Thursday, February 10
East Lansing, Mich.
6:30 PM
Michigan State University
vs
No. 4/4 Michigan
Spartans Face No. 4/4 Michigan in Annual Pink Game Thursday
2/9/2022 1:23:00 PM | Women's Basketball
This is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball is set to host its annual Pink Game taking on No. 4/4 Michigan on Thursday, Feb. 10 at 6:30 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on the Big Ten Network with Sloane Martin and Meghan McKeown on the call. This is the first of two regular season meetings with the Wolverines also meeting on Thursday, Feb. 24.
• After a 70-61 loss to Minnesota on Sunday, MSU has now lost two-straight games. The Spartans are 12-10 overall and 6-5 in Big Ten action. The No. 4/4 Wolverines are 20-2 overall and stand 11-1 in league games. No. 4/4 U-M is the highest ranked team to come the Breslin Center since MSU defeated No. 3/3 Oregon, 88-82 on Dec. 9, 2018.
• Senior guard 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.
• Nia Clouden climbed up to No. 4 on MSU's career scoring list with her seventh point on Sunday, coming on a 3-pointer with 2:39 left in the first quarter, for her 1,740th career point, passing Linsday Bowen (2002-06) with 1,739 points. The 29 points gives Clouden 1,752 for her career, just 28 points shy of the No. 3 spot held by Liz Shimek (2002-06).
• With two 3-pointers in Sunday's game, freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh now has drained multiple 3-pointers in the seventh-straight game as part of her 13th game this season with multiple treys. Ekh solidified her hold on No. 3 on MSU's list for 3-pointers by a Spartan freshman, with 49 made 3-pointers. Next up at No. 2 is Tori Jankoska (2013-14) with 64 triples.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
The No. 4/4 Wolverines tote a 20-2 overall record and a 11-1 B1G mark to East Lansing for Thursday's tangle with the Spartans, and UM is riding an eight-game win streak into town. Michigan is coming off wild 98-90 win over No. 21 Iowa, withstanding a frenzied fourth quarter, as the Hawkeyes rallied with a 36-point fourth quarter after the Wolverines had a large lead for the majority of the game. Michigan's lone league loss was 79-58 at Nebraska (Jan. 4), while the Wolverines' only other loss was 78-40 at then-No. 10 Louisville on Dec. 2.
UM is fifth in the B1G in scoring offense (74.3 ppg), while ranking third in the conference in scoring defense (59.6 ppg), to rank third in the league in scoring margin (+14.8).
Individually, Naz Hillmon is fourth in the B1G in scoring at 21.4 ppg, while ranking fifth in rebounding at 8.8 rpg, along with second in field goal percentage (.584).
Hillmon is one of three Wolverines averaging double-figures, joined by Leigha Brown with 14.8 ppg, along with leading the team with 3.4 assists per game, ranking 12th in the league in scoring and tied for 15th in assists. Emily Kiser adds 10.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, ranking just behind Hillman in the league in sixth. Maddie Nolan tops the team and ranks tied for ninth in the B1G with 50 3-pointers, netting 46.7 percent (50-of-107) behind the arc, which would rank second in the conference, but she doesn't reach the league minimum.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE WOLVERINES
Thursday's tangle between the Spartans and Wolverines is the 95th all-time meeting, with MSU leading 72-22, including 35-8 at East Lansing, along with 28-14 in Ann Arbor and 9-0 in neutral meetings. The last six meetings are split at 3-3, while Michigan State has won seven of the last 11 and 10 of the last 16, as part of 22 of the last 29 match-ups.
Last season, the Wolverines won, 86-82, on Feb. 16, 2021 in Ann Arbor, in the lone meeting of the 2020-21 season, after two previous attempts of playing during the season were postponed and later cancelled due to COVID-19 precautions.
In the last MSU vs. UM meeting, Spartan guard Nia Clouden netted a then-career-high 34 points, as MSU fell short against No. 11 UM, with Clouden tallying her second 30-point outing of the season. Clouden's 34 points was the most points in a single game by a Spartan women's basketball player since Tori Jankoska's then-school-record 42 points vs. Ohio State on Jan. 10, 2017.
In last year's MSU-UM game, Naz Hillman led Michigan with 31 points and seven rebounds. Hillmon scored six of the Wolverines' 18 fourth-quarter points, as MSU couldn't get any closer than three point deficit, and UM captured the win.
