Saturday, February 24
East Lansing, Mich.
2 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Rutgers
MSU Women Celebrate 4-H Day against Rutgers Saturday
2/23/2024 11:54:00 AM | Women's Basketball
This is the second meeting of the season between the two teams.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball returns home for its final two regular-season home games of the season. The Spartans host Rutgers on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. at the Breslin Center. Saturday is 4-H Day with 4-H kids from across the state invited to attend. Brendan Bommorito and Derrick Mitchell will be on the call for the BTN Plus.
• The Spartans have won two-straight games, improving to 19-7 overall and 9-6 in Big Ten action. Michigan State is looking to reach the 20-win mark for the first time since the 2018-19 season. MSU is looking for the series sweep against Rutgers after earning the win in Piscataway on Jan. 30.
• Rutgers is 8-21 overall and 2-14 in B1G play. After a win against Minnesota on Feb. 13, the Scarlet Knights have lost two-straight games at home against Wisconsin and at Maryland.
• The Spartan bench continues to be the spark in the Michigan State offense. MSU is 17th in the nation and first in the Big Ten in bench points, averaging 26.9 ppg. Sophomore guard Theryn Hallock is the top contributor off the bench with 11.2 ppg.
• The 10 points by Moira Joiner vs. Purdue gives her 1,094 career points, moving up to No. 26 on MSU's career scoring list, passing Bella Engen (1994-98) with 1,088 points, and just four points from Jenna Allen (2015-19) with 1,098 for the No. 25 spot and 14 from the No. 24 spot held by Becky Cummings (1997-2001) with 1,108 points.
SCOUTING RUTGERS
This is the second meeting of the season between the Spartans and the Scarlet Knights with MSU winning the first meeting on Jan. 30, 82-64. Rutgers comes to East Lansing with an 8-21 record and are 2-14 in Big Ten action.
The Scarlet Knights have lost four of their last five games, earning a win at home against Minnesota, 81-73, on Feb. 13.
Rutgers is 12th in the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging 66.2 ppg, while standing 12th in scoring defense, allowing 72.2 ppg. The Scarlet Knights are second in the B1G in blocks (4.31 bpg), while standing ninth in rebound margin (+0.97).
Destiny Adams leads the Scarlet Knights in several categories. Adams is 10th in the league in scoring (15.3 ppg) and sixth in rebounding (7.4 rpg). Chyna Cornwell is seventh in rebounding with 7.3 rpg.
Rutgers head coach Coquese Washington is in her second season at the helm of the Scarlet Knights, posting a 20-41 record. Overall, Washington is in her 14th season as a collegiate head coach, amassing a 229-210 ledger. She spent 12 season as the head coach at Penn State.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE SCARLET KNIGHTS
Michigan State holds an 9-6 series lead in the brief history between the two teams. The Spartans have won five of the last six meetings, including the last three. MSU leads the series at home 5-3 in East Lansing, while hold a slight edge in Piscataway, 4-3. Last season in East Lansing, Michigan State came out on top, 85-63. The last time the Scarlet Knights won in East Lansing was on Feb. 24, 2021 with a 63-53 win. Earlier this season, the Spartans defeated the Scarlet Knights, 82-64, in Piscataway on Jan. 30.
LAST TIME VS RUTGERS
Michigan State used a balanced attack with five players in double figures to defeat Rutgers, 82-64, at Jersey Mike's Arena on Jan. 30.
Overall, five Spartans reached double figures in the victory. Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault scored 19 points for the second-straight game, adding six rebounds. Sophomore guards Abbey Kimball and Theryn Hallock both scored 16 points for MSU. Graduate guard Moira Joiner added 10 points and tied her career high with six assists, while graduate guard/forward Tory Ozment also scored 10.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
The Spartans have found their success this season using a balanced attack. For the last 11 games, a different players has led the team in scoring. Five Spartans have been on top of the score sheet this season. Julia Ayrault leads the way, being the top MSU scorer eight times this season.
BY THE NUMBERS VS. PURDUE
• Michigan State won its fourth-straight game at Mackey Arena, as the Spartans' last loss at West Lafayette was in 2017. Michigan State has won five of the last seven overall meetings with Purdue, trimming the Boilermakers' overall series lead to 44-39, and 23-12 in West Lafayette.
