Thursday, November 23
Cancun, Mexico
6:30 PM
Michigan State University
vs
James Madison
Spartans Open Cancun Challenge Against James Madison Thursday
11/22/2023 10:03:00 AM | Women's Basketball
In a Thanksgiving clash, MSU and JMU meet for the first time.
CANCUN, Mexico - Michigan State women's basketball hits the road for the first time this season, heading to the Cancun Challenge. The Spartans will take on James Madison in a Thanksgiving Day showdown at 6:30 p.m.  In the second game of the challenge, MSU will face Creighton at 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 24. Michigan State is 4-0 to start the season, while JMU stands 4-1. Jon Gross and Isis Young will be on the call for FloHoops.
• The Spartans are first in the nation field goal percentage, shooting 59.0 percent from the field. Michigan State is also tops in the country in assists per game, averaging 27.8 apg. The Spartans high-flying offense currently stands second in he nation in scoring margin, as well (+48.5).
• This is the fourth time that Michigan State has played in Cancun. In 2007 and 2011, the Spartans played in Caribbean Classic. In 2007, MSU defeated Northern Illinois and Kansas State. In 2018, Michigan State faced both N.C. State and Kennesaw State in the Cancun Challenge. Playing in the Riviera Division, Michigan State lost to No. 15 N.C. State, 78-74, and defeated Kennesaw State, 75-51.
• Michigan State's 61-point margin of victory was the most since a 65-point win against Florida A&M on Nov. 17, 2022. The school record for margin of victory is 66 against Niagara in a 116-50 win on  Nov. 14, 2008.
• The win against Evansville was the Spartans' second-straight 100-point performance after defeated Detroit Mercy 105-44 on Nov. 16.SCOUTING JAMES MADISON
James Madison holds a 4-1 record so far this season with its only loss coming against 60-49, to Toledo on Nov. 8 in Harrisonburg. Last time out, JMU defeated VCU at home 78-65. Peyton McDaniel led all players with 19 points. Jamia Hazell registered a season-high 15 points, 11 of which came in the second half.
Three Dukes are averaging in double figures,led by McDaniel who is scoring 12.2 points per game. Hazell is second in scoring with 10.6 ppg, while Kseniia Kozlova adding 10.0 ppg.
Sean O'Regan is in his eighth season at James Madison with a career record of 161-64. Â Last season, the Dukes advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
SERIES HISTORY VS. JAMES MADISON
This is the first meeting between the Spartans and the Duke.
SCOUTING CREIGHTON
Creighton holds a 3-1 record coming into the Cancun Challenge. The Bluejays will take on Georgia Tech in its first game in the Rivieria Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 23 at 4 p.m.
Last time out, Creighton captured an in-state win over rival Nebraska 79-74 in Lincoln on Nov. 19. Â CU's only loss this season came against Green Bay 65-53 on Nov. 16. in Omaha. Lauren Jensen leads the team in scoring, averaging 17.3 ppg. She is one of three Creighton player scoring in double figures.
Jim Flannery is in his 22nd season at Creighton with a career record of 404-263. Â Last season, the Bluejays advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
SERIES HISTORY VS. CREIGHTON
This is the first meeting between the Spartans and the Bluejays.
RIVIERIA TOURNAMENT
Thursday, Nov. 23
Georgia Tech vs. Creighton, 4 p.m.Â
Michigan State vs. JMU, 6:30 p.m. Â
Montana State vs. New Mexico, 9 p.m.Â
Friday, Nov. 24Â
Creighton vs. Michigan State, 4 p.m.Â
New Mexico vs. Georgia Tech, 6:30 p.m.Â
JMU vs. Montana State, 9 p.m.
 LIGHTS OUT SHOOTING
Shooting 70.9 percent from the field (39-for-55) against Detroit Mercy on Nov. 16, the Spartans had another stellar performance from the field against Evansville. MSU shot 63.6 percent from the field for the game, going 42-for-66 from the field. Â After starting the game 0-for-6 from long range, the Spartans ended the game shooting 47.1 percent (8-for-17).
