Saturday, December 30
University Park, Pa.
4 PM
Michigan State University
at
Penn State
MSU Women Return to B1G Play at Penn State Saturday
12/28/2023 4:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball
This is the only meeting between the two teams during the regular season.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball will resume Big Ten Conference action, traveling to Penn State on Saturday, Dec. 30 at 4 p.m. at the Bryce Jordan Center. The Spartans improved to 10-2 after winning the Cherokee Invitational before the holiday break. Jason Ross, Jr. and Meghan McKeown will be on the call for BTN.
•Penn State is also off to a fast start with a 9-3 record, heading into the game with MSU. The Lady Lions also lost their Big Ten opener in an overtime thriller with Ohio State on Dec. 10.
• Saturday's game against Penn State will be just the Spartans second true home game. Michigan State defeated DePaul on Nov. 30. MSU is 3-1 on neutral territory.
• Michigan State's 105 points in the win over Coastal Carolina win tied a season-high for the third time this season, matching 105 points in back-to-back games vs. Detroit Mercy (11/16) and Evansville (11/19). Overall, it was the Spartans' fourth 100-point outing of the season, the most-ever in a season for an MSU team.
• Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault netted a career-high 32 points, becoming the Spartans' first 30-point scorer since Kamaria McDaniel tallied 32 points in the B1G Tournament vs. Indiana (3/3/23). Her 32 points is tied for 16th on MSU's single-game scoring list. Ayrault topped her previous career-high of 25 points set earlier this season vs. James Madison (11/23/23).
SCOUTING PENN STATE
Penn State is off to a fast start this season with a 9-3 record. The Lady Lions only losses have come to USC, West Virginia and Ohio State in overtime. Penn State has won two-straight games with wins over Saint Francis (Pa.) on Dec. 17 and Central Connecticut on Dec. 20. The Lady Lions are averaging 88.3 points per game, while allowing only 65.8 ppg. PSU is second in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.509) and are first in 3-point field goal percentage (.425). Penn State in undefeated at the Bryce Jordan Center so far this season, standing 7-0 at home.
Makenna Marisa is seventh in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 17.2 ppg, while Shay Ciezki is right behind her, standing is 10th with 16.5 ppg. Leilani Kapinus is tied for fifth in the B1G with 1.25 blocks per game.
Carolyn Kieger is in her fifth season at the helm of the Lady Lions, holding a 50-76 record. Overall, she is in her 10th season as a head coach with a record of 149-140.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE LADY LIONS
Penn State holds the series lead over Michigan State 31-24. The Lady Lions hold the series lead 17-8, despite MSU winning last season 80-65 in University Park. The Spartans have had the advantage recently, winning six of the last seven games. Michigan State won both outings last year, adding an 81-75 win in overtime in East Lansing on Feb. 12.
LAST TIME VS PENN STATE
DeeDee Hagemann set a new career high with 20 points, as the MSU women's basketball team ended the regular season with an 80-65 win over Penn State at the Bryce Jordan Center on Feb. 25, 2023.
Hagemann led the way with 20 points, adding six rebounds and three assists. Graduate guard Kamaria McDaniel also scored in double figures with 12 points, while senior forward Taiyier Parks scored 11 points off the bench.
Penn State was led by 27 points from Shay Ciezki.
MOVIN' ON UP
Several Spartans are moving up the MSU recordbooks. With three blocks against Coastal Carolina on Dec. 21, graduate guard Julia Ayrault now has 102 blocks and stands seventh all-time at MSU. Graduate guard Moira Joiner now has 162 made 3-pointers and now stands sixth all-time. Even though she is just a junior, guard DeeDee Hagemann already has 336 career assists. She currently stands 15th all-time in MSU history.
FRALICK HITS MILESTONE
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick reached a career milestone with a win against CMU. She captured her 200th career win, now holding a 202-78 career record in eight seasons as a head coach at Ashland, Bowling Green and Michigan State.
BY THE NUMBERS VS. COASTAL CAROLINA
• The Spartans captured wins against Richmond and Coastal Carolina to win the Cherokee Invitational. MSU's tournament title was their first since winning the 2017 New Orleans Shootout.
• MSU netted 32 points in the first quarter, the Spartans' most points in the opening quarter, topping the previous high water mark of 29 points in the win at DePaul (11/30), and just one point shy of the season-high for points in any quarter, as MSU scored 33 points in the second stanza vs. Detroit Mercy (11/16).