• By winning both regular-season meetings with Purdue this year after the 97-70 win over the Boilermakers on Jan. 24, the Spartans swept the season series for the second time in the last four seasons, also doing so in 2020-21 season, which was also the last season that MSU and PU played each other twice during the regular season.
• The Spartan defense held Purdue to just 58 points, which is a season-low in a B1G game for the MSU defense. Michigan State is now 5-0 when holding the opposition under 60 points.
REACHING DOUBLE FIGURES
With three regular-season games remaining, Michigan State holds a 9-6 league record. The last time that the Spartans reached double figures in Big Ten wins was the 2015-16 season when MSU went 13-5 in conference action, reaching the Big Ten Tournament Championship game.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann registered her second career double-double with 13 points and a career-high 11 assists at Purdue on Feb. 21. Both of Hagemann's double-doubles have come in the state of Indiana and in the month of February, joining her 19 points and 10 assists outing at Indiana (2/8/24). Hagemann had 11 assists with no turnovers in the game.
BRING ON THE BENCH
All season, the Michigan State bench has been a key part of the Spartans' success all season. MSU is 17th in the nation and first in the Big Ten in bench points, averaging 26.8 per game. Against Purdue on Feb. 21, Michigan State's bench out-scored PU's 29-19 due in part to Theryn Hallock's team-leading 16 points. Tory Ozment also scored 13 points off the bench. The Spartans improved to 16-5 when out-scoring its opponents bench. This season, the MSU bench has scored 690 points through 26 games. Hallock is fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 11.0 ppg.
INCHING TOWARDS THE RECORD BOOKS
With three regular seasons-season games remaining, Michigan State is getting close to the school record for 3-pointers in a season. Through 26 games, the Spartans have made 241 treys this season. The school record is 252 set during the 2016-17 season. Graduate guard Moira Joiner leads the team with 62 3-pointers. The single-season record for individual treys was 122 by All-American Tori Jankoska during the 2016-17 season.
LOOKING TO BEAT THE BEST
Michigan State is still looking for its first win over a ranked team this season. The Spartans are 0-4 this year with losses to then-No. 4/3 Iowa and then-No. 17-16 Ohio State. On Feb. 8, Michigan State lost another close battle to No. 14/14 Indiana, 94-91, before falling to No. 5/5 Ohio State on Feb. 11. Three of the Spartans' four losses to ranked teams have come by five points or less. MSU's last win against a ranked team came against Indiana. On Dec. 29, 2022, the Spartans upset No. 3/3 Indiana, 83-78 in East Lansing.
AMONG THE BEST IN THE LAND
The Spartans are 12th in the nation field goal percentage, shooting 47.9 percent from the field. Michigan State is also ninth in the country in assists per game, averaging 18.9 apg. They are second in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.66). The Spartans high-flying offense currently stands fifth in the nation in scoring offense, as well (85.0 ppg). MSU is currently ninth in the nation in 3-pointers made (9.3/game).
Individually, Julia Ayrault is 20th in the nation in blocks with 58 and 20th in blocks per game (2.2 bpg). DeeDee Hagemann is third in the country assist/turnover ratio (3.02).
NET RANKING
Through Feb. 21, Michigan State holds a NET ranking of No. 22, which is fourth-best in the Big Ten. Iowa is first at No. 5, followed by Ohio State at No. 8 and Indiana at No. 16.
OH WHAT A NIGHT
Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault had the hot hand against No. 14/13 Indiana on Feb. 8. Ayrault netted a B1G season-high 25 points topping her previous B1G season-high of 20 points vs. Maryland (1/9/24). She netted a career-high five 3-pointers, bettering her previous top mark of four triples vs. Coastal Carolina (12/21/23). The five triples was her third game in the last four with multiple triples as part of the eighth game this season with more than one 3-pointer. Ayrault ended the game 9-for-11 from the field.