AMONG THE BEST IN THE LAND
The Spartans are first in the nation field goal percentage, shooting 59.0 percent from the field. Michigan State is also tops in the country in assists per game, averaging 27.8 apg. The Spartans high-flying offense currently stands second in the nation in scoring margin, as well (+48.5).
LENDING A HELPING HAND
In tying the school record for assists with 34 against Detroit Mercy on Nov. 16, 11 of the 12 Spartans that played had at least one helper. Hagemann led the way with seven, which was just shy of her season high of eight. Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault tied her career high with five assists. She previously had five assists against Northern Illinois on Dec. 20, 2020. Michigan State is  first in the Big Ten and the nation in assists per game, averaging 27.8 apg.Â
WELCOME HOME, COACH
Michigan State officially tipped off the head coach Robyn Fralick era with a Nov. 8 Victory for MSU over Oakland. Fralick, a native of Okemos, Michigan, was hired as the sixth head women's basketball head coach at Michigan State on March 31, 2023. Fralick becomes the fourth Spartan women's basketball head coach to win their opening game as MSU head coach, joining Dominic Marino in 1975-76, who also won his opener over Oakland; Joanne P. McCallie in 2000-01 and Suzy Merchant in 2007. Mikki Baile lost her opener, the first game in program history in MSU's inaugural game on Jan. 30, 1973, and Karen Langeland lost her opening game as the Spartans' head coach in to open the 1976-77 season.
SEASON OPENERS
All-time, the Spartans are 36-15 in season openers, but 29-2 when the opener is in East Lansing. The Spartans have now won 10-straight season openers after MSU's win against Oakland on Nov. 8. First-year head coach Robyn Fralick captured her first win at the helm of the Spartans with the 87-62 win over the Golden Grizzlies.
BY THE NUMBERS VS. EVANSVILLE
• Michigan State tied the school record going a perfect 13-for-13 from the free throw line. The last time MSU was perfect from the free throw line was against Valparaiso (10-10) in East Lansing, Mich. 11/16/21.
• With a trey in the second half, redshirt-junior guard Lauren Ross hit her 100th career 3-pointer. She now has 101 career 3-pointers, including six as a Spartan.
•Michigan State went with the starting lineup of guard DeeDee Hagemann, forward Jocelyn Tate, guard Moira Joiner, guard Abbey Kimball and guard/forward Julia Ayrault. This lineup is 2-0 this season.
BLOCK PARTY
Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault set a new career high with seven against Evansville on Nov. 19r. Ayrault also was the first Spartan with five blocks since Branndais Agee have five against Minnesota on Feb. 21, 2016.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
Early on this season, Michigan State is fourth in the Big Ten in scoring margin (+46.5) and first in assists (27.5 apg). The Spartans are also first in the league in 3-point field goals made, averaging 10.8 per game.
Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann leads the Spartans in scoring, averaging 19.5 points per game, which is fourth in the Big Ten. She is also fifth in the league in assists, averaging 5.3 apg. She is also third in 3-point field goal percentage (.730). Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault is first in the conference in blocks, averaging 2.8 bpg.
MEET THE NEWBIES
MSU introduces five newcomers to the team this season, including three freshmen and two transfers. The three freshmen are guard Bree Robinson (Mississauga, Ontario/Webb School), guard Kennedy Blair (Dearborn, Mich. /Divine Child) and center Mary Meng (Grafton, Ohio/Midview.)
The Spartans also added two transfers to this season's squad. Junior guard Jocelyn Tate comes to MSU from Bowling Green State University, where she averaged 10.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game for the Falcons. Junior guard Lauren Ross has played in the Breslin Center before, transferring from Western Michigan. She was averaging 21.8 ppg for the Broncos before tearing her ACL on Jan. 11, 2023.