MAMMA MIA
Freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh notched double-digits for the seventh-straight game as part of the eighth time in the last nine outings with 12 points at Minnesota on Feb. 6. Ekh has scored in double-figures a total of 15 times this season. Nine of Ekh's double-digit scoring outings have come during MSU's 11 B1G games. Ekh's 12 points ties her for the No. 15 spot on MSU's freshman scoring list, matching Bella Engen (1994-95) with 266 points.
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 29 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 1,752 points.
CLIMBING UP THE CHARTS
With nine assists Sunday at Minnesota, freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann now has 113 for her first season as a Spartan. After becoming just the eighth Spartan women's basketball player to register 100 assists as a freshman in MSU's last game (vs. Maryland, 2/3/22), Hagemann now has moved up to No. 7 on MSU's assists by a freshman list, passing Kim Archer (1983-84) at 106 assists, and needing just four more assists to catch former Spartan and current assistant coach Kristin Haynie (2001-02) at No. 6 with 117 helpers.
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 climbed up to No. 4 on MSU's career scoring list with her seventh point on Sunday, coming on a 3-pointer with 2:39 left in the first quarter, for her 1,740th career point, passing Linsday Bowen (2002-06) with 1,739 points. The 29 points gives Clouden 1,752 for her career, just 28 points shy of the No. 3 spot held by Liz Shimek (2002-06).
With one assist against the Gophers, she now has 415 for her career, maintaining the No. 6 spot on MSU's career assists mark, continuing to close gap on No. 5 spot held by Deb Traxinger (1978-82) with 443 helpers.
RECIPE FOR A WIN
Looking for the right ingredients to find the recipe for a Spartan win starts with speed. Michigan State is a perfect 9-0 when having more fast break points than its opponents. The Spartans have also found success when converting the long ball. MSU is 9-5 when draining at least six 3-pointers.
CONSISTENCY IS KEY
On Feb. 6, Michigan State's starting line-up of senior guard Nia Clouden, freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann, graduate forward Tamara Farquhar, freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh and senior forward Alisia Smith was the eighth-straight game that MSU has opened the game with that starting five, as part of the 10th total time this season. Overall, it only is MSU's fourth different starting line-up overall this season.
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 21.4 points per game behind Iowa's Caitlin Clark (27.4 ppg) and Penn State's Makenna Marisa (22.4 ppg). Clouden also holds the eighth spot in the league in assists with 4.4 helpers per contest, while freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann is fourth with 5.7 apg. Hagemann is also 11th in the league in assist/turnover ration (1.8). Clouden is also second in the league in free-throw percentage (.891). Clouden (.426) and freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh (.424) stand fourth and fifth, respectively in 3-point field goal percentage.
In league contests, Hagemann is second in assists, averaging 6.6 apg, while Clouden is seventh in scoring with 20.3 ppg.
As a team, the Spartans are fourth in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (.751) and sixth in field goal percentages (.445). Michigan State is second in assists, averaging 17.7 apg.
AROUND THE NATION
The Spartans are distributing the ball really well through the first 22 games. Michigan State is 12th in the nation and second in the Big Ten with 390 total assists and are 12th in assists per game, averaging 17.7 apg. MSU is also 16th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.366). Senior guard Nia Clouden has been stellar in getting to the line. She is second in the nation in free throws made (134) and 18th in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.893). Clouden is also ninth in the country in scoring with 21.4 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 308-197 record at Michigan State. Karen Langeland is the all-time leader with a 376-290 record at MSU. Merchant is also seven wins away from tying Langeland for the most Big Ten wins by a MSU coach with 156. Merchant also reached 500 career wins against Valparaiso on Tuesday, Nov. 16. Overall, she holds a 509-287 record overall.
UP NEXT
The Spartans have a quick turnaround, traveling to No. 7/6 Indiana on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 3 p.m. ET. The game against the Hoosiers was originally scheduled for Jan. 3, but was postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the IU program. MSU will then travel to Wisconsin on Feb. 16.
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 fell to Minnesota on Sunday, 71-60, Sunday afternoon at Williams Arena. After winning four-straight games, the Spartans have now lost two-straight, falling to 12-10 overall and 6-5 in Big Ten action. Michigan State was led by senior guard Nia Clouden's 13th 20-point game, as she led all scorers with 29 points to go along with four rebounds.