HISTORY HAS ITS EYE ON YOU
First-year Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick is the first Spartan head coach to post a Victory for MSU over Michigan in their first meeting since Karen Langeland's first season of 1976-77 in a 63-62 triumph on Jan. 24, 1977. Overall, Fralick is the third MSU head coach to do so, joining inaugural head coach Mikki Baile in the first-ever meeting between the Spartans and Wolverines on Feb. 3, 1973. With MSU's win in Ann Arbor on Feb. 18, Fralick joined Baile and Langeland as the only two coaches to sweep the Wolverines in their first attempt.
DID YOU KNOW?
With only three games remaining in the regular season, the Big Ten standings remain very tight. With the Spartans holding an 9-6 record, they stand fifth in the standings just behind Nebraska. Ohio State stands first with a 14-1 mark, while Indiana now stands alone in second with a 13-3 record. Iowa is third with a 12-3 record. Just behind MSU, Maryland stands in sixth with an 8-7 mark.
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
Sophomore guard Theryn Hallock has been a model of consistency for the Spartans this season. She has reached double figures in six-straight games, including a team-high 16 points against Purdue on Feb. 21. She has reached double figures in scoring in 14 games this season.
LOOK AT ME NOW
With the 388 points, graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault needs just 46more points to equal the combined sum of her previous three seasons in a Spartan uniform, as she had a combined 434 points in the 2019-23 seasons.
GETTING IN THE LINEUP
Michigan State's starting five for Wednesday's game made up of junior guard DeeDee Hagemann, sophomore guard Abbey Kimball junior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate, graduate guard Moira Joiner and graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault was MSU's 17th-consecutive game with those five Spartans on the court for tip-off. Michigan State has started a total of 23 games this season with that starting five, improving to 16-7 on the season. The only other two Spartans to start this season are sophomore guard Theryn Hallock and junior forward Isaline Alexander.
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK... RECORD BOOK
Julia Ayrault's five blocks against Purdue on Feb. 21 give her 58 rejections this season, which are the most by a Spartan in a single-season since 2009-10 when Allyssa DeHaan had 101 rejections. With the 58 blocks, Ayrault vaults up to sole possession of the No. 5 spot on MSU's single-season blocks list, pulling away from a tie for No. 6 with Kristen Rasmussen (1999-2000) with 53 rejections, and passing Rasmussen at the No. 5 spot with 57 in the 1998-98 season.
Blocked Shots
1. Allyssa DeHaan 150 2007-08
2. Allyssa DeHaan 145 2006-07
3. Allyssa DeHaan 107 2008-09
4. Allyssa DeHaan 101 2009-10
5. Julia Ayrault 58 2023-24
6. Kristen Rasmussen 57 1998-99
7. Kristen Rasmussen 53 1999-00
8. Kelli Roehrig 50 2004-05
9. Kristen Rasmussen 45 1997-98
10. Lykendra Johnson 44 2010-11
MOVIN' ON UP
Several Spartans are moving up the MSU record books. Graduate guard Moira Joiner now has 189 made 3-pointers. Joiner made two 3-pointers against Purdue to separate from a tie with Kalisha Keane (2007-11) for the No. 5 spot on MSU's career 3-pointers list. Even though she is just a junior, guard DeeDee Hagemann already has 417 career assists. Hagemann dished out a career-high 12 assists against Purdue on Feb. 21. She is just the ninth player in MSU program history to reach the 400-career assists plateau, standing alone for No. 7 in the MSU career record books. Deb Traxinger is No. 6 with 443 (1978-82) career assists.
FRALICK HITS MILESTONE
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick reached a career milestone with a win against CMU on Dec. 17. She captured her 200th career win, now holding a 211-83 career record in eight seasons as a head coach at Ashland, Bowling Green and Michigan State.
AYRAULT SWATTING HER WAY INTO THE RECORD BOOKS
With five blocks on Wednesday against Purdue, graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault now has 129 blocks, also No. 5 on the Spartans' career blocks list and just five shy of the No. 4 spot held by Kelli Roehrig (2001-05) with 134 blocks.
IF YOU CAN'T BEAT HER...JOINER
Graduate guard Moira Joiner topped the 1,000 career point mark with a 3-pointer at the 6:39 mark for her fifth point of the game against Purdue on Jan. 24. She becomes the 30th Spartan women's basketball player to join the MSU 1,000-Point Club and the first since All-American Nia Clouden hit her 1,000th point on Jan. 7, 2021 vs. Maryland. Clouden finished her career in 2022 with 1,882 points. Joiner now has scored 1,094 career points which puts her tied for 267th all-time in the MSU record books, passing with Bella Engen (1994-98).