• Sophomore guard Abbey Kimball tallied double-digits for the first time in the last five games, in doing so for the fifth game this season and sixth in her career with 18 points, reaching double-figures in the first half alone with 11 points in the opening half.
CHEROKEE INVITATIONAL CHAMPS
In two games at the Cherokee Invitational, Michigan State went 2-0. The Spartans out-scored its opponents 94.0-71.0. Julia Ayrault averaged 22.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in the pair of victories with Moira Joiner adding 18.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Joiner went 9-for-14 from beyond the arc, shooting 64.3 percent from long range. Ayrault shot 48.5 percent from the field.
TRIPLE-DIGIT THREATS
With a 105-66 win over Coastal Carolina on Dec. 21, MSU has now broken the triple-digit mark four times in the 10 games this season. This is the first-time ever that Michigan State has had four 100-point games in a season.
IF YOU CAN'T BEAT HER...JOINER
Against Richmond, graduate guard Moira Joiner had her first double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds. She has scored in double-figures in all 12 contests this season as part of 14-straight games back to 2022-23 season, and in 15 of her last 16 games. She leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.8 ppg, which is ninth in the Big Ten.
AMONG THE BEST IN THE LAND
The Spartans are 13th in the nation field goal percentage, shooting 49.5 percent from the field. Michigan State is also fourth in the country in assists per game, averaging 21.7 apg. They are also first in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.97). The Spartans high-flying offense currently stands eighth in the nation in scoring margin, as well (+28.8). MSU is currently 10th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (39.3 percent).
Individually, Julia Ayrault is 11th in the nation in blocks with 31 and 114h in blocks per game (2.6 bpg). DeeDee Hagemann is 25th in the country assist/turnover ratio (2.88).
LIVE BY THE THREE
The only two games this season that Michigan State has made less than eight 3-pointers are the only games that the Spartans have lost this season. Against Creighton on Nov. 24, MSU went 7-for-18 from long range. In the loss to Nebraska on Dec. 9, Michigan State had its worst shooting night of the season, going 4-for-27 from beyond the arc. The Spartans have reached double figures in treys made in a game five times this season.
Michigan State drained 14 3-pointers against Coastal Carolina on Dec. 21, tying the second-most for the third time, also netting 14 triples vs. Detroit Mercy (11/16) and at DePaul (11/30), and just behind the season-high 15 treys vs. James Madison (11/23). Overall, by making 14 behind the arc, MSU registered its third-straight game in double-digit treys as part of the seventh time this season.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
This season, Michigan State is first in the Big Ten in scoring margin (+28.8) and first in assists (21.7 apg). The Spartans are also first in the league in 3-point field goals made, averaging 10.6 per game. MSU is tied for second in the conference in steals, averaging 10.8 spg after nine against Coastal Carolina on Dec. 21.
Graduate guard Moira Joiner leads the Spartans in scoring, averaging 16.8 points per game, which is ninth in the Big Ten. Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann is ninth in the league in assists, averaging 4.2 apg. Graduate guard Joiner is second in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.449). Guard/forward Julia Ayrault is second in the conference in blocks, averaging 2.6 bpg, behind Wisconsin's Serah Williams.
DID YOU KNOW?
Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault netted a career-high 32 points against Coastal Carolina on Dec. 21, becoming the Spartans' first 30-point scorer since Kamaria McDaniel tallied 32 points in the B1G Tournament vs. Indiana (3/3/23).Ayrault's 32 points is tied for 16th on MSU's single-game scoring list. Ayrault topped her previous career-high of 25 points set earlier this season vs. James Madison (11/23/23). The 32 points is Ayrault's second game with 20+ points both this season and of her career, as MSU is 2-0 this season when Ayrault tallies 20+ points.
AWESOME AYRAULT
Graduate guard Julia Ayrault earned a spot on the Cancun Challenge All-Tournament team after a solid two games. In the two games, she averaged 18.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game to go along with 1.5 blocks and 1.0 steals per game. She started with a breakout performance against James Madison with a career-high 25 points and a career-best 15 rebounds. She had the Spartans' first double-double of the season. She has thrived at tournaments also having a strong Cherokee Invitational. In two games, she averaged 22.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. She set a new career high with 32 points against Coastal Carolina on Dec. 21.
Overall this season, Ayrault is having her best season as a Spartan, averaging 14.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. She is also second in the Big Ten in blocks, averaging 2.6 bpg. She has 31 blocks this season and 102 for her career which stands seventh in the MSU record books.