KIMBALL SHINES IN SEASON DEBUT
Sophomore guard Abbey Kimball tied a career-high with her 13 points against Oakland, logging her second career double-figure outing in matching her previous career-best of 13 points vs. Rutgers last season on Jan. 22, 2023. The game against Oakland was also her first career start. Kimball also netted a career-high three 3-pointers on Nov. 8, topping her previous top mark of two triples last season in same game vs. Rutgers.
PLAY THE BEST TO BE THE BEST
Michigan State will play seven teams that are ranked in the preseason top 25 polls, led by No. 3/3 Iowa (Jan. 2). At the Cancun Challenge, the Spartans will take on No. 22/23 Creighton. Big Ten teams Indiana, Ohio State, Maryland, Illinois and Michigan are all ranked in at least one of the preseason polls.
HALL OF FAMER
Spartan All-American Tori Jankoska was inducted into the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame on Nov. 5. Jankoska was a four-time all-state player for Freeland High School from 2010-13 where she scored a Saginaw County record 2,333 career points, also good for No. 9 all-time in the state of Michigan. During her four years at MSU, Jankoska (2013-17) became the program record holder in career points (2,212), field goals made (707), 3-pointers made (320), and finished second in assists (489). She is currently an assistant coach at Virginia.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick has announced guard/forward Julia Ayrault and guard Moira Joiner as team captains, as voted on by the players on the 2023-24 women's basketball team. The duo are the first captains that Michigan State has had since the 2019-20 season, when Victoria Gaines and Taryn McCutcheon were tabbed team leaders.
Ayrault is a guard/forward graduate student from Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan. She is in her fifth season with the Spartans after red-shirting the 2021-22 season with a foot injury. Ayrault has played in 77 games at Michigan State, starting 15. Last season, she played in all 30 games, averaging 3.6 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.
Joiner is a guard, who is a graduate student from Saginaw, Michigan. She is also in her fifth season with MSU after missing much of the 2021-22 season with concussion symptoms. She has played in 95 games at Michigan State, starting 54. Joiner had a breakout campaign last season averaging 10.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
LAST TIME OUT
For the second-straight game, the Michigan State women's basketball team hit triple figures, defeating Evansville 105-49 Sunday afternoon at the Breslin Center.
The Spartans improve to 4-0 for the fifth-straight season, while the Purple Aces fall to 0-4 this season.
Michigan State had six players in double figures, led by 14 points from junior guard DeeDee Hagemann's 14 points in just 18 minutes of action. Graduate guard Moira Joiner and graduate guard/forwards Julia Ayrault and Tory Ozment all scored 12 points with Ayrault blocking a career-high seven shots. Newcomers Jocelyn Tate and Lauren Ross also added MSU high with 11 points.
Evansville's Kynidi Mason Stiverson led all scorers with 16 points.
GUESS WHO'S BACK
Despite losing its top two leading scorers in Kamaria McDaniel (graduation) and Matilda Ekh (transfer), Michigan State welcomes back graduate guard Moira Joiner, who averaged 10.1 ppg last season. Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann was fifth on the team in scoring, averaging 9.3 ppg and was sixth in the Big Ten in assists, 4.9 apg averaging apg.
LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE
For the third-straight season, the conference will play an 18-game Big Ten schedule. MSU also played an 18-game schedule in both 2018-19 and 2019-20. The conference additionally had 18-game schedules in both 2015-16 and 2014-15.Â
Nine of the Spartans' 2023-24 regular-season opponents competed in the NCAA Tournament last season, including both of Michigan State's opponents in the Cancun Challenge, James Madison and Creighton. From the Big Ten portion of the schedule, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Purdue and Ohio State reached the NCAA Tournament, including the Hawkeyes advancing to the National Championship game.