AROUND THE BIG TEN
This season, Michigan State is third in the Big Ten in scoring margin (+16.4) and second in assists (18.9 apg). The Spartans are also second in the league in 3-point field goals made, averaging 9.27 per game. MSU is second in turnover margin (+6.62) and first in assist/turnover ratio (1.66).
Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault leads the Spartans in scoring, averaging 14.9 points per game, which is 11th in the conference, while graduate guard Moira Joiner is 13th with 14.5 ppg. Ayrault is also eighth in rebounding with 7.2 rpg and sixth in field goal percentage (.516). Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann is sixth in the league in assists, averaging 5.1 apg and first in assist/turnover ratio (3.02). Ayrault is also second in the conference in blocks, averaging 2.2 bpg, behind Wisconsin's Serah Williams.
BOUNCING BACK
Michigan State has had a history of bouncing back after losses this season. After the six of the Spartans' seven losses, MSU has rebounded with a vengeance. Four of the six wins after losses have been by 18 points or more. With a win against Michigan, the Spartans ended their first two-game losing streak of the season after losses to No. 14/13 Indiana and No. 5/5 Ohio State.
COMING NEXT YEAR
MSU head coach Robyn Fralick announced the signing of four National Letters of Intent, including Sinai Douglas, Helen Holley, Juliann Woodard (North Vernon, Indiana/Jennings County High School) and Inés Sotelo.
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.
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.
LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State women's basketball captured the series sweep against Purdue with a 68-59 win over Purdue on Wednesday evening at Mackey Arena. The Spartans had five players in double figures in the win.
The Michigan State bench once again led the way with 29 bench points. Sophomore guard Theryn Hallock topped MSU with 16 points, going 4-for-6 from long range. Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann and graduate guard/forward Tory Ozment both scored 13 points. Hagemann set a new career high with 11 assists to register her second double-double, both coming in the state of Indiana after her first double-double with 19 points and 10 assists at Indiana on Feb. 8. Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault scored 12 points, while adding a game-high five blocks. Graduate guard Moira Joiner also added 10 points.
• The Spartans have won two-straight games, improving to 19-7 overall and 9-6 in Big Ten action. Michigan State is looking to reach the 20-win mark for the first time since the 2018-19 season. MSU is looking for the series sweep against Rutgers after earning the win in Piscataway on Jan. 30.
• Rutgers is 8-21 overall and 2-14 in B1G play. After a win against Minnesota on Feb. 13, the Scarlet Knights have lost two-straight games at home against Wisconsin and at Maryland.
• The Spartan bench continues to be the spark in the Michigan State offense. MSU is 17th in the nation and first in the Big Ten in bench points, averaging 26.9 ppg. Sophomore guard Theryn Hallock is the top contributor off the bench with 11.2 ppg.
• The 10 points by Moira Joiner vs. Purdue gives her 1,094 career points, moving up to No. 26 on MSU's career scoring list, passing Bella Engen (1994-98) with 1,088 points, and just four points from Jenna Allen (2015-19) with 1,098 for the No. 25 spot and 14 from the No. 24 spot held by Becky Cummings (1997-2001) with 1,108 points.
SCOUTING RUTGERS
This is the second meeting of the season between the Spartans and the Scarlet Knights with MSU winning the first meeting on Jan. 30, 82-64. Rutgers comes to East Lansing with an 8-21 record and are 2-14 in Big Ten action.
The Scarlet Knights have lost four of their last five games, earning a win at home against Minnesota, 81-73, on Feb. 13.
Rutgers is 12th in the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging 66.2 ppg, while standing 12th in scoring defense, allowing 72.2 ppg. The Scarlet Knights are second in the B1G in blocks (4.31 bpg), while standing ninth in rebound margin (+0.97).
Destiny Adams leads the Scarlet Knights in several categories. Adams is 10th in the league in scoring (15.3 ppg) and sixth in rebounding (7.4 rpg). Chyna Cornwell is seventh in rebounding with 7.3 rpg.