BIG TEN OPENERS
Michigan State is 20-22 in Big Ten openers, having won seven of their 13. This season, despite a hard-fought comeback, MSU fell to Nebraska at home 80-74. Last season, the Spartans fell to Purdue at home 76-71 in overtime. MSU fell to Iowa, 88-61, in the 2021-22 opener. During the 2020-21 season, the Spartans won their opener in Minneapolis, 81-68 over the Gophers.
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 on Nov. 19. MSU shot 63.6 percent from the field for the game, going 42-for-66 from the field. After starting the game 0-for-6 from long range, the Spartans ended the game shooting 47.1 percent (8-for-17).
ALCOHOL SALES COME TO BRESLIN
Alcohol sales will be implemented at Breslin Center for men's and women's basketball and at Munn Ice Arena for hockey in 2024. At Breslin Center, alcohol sales begin on Jan 4 for men's basketball (vs. Penn State) and Jan. 9 for women's basketball (vs. Maryland). January 5 (vs. US National Team Development Program) will mark the first game of alcohol sales at Munn Ice Arena.
Sales will start one hour prior to announced start time at each location. At Breslin Center, sales will close at the beginning of the second half of the basketball game. At Munn Ice Arena, sales will close at the end of the second intermission.
Both beer and seltzer options will be available. All beer sold will be in 16 oz cans, while seltzer will be 12 oz cans. Cost will be $10 or $12 depending on selection. Exact locations for points of sale will be announced at a later date. Food will not be able to be purchased at the same location as alcohol.
THE DEFENSE AIN'T BAD EITHER
Michigan State has made a name for itself with its offense so far this season. But the Spartan defense hasn't been too shabby this season. MSU is tied for second in the Big Ten in steals, averaging 10.8 spg. The Spartans are also fifth in the league in blocks with 4.3 per game. While scoring 92.0 ppg, Michigan State is allowing only 63.3 ppg.
FINDING HER RHYTHM
Sophomore guard Theryn Hallock has found her groove in the last six games. She has averaged 12.5 points during that span. She netted a career-high 17 points against Miami on Dec. 3, just to match it against Nebraska on Dec. 9 and against CMU on Dec. 17. She has scored in double figures for the fourth-straight game after 14 points last time out vs. DePaul (11/30).
Hallock also dished out a career-high 12 assists, topping her previous career-high mark of eight assists vs. Evansville (11/19). The 12 assists by Hallock was the Spartans' first double-digit helpers outing of the season.
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.
COMING NEXT YEAR
MSU head coach Robyn Fralick announced the signing of four National Letters of Intent, including Sinai Douglas (Toledo, Ohio/Toledo Start High School), Helen Holley (Cleveland, Ohio/Gilmour Academy), Juliann Woodard (North Vernon, Indiana/Jennings County High School) and Inés Sotelo Miguez (Ourense, Spain).
Douglas is a 5-4 guard, who is a native of Toledo, Ohio. She attends Toledo Start High School and is coached by Dane Franklin. Douglas is currently ranked No. 87 in the ESPNW HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings.
Holley is a 6-1 forward, who is a native of Cleveland Ohio, plays for head coach Kevin Byrne at the Gilmour Academy. As a junior, she averaged 14.7 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. She captured second-team All-Ohio honors last season.
Woodard is a 6-0 forward, who is a native of North Vernon, Indiana, plays for head coach Kristi Sigler at Jennings County High School. Woodard is currently ranked No. 58 in the ESPNW HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings.
Sotelo Miguez is a 6-3 forward, who is a native of Ourense, Spain. She has extensive international experience, including playing with the U18 Spanish National Team last summer in Konya, Turkey at the Eurobasket Tournament.
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.
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.
LAST TIME OUT
Behind a career-best performance from graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault, the Michigan State women's basketball team captured the Cherokee Invitational Championship title with a dominating 105-66 win over Coastal Carolina Thursday night in Cherokee, North Carolina.
The Spartans improved to 10-2 this season, winning three-straight games, while tying a season-high for the third time this season with the 105 points and topping the 100-point mark for the fourth time this season, the most in program history.
The tournament win was MSU's first since winning the New Orleans Shootout in 2017. With the loss, the Chanticleers fall to 6-7 on the season. Thursday night was the first-ever women's basketball meeting between Michigan State and Coastal Carolina.
Ayrault led the way with a career-high 32 points, adding nine rebounds and three blocks. It was the first 30-point game for a Spartan women's basketball player since Kamaria McDaniel scored 32 points against Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament on March 3, 2023.