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 234 of its last 246 games (.951) when leading with five minutes left, including 184 of their last 198. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 268-20 (.931) when holding a lead with five minutes left. This season, MSU is 11-1 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.
• After a 70-61 loss to Minnesota on Sunday, MSU has now lost two-straight games. The Spartans are 12-10 overall and 6-5 in Big Ten action. The No. 4/4 Wolverines are 20-2 overall and stand 11-1 in league games. No. 4/4 U-M is the highest ranked team to come the Breslin Center since MSU defeated No. 3/3 Oregon, 88-82 on Dec. 9, 2018.
• Senior guard 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.
• Nia Clouden climbed up to No. 4 on MSU's career scoring list with her seventh point on Sunday, coming on a 3-pointer with 2:39 left in the first quarter, for her 1,740th career point, passing Linsday Bowen (2002-06) with 1,739 points. The 29 points gives Clouden 1,752 for her career, just 28 points shy of the No. 3 spot held by Liz Shimek (2002-06).
• With two 3-pointers in Sunday's game, freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh now has drained multiple 3-pointers in the seventh-straight game as part of her 13th game this season with multiple treys. Ekh solidified her hold on No. 3 on MSU's list for 3-pointers by a Spartan freshman, with 49 made 3-pointers. Next up at No. 2 is Tori Jankoska (2013-14) with 64 triples.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
The No. 4/4 Wolverines tote a 20-2 overall record and a 11-1 B1G mark to East Lansing for Thursday's tangle with the Spartans, and UM is riding an eight-game win streak into town. Michigan is coming off wild 98-90 win over No. 21 Iowa, withstanding a frenzied fourth quarter, as the Hawkeyes rallied with a 36-point fourth quarter after the Wolverines had a large lead for the majority of the game. Michigan's lone league loss was 79-58 at Nebraska (Jan. 4), while the Wolverines' only other loss was 78-40 at then-No. 10 Louisville on Dec. 2.
UM is fifth in the B1G in scoring offense (74.3 ppg), while ranking third in the conference in scoring defense (59.6 ppg), to rank third in the league in scoring margin (+14.8).
Individually, Naz Hillmon is fourth in the B1G in scoring at 21.4 ppg, while ranking fifth in rebounding at 8.8 rpg, along with second in field goal percentage (.584).
Hillmon is one of three Wolverines averaging double-figures, joined by Leigha Brown with 14.8 ppg, along with leading the team with 3.4 assists per game, ranking 12th in the league in scoring and tied for 15th in assists. Emily Kiser adds 10.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, ranking just behind Hillman in the league in sixth. Maddie Nolan tops the team and ranks tied for ninth in the B1G with 50 3-pointers, netting 46.7 percent (50-of-107) behind the arc, which would rank second in the conference, but she doesn't reach the league minimum.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE WOLVERINES
Thursday's tangle between the Spartans and Wolverines is the 95th all-time meeting, with MSU leading 72-22, including 35-8 at East Lansing, along with 28-14 in Ann Arbor and 9-0 in neutral meetings. The last six meetings are split at 3-3, while Michigan State has won seven of the last 11 and 10 of the last 16, as part of 22 of the last 29 match-ups.
Last season, the Wolverines won, 86-82, on Feb. 16, 2021 in Ann Arbor, in the lone meeting of the 2020-21 season, after two previous attempts of playing during the season were postponed and later cancelled due to COVID-19 precautions.
In the last MSU vs. UM meeting, Spartan guard Nia Clouden netted a then-career-high 34 points, as MSU fell short against No. 11 UM, with Clouden tallying her second 30-point outing of the season. Clouden's 34 points was the most points in a single game by a Spartan women's basketball player since Tori Jankoska's then-school-record 42 points vs. Ohio State on Jan. 10, 2017.
In last year's MSU-UM game, Naz Hillman led Michigan with 31 points and seven rebounds. Hillmon scored six of the Wolverines' 18 fourth-quarter points, as MSU couldn't get any closer than three point deficit, and UM captured the win.
MAMMA MIA
Freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh notched double-digits for the seventh-straight game as part of the eighth time in the last nine outings with 12 points at Minnesota on Feb. 6. Ekh has scored in double-figures a total of 15 times this season. Nine of Ekh's double-digit scoring outings have come during MSU's 11 B1G games. Ekh's 12 points ties her for the No. 15 spot on MSU's freshman scoring list, matching Bella Engen (1994-95) with 266 points.