Rutgers head coach Coquese Washington is in her second season at the helm of the Scarlet Knights, posting a 20-41 record. Overall, Washington is in her 14th season as a collegiate head coach, amassing a 229-210 ledger. She spent 12 season as the head coach at Penn State.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE SCARLET KNIGHTS
Michigan State holds an 9-6 series lead in the brief history between the two teams. The Spartans have won five of the last six meetings, including the last three. MSU leads the series at home 5-3 in East Lansing, while hold a slight edge in Piscataway, 4-3. Last season in East Lansing, Michigan State came out on top, 85-63. The last time the Scarlet Knights won in East Lansing was on Feb. 24, 2021 with a 63-53 win. Earlier this season, the Spartans defeated the Scarlet Knights, 82-64, in Piscataway on Jan. 30.
LAST TIME VS RUTGERS
Michigan State used a balanced attack with five players in double figures to defeat Rutgers, 82-64, at Jersey Mike's Arena on Jan. 30.
Overall, five Spartans reached double figures in the victory. Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault scored 19 points for the second-straight game, adding six rebounds. Sophomore guards Abbey Kimball and Theryn Hallock both scored 16 points for MSU. Graduate guard Moira Joiner added 10 points and tied her career high with six assists, while graduate guard/forward Tory Ozment also scored 10.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
The Spartans have found their success this season using a balanced attack. For the last 11 games, a different players has led the team in scoring. Five Spartans have been on top of the score sheet this season. Julia Ayrault leads the way, being the top MSU scorer eight times this season.
BY THE NUMBERS VS. PURDUE
• Michigan State won its fourth-straight game at Mackey Arena, as the Spartans' last loss at West Lafayette was in 2017. Michigan State has won five of the last seven overall meetings with Purdue, trimming the Boilermakers' overall series lead to 44-39, and 23-12 in West Lafayette.
• By winning both regular-season meetings with Purdue this year after the 97-70 win over the Boilermakers on Jan. 24, the Spartans swept the season series for the second time in the last four seasons, also doing so in 2020-21 season, which was also the last season that MSU and PU played each other twice during the regular season.
• The Spartan defense held Purdue to just 58 points, which is a season-low in a B1G game for the MSU defense. Michigan State is now 5-0 when holding the opposition under 60 points.
REACHING DOUBLE FIGURES
With three regular-season games remaining, Michigan State holds a 9-6 league record. The last time that the Spartans reached double figures in Big Ten wins was the 2015-16 season when MSU went 13-5 in conference action, reaching the Big Ten Tournament Championship game.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann registered her second career double-double with 13 points and a career-high 11 assists at Purdue on Feb. 21. Both of Hagemann's double-doubles have come in the state of Indiana and in the month of February, joining her 19 points and 10 assists outing at Indiana (2/8/24). Hagemann had 11 assists with no turnovers in the game.
BRING ON THE BENCH
All season, the Michigan State bench has been a key part of the Spartans' success all season. MSU is 17th in the nation and first in the Big Ten in bench points, averaging 26.8 per game. Against Purdue on Feb. 21, Michigan State's bench out-scored PU's 29-19 due in part to Theryn Hallock's team-leading 16 points. Tory Ozment also scored 13 points off the bench. The Spartans improved to 16-5 when out-scoring its opponents bench. This season, the MSU bench has scored 690 points through 26 games. Hallock is fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 11.0 ppg.
INCHING TOWARDS THE RECORD BOOKS
With three regular seasons-season games remaining, Michigan State is getting close to the school record for 3-pointers in a season. Through 26 games, the Spartans have made 241 treys this season. The school record is 252 set during the 2016-17 season. Graduate guard Moira Joiner leads the team with 62 3-pointers. The single-season record for individual treys was 122 by All-American Tori Jankoska during the 2016-17 season.
LOOKING TO BEAT THE BEST
Michigan State is still looking for its first win over a ranked team this season. The Spartans are 0-4 this year with losses to then-No. 4/3 Iowa and then-No. 17-16 Ohio State. On Feb. 8, Michigan State lost another close battle to No. 14/14 Indiana, 94-91, before falling to No. 5/5 Ohio State on Feb. 11. Three of the Spartans' four losses to ranked teams have come by five points or less. MSU's last win against a ranked team came against Indiana. On Dec. 29, 2022, the Spartans upset No. 3/3 Indiana, 83-78 in East Lansing.