•Penn State is also off to a fast start with a 9-3 record, heading into the game with MSU. The Lady Lions also lost their Big Ten opener in an overtime thriller with Ohio State on Dec. 10.
• Saturday's game against Penn State will be just the Spartans second true home game. Michigan State defeated DePaul on Nov. 30. MSU is 3-1 on neutral territory.
• Michigan State's 105 points in the win over Coastal Carolina win tied a season-high for the third time this season, matching 105 points in back-to-back games vs. Detroit Mercy (11/16) and Evansville (11/19). Overall, it was the Spartans' fourth 100-point outing of the season, the most-ever in a season for an MSU team.
• Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault netted a career-high 32 points, becoming the Spartans' first 30-point scorer since Kamaria McDaniel tallied 32 points in the B1G Tournament vs. Indiana (3/3/23). Her 32 points is tied for 16th on MSU's single-game scoring list. Ayrault topped her previous career-high of 25 points set earlier this season vs. James Madison (11/23/23).
SCOUTING PENN STATE
Penn State is off to a fast start this season with a 9-3 record. The Lady Lions only losses have come to USC, West Virginia and Ohio State in overtime. Penn State has won two-straight games with wins over Saint Francis (Pa.) on Dec. 17 and Central Connecticut on Dec. 20. The Lady Lions are averaging 88.3 points per game, while allowing only 65.8 ppg. PSU is second in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.509) and are first in 3-point field goal percentage (.425). Penn State in undefeated at the Bryce Jordan Center so far this season, standing 7-0 at home.
Makenna Marisa is seventh in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 17.2 ppg, while Shay Ciezki is right behind her, standing is 10th with 16.5 ppg. Leilani Kapinus is tied for fifth in the B1G with 1.25 blocks per game.
Carolyn Kieger is in her fifth season at the helm of the Lady Lions, holding a 50-76 record. Overall, she is in her 10th season as a head coach with a record of 149-140.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE LADY LIONS
Penn State holds the series lead over Michigan State 31-24. The Lady Lions hold the series lead 17-8, despite MSU winning last season 80-65 in University Park. The Spartans have had the advantage recently, winning six of the last seven games. Michigan State won both outings last year, adding an 81-75 win in overtime in East Lansing on Feb. 12.
LAST TIME VS PENN STATE
DeeDee Hagemann set a new career high with 20 points, as the MSU women's basketball team ended the regular season with an 80-65 win over Penn State at the Bryce Jordan Center on Feb. 25, 2023.
Hagemann led the way with 20 points, adding six rebounds and three assists. Graduate guard Kamaria McDaniel also scored in double figures with 12 points, while senior forward Taiyier Parks scored 11 points off the bench.
Penn State was led by 27 points from Shay Ciezki.
MOVIN' ON UP
Several Spartans are moving up the MSU recordbooks. With three blocks against Coastal Carolina on Dec. 21, graduate guard Julia Ayrault now has 102 blocks and stands seventh all-time at MSU. Graduate guard Moira Joiner now has 162 made 3-pointers and now stands sixth all-time. Even though she is just a junior, guard DeeDee Hagemann already has 336 career assists. She currently stands 15th all-time in MSU history.
FRALICK HITS MILESTONE
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick reached a career milestone with a win against CMU. She captured her 200th career win, now holding a 202-78 career record in eight seasons as a head coach at Ashland, Bowling Green and Michigan State.
BY THE NUMBERS VS. COASTAL CAROLINA
• The Spartans captured wins against Richmond and Coastal Carolina to win the Cherokee Invitational. MSU's tournament title was their first since winning the 2017 New Orleans Shootout.
• MSU netted 32 points in the first quarter, the Spartans' most points in the opening quarter, topping the previous high water mark of 29 points in the win at DePaul (11/30), and just one point shy of the season-high for points in any quarter, as MSU scored 33 points in the second stanza vs. Detroit Mercy (11/16).
• Sophomore guard Abbey Kimball tallied double-digits for the first time in the last five games, in doing so for the fifth game this season and sixth in her career with 18 points, reaching double-figures in the first half alone with 11 points in the opening half.
CHEROKEE INVITATIONAL CHAMPS
In two games at the Cherokee Invitational, Michigan State went 2-0. The Spartans out-scored its opponents 94.0-71.0. Julia Ayrault averaged 22.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in the pair of victories with Moira Joiner adding 18.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Joiner went 9-for-14 from beyond the arc, shooting 64.3 percent from long range. Ayrault shot 48.5 percent from the field.