HEADING SOUTH
The Spartans will play in two tournaments this season. Over Thanksgiving, Michigan State will head to the Cancun Challenge in Mexico to take on James Madison (Nov. 24) and Creighton (Nov. 25). Before breaking for the Holiday break, the Spartans will play in the Cherokee Invitational in Cherokee, North Carolina, facing Richmond (Dec. 20) and either Coastal Carolina or UT-Chattanooga (Dec. 21).
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• The Spartans are first in the nation field goal percentage, shooting 59.0 percent from the field. Michigan State is also tops in the country in assists per game, averaging 27.8 apg. The Spartans high-flying offense currently stands second in he nation in scoring margin, as well (+48.5).
• This is the fourth time that Michigan State has played in Cancun. In 2007 and 2011, the Spartans played in Caribbean Classic. In 2007, MSU defeated Northern Illinois and Kansas State. In 2018, Michigan State faced both N.C. State and Kennesaw State in the Cancun Challenge. Playing in the Riviera Division, Michigan State lost to No. 15 N.C. State, 78-74, and defeated Kennesaw State, 75-51.
• Michigan State's 61-point margin of victory was the most since a 65-point win against Florida A&M on Nov. 17, 2022. The school record for margin of victory is 66 against Niagara in a 116-50 win on  Nov. 14, 2008.
• The win against Evansville was the Spartans' second-straight 100-point performance after defeated Detroit Mercy 105-44 on Nov. 16.SCOUTING JAMES MADISON
James Madison holds a 4-1 record so far this season with its only loss coming against 60-49, to Toledo on Nov. 8 in Harrisonburg. Last time out, JMU defeated VCU at home 78-65. Peyton McDaniel led all players with 19 points. Jamia Hazell registered a season-high 15 points, 11 of which came in the second half.
Three Dukes are averaging in double figures,led by McDaniel who is scoring 12.2 points per game. Hazell is second in scoring with 10.6 ppg, while Kseniia Kozlova adding 10.0 ppg.
Sean O'Regan is in his eighth season at James Madison with a career record of 161-64. Â Last season, the Dukes advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
SERIES HISTORY VS. JAMES MADISON
This is the first meeting between the Spartans and the Duke.
SCOUTING CREIGHTON
Creighton holds a 3-1 record coming into the Cancun Challenge. The Bluejays will take on Georgia Tech in its first game in the Rivieria Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 23 at 4 p.m.
Last time out, Creighton captured an in-state win over rival Nebraska 79-74 in Lincoln on Nov. 19. Â CU's only loss this season came against Green Bay 65-53 on Nov. 16. in Omaha. Lauren Jensen leads the team in scoring, averaging 17.3 ppg. She is one of three Creighton player scoring in double figures.
Jim Flannery is in his 22nd season at Creighton with a career record of 404-263. Â Last season, the Bluejays advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
SERIES HISTORY VS. CREIGHTON
This is the first meeting between the Spartans and the Bluejays.
RIVIERIA TOURNAMENT
Thursday, Nov. 23
Georgia Tech vs. Creighton, 4 p.m.Â
Michigan State vs. JMU, 6:30 p.m. Â
Montana State vs. New Mexico, 9 p.m.Â
Friday, Nov. 24Â
Creighton vs. Michigan State, 4 p.m.Â
New Mexico vs. Georgia Tech, 6:30 p.m.Â
JMU vs. Montana State, 9 p.m.
 LIGHTS OUT SHOOTING
Shooting 70.9 percent from the field (39-for-55) against Detroit Mercy on Nov. 16, the Spartans had another stellar performance from the field against Evansville. MSU shot 63.6 percent from the field for the game, going 42-for-66 from the field. Â After starting the game 0-for-6 from long range, the Spartans ended the game shooting 47.1 percent (8-for-17).
AMONG THE BEST IN THE LAND
The Spartans are first in the nation field goal percentage, shooting 59.0 percent from the field. Michigan State is also tops in the country in assists per game, averaging 27.8 apg. The Spartans high-flying offense currently stands second in the nation in scoring margin, as well (+48.5).