AMONG THE BEST IN THE LAND
The Spartans are 12th in the nation field goal percentage, shooting 47.9 percent from the field. Michigan State is also ninth in the country in assists per game, averaging 18.9 apg. They are second in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.66). The Spartans high-flying offense currently stands fifth in the nation in scoring offense, as well (85.0 ppg). MSU is currently ninth in the nation in 3-pointers made (9.3/game).
Individually, Julia Ayrault is 20th in the nation in blocks with 58 and 20th in blocks per game (2.2 bpg). DeeDee Hagemann is third in the country assist/turnover ratio (3.02).
NET RANKING
Through Feb. 21, Michigan State holds a NET ranking of No. 22, which is fourth-best in the Big Ten. Iowa is first at No. 5, followed by Ohio State at No. 8 and Indiana at No. 16.
OH WHAT A NIGHT
Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault had the hot hand against No. 14/13 Indiana on Feb. 8. Ayrault netted a B1G season-high 25 points topping her previous B1G season-high of 20 points vs. Maryland (1/9/24). She netted a career-high five 3-pointers, bettering her previous top mark of four triples vs. Coastal Carolina (12/21/23). The five triples was her third game in the last four with multiple triples as part of the eighth game this season with more than one 3-pointer. Ayrault ended the game 9-for-11 from the field.
HISTORY HAS ITS EYE ON YOU
First-year Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick is the first Spartan head coach to post a Victory for MSU over Michigan in their first meeting since Karen Langeland's first season of 1976-77 in a 63-62 triumph on Jan. 24, 1977. Overall, Fralick is the third MSU head coach to do so, joining inaugural head coach Mikki Baile in the first-ever meeting between the Spartans and Wolverines on Feb. 3, 1973. With MSU's win in Ann Arbor on Feb. 18, Fralick joined Baile and Langeland as the only two coaches to sweep the Wolverines in their first attempt.
DID YOU KNOW?
With only three games remaining in the regular season, the Big Ten standings remain very tight. With the Spartans holding an 9-6 record, they stand fifth in the standings just behind Nebraska. Ohio State stands first with a 14-1 mark, while Indiana now stands alone in second with a 13-3 record. Iowa is third with a 12-3 record. Just behind MSU, Maryland stands in sixth with an 8-7 mark.
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
Sophomore guard Theryn Hallock has been a model of consistency for the Spartans this season. She has reached double figures in six-straight games, including a team-high 16 points against Purdue on Feb. 21. She has reached double figures in scoring in 14 games this season.
LOOK AT ME NOW
With the 388 points, graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault needs just 46more points to equal the combined sum of her previous three seasons in a Spartan uniform, as she had a combined 434 points in the 2019-23 seasons.
GETTING IN THE LINEUP
Michigan State's starting five for Wednesday's game made up of junior guard DeeDee Hagemann, sophomore guard Abbey Kimball junior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate, graduate guard Moira Joiner and graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault was MSU's 17th-consecutive game with those five Spartans on the court for tip-off. Michigan State has started a total of 23 games this season with that starting five, improving to 16-7 on the season. The only other two Spartans to start this season are sophomore guard Theryn Hallock and junior forward Isaline Alexander.
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK... RECORD BOOK
Julia Ayrault's five blocks against Purdue on Feb. 21 give her 58 rejections this season, which are the most by a Spartan in a single-season since 2009-10 when Allyssa DeHaan had 101 rejections. With the 58 blocks, Ayrault vaults up to sole possession of the No. 5 spot on MSU's single-season blocks list, pulling away from a tie for No. 6 with Kristen Rasmussen (1999-2000) with 53 rejections, and passing Rasmussen at the No. 5 spot with 57 in the 1998-98 season.