TRIPLE-DIGIT THREATS
With a 105-66 win over Coastal Carolina on Dec. 21, MSU has now broken the triple-digit mark four times in the 10 games this season. This is the first-time ever that Michigan State has had four 100-point games in a season.
IF YOU CAN'T BEAT HER...JOINER
Against Richmond, graduate guard Moira Joiner had her first double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds. She has scored in double-figures in all 12 contests this season as part of 14-straight games back to 2022-23 season, and in 15 of her last 16 games. She leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.8 ppg, which is ninth in the Big Ten.
AMONG THE BEST IN THE LAND
The Spartans are 13th in the nation field goal percentage, shooting 49.5 percent from the field. Michigan State is also fourth in the country in assists per game, averaging 21.7 apg. They are also first in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.97). The Spartans high-flying offense currently stands eighth in the nation in scoring margin, as well (+28.8). MSU is currently 10th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (39.3 percent).
Individually, Julia Ayrault is 11th in the nation in blocks with 31 and 114h in blocks per game (2.6 bpg). DeeDee Hagemann is 25th in the country assist/turnover ratio (2.88).
LIVE BY THE THREE
The only two games this season that Michigan State has made less than eight 3-pointers are the only games that the Spartans have lost this season. Against Creighton on Nov. 24, MSU went 7-for-18 from long range. In the loss to Nebraska on Dec. 9, Michigan State had its worst shooting night of the season, going 4-for-27 from beyond the arc. The Spartans have reached double figures in treys made in a game five times this season.
Michigan State drained 14 3-pointers against Coastal Carolina on Dec. 21, tying the second-most for the third time, also netting 14 triples vs. Detroit Mercy (11/16) and at DePaul (11/30), and just behind the season-high 15 treys vs. James Madison (11/23). Overall, by making 14 behind the arc, MSU registered its third-straight game in double-digit treys as part of the seventh time this season.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
This season, Michigan State is first in the Big Ten in scoring margin (+28.8) and first in assists (21.7 apg). The Spartans are also first in the league in 3-point field goals made, averaging 10.6 per game. MSU is tied for second in the conference in steals, averaging 10.8 spg after nine against Coastal Carolina on Dec. 21.
Graduate guard Moira Joiner leads the Spartans in scoring, averaging 16.8 points per game, which is ninth in the Big Ten. Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann is ninth in the league in assists, averaging 4.2 apg. Graduate guard Joiner is second in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.449). Guard/forward Julia Ayrault is second in the conference in blocks, averaging 2.6 bpg, behind Wisconsin's Serah Williams.
DID YOU KNOW?
Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault netted a career-high 32 points against Coastal Carolina on Dec. 21, becoming the Spartans' first 30-point scorer since Kamaria McDaniel tallied 32 points in the B1G Tournament vs. Indiana (3/3/23).Ayrault's 32 points is tied for 16th on MSU's single-game scoring list. Ayrault topped her previous career-high of 25 points set earlier this season vs. James Madison (11/23/23). The 32 points is Ayrault's second game with 20+ points both this season and of her career, as MSU is 2-0 this season when Ayrault tallies 20+ points.
AWESOME AYRAULT
Graduate guard Julia Ayrault earned a spot on the Cancun Challenge All-Tournament team after a solid two games. In the two games, she averaged 18.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game to go along with 1.5 blocks and 1.0 steals per game. She started with a breakout performance against James Madison with a career-high 25 points and a career-best 15 rebounds. She had the Spartans' first double-double of the season. She has thrived at tournaments also having a strong Cherokee Invitational. In two games, she averaged 22.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. She set a new career high with 32 points against Coastal Carolina on Dec. 21.
Overall this season, Ayrault is having her best season as a Spartan, averaging 14.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. She is also second in the Big Ten in blocks, averaging 2.6 bpg. She has 31 blocks this season and 102 for her career which stands seventh in the MSU record books.
BIG TEN OPENERS
Michigan State is 20-22 in Big Ten openers, having won seven of their 13. This season, despite a hard-fought comeback, MSU fell to Nebraska at home 80-74. Last season, the Spartans fell to Purdue at home 76-71 in overtime. MSU fell to Iowa, 88-61, in the 2021-22 opener. During the 2020-21 season, the Spartans won their opener in Minneapolis, 81-68 over the Gophers.