LENDING A HELPING HAND
In tying the school record for assists with 34 against Detroit Mercy on Nov. 16, 11 of the 12 Spartans that played had at least one helper. Hagemann led the way with seven, which was just shy of her season high of eight. Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault tied her career high with five assists. She previously had five assists against Northern Illinois on Dec. 20, 2020. Michigan State is  first in the Big Ten and the nation in assists per game, averaging 27.8 apg.Â
WELCOME HOME, COACH
Michigan State officially tipped off the head coach Robyn Fralick era with a Nov. 8 Victory for MSU over Oakland. Fralick, a native of Okemos, Michigan, was hired as the sixth head women's basketball head coach at Michigan State on March 31, 2023. Fralick becomes the fourth Spartan women's basketball head coach to win their opening game as MSU head coach, joining Dominic Marino in 1975-76, who also won his opener over Oakland; Joanne P. McCallie in 2000-01 and Suzy Merchant in 2007. Mikki Baile lost her opener, the first game in program history in MSU's inaugural game on Jan. 30, 1973, and Karen Langeland lost her opening game as the Spartans' head coach in to open the 1976-77 season.
SEASON OPENERS
All-time, the Spartans are 36-15 in season openers, but 29-2 when the opener is in East Lansing. The Spartans have now won 10-straight season openers after MSU's win against Oakland on Nov. 8. First-year head coach Robyn Fralick captured her first win at the helm of the Spartans with the 87-62 win over the Golden Grizzlies.
BY THE NUMBERS VS. EVANSVILLE
• Michigan State tied the school record going a perfect 13-for-13 from the free throw line. The last time MSU was perfect from the free throw line was against Valparaiso (10-10) in East Lansing, Mich. 11/16/21.
• With a trey in the second half, redshirt-junior guard Lauren Ross hit her 100th career 3-pointer. She now has 101 career 3-pointers, including six as a Spartan.
•Michigan State went with the starting lineup of guard DeeDee Hagemann, forward Jocelyn Tate, guard Moira Joiner, guard Abbey Kimball and guard/forward Julia Ayrault. This lineup is 2-0 this season.
BLOCK PARTY
Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault set a new career high with seven against Evansville on Nov. 19r. Ayrault also was the first Spartan with five blocks since Branndais Agee have five against Minnesota on Feb. 21, 2016.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
Early on this season, Michigan State is fourth in the Big Ten in scoring margin (+46.5) and first in assists (27.5 apg). The Spartans are also first in the league in 3-point field goals made, averaging 10.8 per game.
Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann leads the Spartans in scoring, averaging 19.5 points per game, which is fourth in the Big Ten. She is also fifth in the league in assists, averaging 5.3 apg. She is also third in 3-point field goal percentage (.730). Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault is first in the conference in blocks, averaging 2.8 bpg.
MEET THE NEWBIES
MSU introduces five newcomers to the team this season, including three freshmen and two transfers. The three freshmen are guard Bree Robinson (Mississauga, Ontario/Webb School), guard Kennedy Blair (Dearborn, Mich. /Divine Child) and center Mary Meng (Grafton, Ohio/Midview.)
The Spartans also added two transfers to this season's squad. Junior guard Jocelyn Tate comes to MSU from Bowling Green State University, where she averaged 10.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game for the Falcons. Junior guard Lauren Ross has played in the Breslin Center before, transferring from Western Michigan. She was averaging 21.8 ppg for the Broncos before tearing her ACL on Jan. 11, 2023.
KIMBALL SHINES IN SEASON DEBUT
Sophomore guard Abbey Kimball tied a career-high with her 13 points against Oakland, logging her second career double-figure outing in matching her previous career-best of 13 points vs. Rutgers last season on Jan. 22, 2023. The game against Oakland was also her first career start. Kimball also netted a career-high three 3-pointers on Nov. 8, topping her previous top mark of two triples last season in same game vs. Rutgers.