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 29 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 1,752 points.
CLIMBING UP THE CHARTS
With nine assists Sunday at Minnesota, freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann now has 113 for her first season as a Spartan. After becoming just the eighth Spartan women's basketball player to register 100 assists as a freshman in MSU's last game (vs. Maryland, 2/3/22), Hagemann now has moved up to No. 7 on MSU's assists by a freshman list, passing Kim Archer (1983-84) at 106 assists, and needing just four more assists to catch former Spartan and current assistant coach Kristin Haynie (2001-02) at No. 6 with 117 helpers.
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 climbed up to No. 4 on MSU's career scoring list with her seventh point on Sunday, coming on a 3-pointer with 2:39 left in the first quarter, for her 1,740th career point, passing Linsday Bowen (2002-06) with 1,739 points. The 29 points gives Clouden 1,752 for her career, just 28 points shy of the No. 3 spot held by Liz Shimek (2002-06).
With one assist against the Gophers, she now has 415 for her career, maintaining the No. 6 spot on MSU's career assists mark, continuing to close gap on No. 5 spot held by Deb Traxinger (1978-82) with 443 helpers.
RECIPE FOR A WIN
Looking for the right ingredients to find the recipe for a Spartan win starts with speed. Michigan State is a perfect 9-0 when having more fast break points than its opponents. The Spartans have also found success when converting the long ball. MSU is 9-5 when draining at least six 3-pointers.
CONSISTENCY IS KEY
On Feb. 6, Michigan State's starting line-up of senior guard Nia Clouden, freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann, graduate forward Tamara Farquhar, freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh and senior forward Alisia Smith was the eighth-straight game that MSU has opened the game with that starting five, as part of the 10th total time this season. Overall, it only is MSU's fourth different starting line-up overall this season.
SPARTAN FUN FACTS
- Freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann dished out a game-high nine assists at Minnesota, as she led MSU in helpers for the second-straight game and team-leading 13th time this season
- 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 21.4 points per game behind Iowa's Caitlin Clark (27.4 ppg) and Penn State's Makenna Marisa (22.4 ppg). Clouden also holds the eighth spot in the league in assists with 4.4 helpers per contest, while freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann is fourth with 5.7 apg. Hagemann is also 11th in the league in assist/turnover ration (1.8). Clouden is also second in the league in free-throw percentage (.891). Clouden (.426) and freshman guard/forward Matilda Ekh (.424) stand fourth and fifth, respectively in 3-point field goal percentage.
In league contests, Hagemann is second in assists, averaging 6.6 apg, while Clouden is seventh in scoring with 20.3 ppg.
As a team, the Spartans are fourth in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (.751) and sixth in field goal percentages (.445). Michigan State is second in assists, averaging 17.7 apg.
AROUND THE NATION
The Spartans are distributing the ball really well through the first 22 games. Michigan State is 12th in the nation and second in the Big Ten with 390 total assists and are 12th in assists per game, averaging 17.7 apg. MSU is also 16th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.366). Senior guard Nia Clouden has been stellar in getting to the line. She is second in the nation in free throws made (134) and 18th in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.893). Clouden is also ninth in the country in scoring with 21.4 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 308-197 record at Michigan State. Karen Langeland is the all-time leader with a 376-290 record at MSU. Merchant is also seven wins away from tying Langeland for the most Big Ten wins by a MSU coach with 156. Merchant also reached 500 career wins against Valparaiso on Tuesday, Nov. 16. Overall, she holds a 509-287 record overall.
UP NEXT
The Spartans have a quick turnaround, traveling to No. 7/6 Indiana on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 3 p.m. ET. The game against the Hoosiers was originally scheduled for Jan. 3, but was postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the IU program. MSU will then travel to Wisconsin on Feb. 16.
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 fell to Minnesota on Sunday, 71-60, Sunday afternoon at Williams Arena. After winning four-straight games, the Spartans have now lost two-straight, falling to 12-10 overall and 6-5 in Big Ten action. Michigan State was led by senior guard Nia Clouden's 13th 20-point game, as she led all scorers with 29 points to go along with four rebounds.
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 234 of its last 246 games (.951) when leading with five minutes left, including 184 of their last 198. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 268-20 (.931) when holding a lead with five minutes left. This season, MSU is 11-1 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.
Players Mentioned
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