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 on Nov. 19. MSU shot 63.6 percent from the field for the game, going 42-for-66 from the field. After starting the game 0-for-6 from long range, the Spartans ended the game shooting 47.1 percent (8-for-17).
ALCOHOL SALES COME TO BRESLIN
Alcohol sales will be implemented at Breslin Center for men's and women's basketball and at Munn Ice Arena for hockey in 2024. At Breslin Center, alcohol sales begin on Jan 4 for men's basketball (vs. Penn State) and Jan. 9 for women's basketball (vs. Maryland). January 5 (vs. US National Team Development Program) will mark the first game of alcohol sales at Munn Ice Arena.
Sales will start one hour prior to announced start time at each location. At Breslin Center, sales will close at the beginning of the second half of the basketball game. At Munn Ice Arena, sales will close at the end of the second intermission.
Both beer and seltzer options will be available. All beer sold will be in 16 oz cans, while seltzer will be 12 oz cans. Cost will be $10 or $12 depending on selection. Exact locations for points of sale will be announced at a later date. Food will not be able to be purchased at the same location as alcohol.
THE DEFENSE AIN'T BAD EITHER
Michigan State has made a name for itself with its offense so far this season. But the Spartan defense hasn't been too shabby this season. MSU is tied for second in the Big Ten in steals, averaging 10.8 spg. The Spartans are also fifth in the league in blocks with 4.3 per game. While scoring 92.0 ppg, Michigan State is allowing only 63.3 ppg.
FINDING HER RHYTHM
Sophomore guard Theryn Hallock has found her groove in the last six games. She has averaged 12.5 points during that span. She netted a career-high 17 points against Miami on Dec. 3, just to match it against Nebraska on Dec. 9 and against CMU on Dec. 17. She has scored in double figures for the fourth-straight game after 14 points last time out vs. DePaul (11/30).
Hallock also dished out a career-high 12 assists, topping her previous career-high mark of eight assists vs. Evansville (11/19). The 12 assists by Hallock was the Spartans' first double-digit helpers outing of the season.
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.
COMING NEXT YEAR
MSU head coach Robyn Fralick announced the signing of four National Letters of Intent, including Sinai Douglas (Toledo, Ohio/Toledo Start High School), Helen Holley (Cleveland, Ohio/Gilmour Academy), Juliann Woodard (North Vernon, Indiana/Jennings County High School) and Inés Sotelo Miguez (Ourense, Spain).
Douglas is a 5-4 guard, who is a native of Toledo, Ohio. She attends Toledo Start High School and is coached by Dane Franklin. Douglas is currently ranked No. 87 in the ESPNW HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings.
Holley is a 6-1 forward, who is a native of Cleveland Ohio, plays for head coach Kevin Byrne at the Gilmour Academy. As a junior, she averaged 14.7 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. She captured second-team All-Ohio honors last season.
Woodard is a 6-0 forward, who is a native of North Vernon, Indiana, plays for head coach Kristi Sigler at Jennings County High School. Woodard is currently ranked No. 58 in the ESPNW HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings.
Sotelo Miguez is a 6-3 forward, who is a native of Ourense, Spain. She has extensive international experience, including playing with the U18 Spanish National Team last summer in Konya, Turkey at the Eurobasket Tournament.
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.
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.
LAST TIME OUT
Behind a career-best performance from graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault, the Michigan State women's basketball team captured the Cherokee Invitational Championship title with a dominating 105-66 win over Coastal Carolina Thursday night in Cherokee, North Carolina.
The Spartans improved to 10-2 this season, winning three-straight games, while tying a season-high for the third time this season with the 105 points and topping the 100-point mark for the fourth time this season, the most in program history.
The tournament win was MSU's first since winning the New Orleans Shootout in 2017. With the loss, the Chanticleers fall to 6-7 on the season. Thursday night was the first-ever women's basketball meeting between Michigan State and Coastal Carolina.
Ayrault led the way with a career-high 32 points, adding nine rebounds and three blocks. It was the first 30-point game for a Spartan women's basketball player since Kamaria McDaniel scored 32 points against Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament on March 3, 2023.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballRobyn Fralick | Women's Basketball Selection Show Press Conference | March 16, 2025
Sunday, March 16
Robyn Fralick | Women's Basketball Press Conference | Mar. 04 2025
Tuesday, March 04
Michigan State Women's Basketball vs Minnosta | Cinematic Highlight
Sunday, March 02
Coach Fralick Post Game Comments | MINN | Mar. 1 2025
Saturday, March 01