) and 20th in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.882). Clouden is also up to 15th in the country in scoring with 20.4 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 310-198 record at Michigan State. Karen Langeland is the all-time leader with a 376-290 record at MSU. Merchant is also three wins away from tying Langeland for the most Big Ten wins by a MSU coach with 156. Merchant is currently 153-99 in Big Ten games. She also reached 500 career wins against Valparaiso on Tuesday, Nov. 16. Overall, she holds a 511-288 record overall.
UP NEXT
After a re-match with Michigan on the road on Thursday, Feb. 24, Michigan State will then prepare for Senior Day against Ohio State on Sunday, Feb. 27.
20 DIMES FOR WINS
The Spartans stand 9-2 this season when dishing out 20 or more assists after recording 21 helpers against Penn State on Feb. 21. Earlier this season, MSU had a three-game streak with 20+ assists after 22 vs. Penn State (1/27), 20 vs. Northwestern (1/16/22) and 22 vs. Minnesota (1/23/22). The three-game streak was 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).
LAST TIME OUT
A 10-point first-quarter deficit was too much to overcome as the Michigan State women's basketball team saw its comeback fall short against Penn State, 79-71, Monday evening at the Breslin Center. Senior guard Nia Clouden led the Spartans with 17 points to go along with six assists and six rebounds. Freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh once again reached double figures with 14 points and three assists, going 4-for-8 from beyond the arc.
EKH EARNS ANOTHER B1G HONOR
On Feb. 21, guard/forward Matilda Ekh captured her third Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor after leading the Spartans to a win against Wisconsin on Feb. 16., scoring 25 points. She also garnered the honor on Jan. 24 and Dec. 13. With four 20=point games, Ekh now has the most 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 236 of its last 248 games (.952) when leading with five minutes left, including 186 of their last 200. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 270-20 (.931) when holding a lead with five minutes left. This season, MSU is 13-1 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 168 of their last 197 games (.853) when scoring at least 70 points, and the Spartans are 188-37 (.836) under head coach Suzy Merchant when hanging at least 70 points on the scoreboard. This season, MSU is now 11-4 this season when scoring 70 points. The Spartans scored over 70 points in losses to Penn State on Feb. 21, 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. 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 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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