Blocked Shots
1. Allyssa DeHaan 150 2007-08
2. Allyssa DeHaan 145 2006-07
3. Allyssa DeHaan 107 2008-09
4. Allyssa DeHaan 101 2009-10
5. Julia Ayrault 58 2023-24
6. Kristen Rasmussen 57 1998-99
7. Kristen Rasmussen 53 1999-00
8. Kelli Roehrig 50 2004-05
9. Kristen Rasmussen 45 1997-98
10. Lykendra Johnson 44 2010-11
MOVIN' ON UP
Several Spartans are moving up the MSU record books. Graduate guard Moira Joiner now has 189 made 3-pointers. Joiner made two 3-pointers against Purdue to separate from a tie with Kalisha Keane (2007-11) for the No. 5 spot on MSU's career 3-pointers list. Even though she is just a junior, guard DeeDee Hagemann already has 417 career assists. Hagemann dished out a career-high 12 assists against Purdue on Feb. 21. She is just the ninth player in MSU program history to reach the 400-career assists plateau, standing alone for No. 7 in the MSU career record books. Deb Traxinger is No. 6 with 443 (1978-82) career assists.
FRALICK HITS MILESTONE
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick reached a career milestone with a win against CMU on Dec. 17. She captured her 200th career win, now holding a 211-83 career record in eight seasons as a head coach at Ashland, Bowling Green and Michigan State.
AYRAULT SWATTING HER WAY INTO THE RECORD BOOKS
With five blocks on Wednesday against Purdue, graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault now has 129 blocks, also No. 5 on the Spartans' career blocks list and just five shy of the No. 4 spot held by Kelli Roehrig (2001-05) with 134 blocks.
IF YOU CAN'T BEAT HER...JOINER
Graduate guard Moira Joiner topped the 1,000 career point mark with a 3-pointer at the 6:39 mark for her fifth point of the game against Purdue on Jan. 24. She becomes the 30th Spartan women's basketball player to join the MSU 1,000-Point Club and the first since All-American Nia Clouden hit her 1,000th point on Jan. 7, 2021 vs. Maryland. Clouden finished her career in 2022 with 1,882 points. Joiner now has scored 1,094 career points which puts her tied for 267th all-time in the MSU record books, passing with Bella Engen (1994-98).
AROUND THE BIG TEN
This season, Michigan State is third in the Big Ten in scoring margin (+16.4) and second in assists (18.9 apg). The Spartans are also second in the league in 3-point field goals made, averaging 9.27 per game. MSU is second in turnover margin (+6.62) and first in assist/turnover ratio (1.66).
Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault leads the Spartans in scoring, averaging 14.9 points per game, which is 11th in the conference, while graduate guard Moira Joiner is 13th with 14.5 ppg. Ayrault is also eighth in rebounding with 7.2 rpg and sixth in field goal percentage (.516). Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann is sixth in the league in assists, averaging 5.1 apg and first in assist/turnover ratio (3.02). Ayrault is also second in the conference in blocks, averaging 2.2 bpg, behind Wisconsin's Serah Williams.
BOUNCING BACK
Michigan State has had a history of bouncing back after losses this season. After the six of the Spartans' seven losses, MSU has rebounded with a vengeance. Four of the six wins after losses have been by 18 points or more. With a win against Michigan, the Spartans ended their first two-game losing streak of the season after losses to No. 14/13 Indiana and No. 5/5 Ohio State.
COMING NEXT YEAR
MSU head coach Robyn Fralick announced the signing of four National Letters of Intent, including Sinai Douglas, Helen Holley, Juliann Woodard (North Vernon, Indiana/Jennings County High School) and Inés Sotelo.
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.
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.
LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State women's basketball captured the series sweep against Purdue with a 68-59 win over Purdue on Wednesday evening at Mackey Arena. The Spartans had five players in double figures in the win.
The Michigan State bench once again led the way with 29 bench points. Sophomore guard Theryn Hallock topped MSU with 16 points, going 4-for-6 from long range. Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann and graduate guard/forward Tory Ozment both scored 13 points. Hagemann set a new career high with 11 assists to register her second double-double, both coming in the state of Indiana after her first double-double with 19 points and 10 assists at Indiana on Feb. 8. Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault scored 12 points, while adding a game-high five blocks. Graduate guard Moira Joiner also added 10 points.
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/ 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