PLAY THE BEST TO BE THE BEST
Michigan State will play seven teams that are ranked in the preseason top 25 polls, led by No. 3/3 Iowa (Jan. 2). At the Cancun Challenge, the Spartans will take on No. 22/23 Creighton. Big Ten teams Indiana, Ohio State, Maryland, Illinois and Michigan are all ranked in at least one of the preseason polls.
HALL OF FAMER
Spartan All-American Tori Jankoska was inducted into the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame on Nov. 5. Jankoska was a four-time all-state player for Freeland High School from 2010-13 where she scored a Saginaw County record 2,333 career points, also good for No. 9 all-time in the state of Michigan. During her four years at MSU, Jankoska (2013-17) became the program record holder in career points (2,212), field goals made (707), 3-pointers made (320), and finished second in assists (489). She is currently an assistant coach at Virginia.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick has announced guard/forward Julia Ayrault and guard Moira Joiner as team captains, as voted on by the players on the 2023-24 women's basketball team. The duo are the first captains that Michigan State has had since the 2019-20 season, when Victoria Gaines and Taryn McCutcheon were tabbed team leaders.
Ayrault is a guard/forward graduate student from Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan. She is in her fifth season with the Spartans after red-shirting the 2021-22 season with a foot injury. Ayrault has played in 77 games at Michigan State, starting 15. Last season, she played in all 30 games, averaging 3.6 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.
Joiner is a guard, who is a graduate student from Saginaw, Michigan. She is also in her fifth season with MSU after missing much of the 2021-22 season with concussion symptoms. She has played in 95 games at Michigan State, starting 54. Joiner had a breakout campaign last season averaging 10.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
LAST TIME OUT
For the second-straight game, the Michigan State women's basketball team hit triple figures, defeating Evansville 105-49 Sunday afternoon at the Breslin Center.
The Spartans improve to 4-0 for the fifth-straight season, while the Purple Aces fall to 0-4 this season.
Michigan State had six players in double figures, led by 14 points from junior guard DeeDee Hagemann's 14 points in just 18 minutes of action. Graduate guard Moira Joiner and graduate guard/forwards Julia Ayrault and Tory Ozment all scored 12 points with Ayrault blocking a career-high seven shots. Newcomers Jocelyn Tate and Lauren Ross also added MSU high with 11 points.
Evansville's Kynidi Mason Stiverson led all scorers with 16 points.
GUESS WHO'S BACK
Despite losing its top two leading scorers in Kamaria McDaniel (graduation) and Matilda Ekh (transfer), Michigan State welcomes back graduate guard Moira Joiner, who averaged 10.1 ppg last season. Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann was fifth on the team in scoring, averaging 9.3 ppg and was sixth in the Big Ten in assists, 4.9 apg averaging apg.
LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE
For the third-straight season, the conference will play an 18-game Big Ten schedule. MSU also played an 18-game schedule in both 2018-19 and 2019-20. The conference additionally had 18-game schedules in both 2015-16 and 2014-15.Â
Nine of the Spartans' 2023-24 regular-season opponents competed in the NCAA Tournament last season, including both of Michigan State's opponents in the Cancun Challenge, James Madison and Creighton. From the Big Ten portion of the schedule, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Purdue and Ohio State reached the NCAA Tournament, including the Hawkeyes advancing to the National Championship game.
HEADING SOUTH
The Spartans will play in two tournaments this season. Over Thanksgiving, Michigan State will head to the Cancun Challenge in Mexico to take on James Madison (Nov. 24) and Creighton (Nov. 25). Before breaking for the Holiday break, the Spartans will play in the Cherokee Invitational in Cherokee, North Carolina, facing Richmond (Dec. 20) and either Coastal Carolina or UT-Chattanooga (Dec. 21).
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