Spartans Celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day Against Minnesota Monday
2/3/2024 3:35:00 PM | Women's Basketball
This is the second meeting of the season between the two teams.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -Â Michigan State women's basketball will open the month of February, hosting Minnesota on Monday, Feb. 5 at 6 p.m. The Spartans will be celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day along with other MSU sports. MSU enters the game winners of three straight. Kylen Mills and Christy Winters Scott will be on the call for the Big Ten Network.
• The Spartans improved to 16-5 overall and 6-4 in B1G play with an 82-64 victory over Rutgers on the road on Jan. 30. Minnesota comes to the Breslin Center with a 14-7 overall record and are 4-6 in league play. This is the second meeting this season between the Spartans and the Gophers, with Minnesota winning the game in Minneapolis, 69-50 on Jan. 20.Â
• With a 16-5 overall record, Michigan State tied its win total from the 2022-23 season. That season the Spartans ended with a 16-14 record. MSU is one Big Ten win away from tying the its win last year, as the Spartans were 7-10 last season.
• The Spartans have reached the 80-point mark for three-straight games. Michigan State has scored at least 80 points in 15 of the 16 victories so far this season, as Michigan State improved to 15-0 when scoring 80+ points.
• Junior guard Dee Dee Hagemann's seven total assists against Rutgers gives her 384 for her career, closing in on becoming the eighth Spartan women's basketball player with 400 career assists and closing in on the No. 8 spot held by Brittney Thomas (2007-11) with 401 helpers.
SCOUTING MINNESOTA
Minnesota comes to the Breslin Center with a 14-7 overall record and are 4-6 in league contests. The Gophers have lost three-straight games with their last win coming against MSU on Jan. 20. Minnesota suffered a setback when sophomore Mara Braun got hurt against Illinois on Jan. 28. Her foot injury required foot surgery. Braun has been one of the Big Ten's top scorers at 17.8 points per game, which is fourth in the league.
Minnesota is second in the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing only 61.5 ppg. The Gophers are fourth in rebound margin (+5.14), while also standing fourth in steals (8.43 spg).
Mallory Heyer is four in the B1G in rebounding with 8.1 rpg. Amaya Battle is fourth in assists with 5.4 helpers per game, while also standing 11th in steals with 1.8 spg.
Minnesota head coach Dawn Plitzuweit in her first year leading the Gophers, posting a 14-7 record so far, and is in her 17th overall season as a collegiate head coach, amassing a 379-148 mark. Plitzuweit came to Minneapolis after one season at West Virginia.
Plitzuweit has ties to the state of Michigan, as she played at Michigan Tech, earning back-to-back GLIAC Player of the Year awards in 1994 and 1994. She started her coaching career as an assistant at her alma mater (1995-97), as well as at Michigan (2007-12) and was also head coach at Grand Valley State (2002-07).
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE GOLDEN GOPHERS
Michigan State leads the overall series with Minnesota, 47-25. The Spartans have won four of the last six meetings, including last season's Senior Day game in East Lansing, 71-67. MSU is on top in the series at home 27-7, while the series is tied in Minneapolis 17-17. On neutral ground, the Spartans are ahead 3-1. In the first meeting this season, the Gophers had the hot hand, defeating the Spartans 69-50.
LAST TIME VS MINNESOTA
Michigan State women's basketball fell to Minnesota on the road, 69-50, on Jan. 20 at Williams Arena.
Michigan State had its worst shooting performance of the season going 20-for-61 from the field for 32.8 percent in scoring a season-low points. Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann led the Spartans with 18 points and seven rebounds, as the only Spartan to reach double figures. Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault added nine points and eight rebounds for MSU.
Minnesota was led by Mallory Heyer who scored 18 points and added a game-high 15 rebounds.
ONLY NEWBIES
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick and Minnesota head coach Dawn Plitzuweit are the only two Big Ten women's basketball coaches who are in their first-year at their current B1G posts.Â
NET RANKING
Through Feb. 1, Michigan State holds a NET ranking of No. 20, which is fourth-best in the Big Ten. Iowa is first at No. 5, followed by Indiana at No. 11 and Ohio State at No. 14.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
With a 16-5 overall record, Michigan State tied its win total from the 2022-23 season. That season the Spartans ended with a 16-14 record. MSU is one Big Ten win away from tying the its win last year, as the Spartans were 7-10 last season.
Through 21 games last season, Michigan State held a 11-10 overall record and were 3-7 in Big Ten action. The Spartans two leading scorers were Kamaria McDaniel (14.6 ppg) and Matilda Ekh (12.5 ppg). As a team, MSU was averaging 80.0 points and allowing 65.3 ppg.
This season, four Spartans are averaging in double figures, led by Moira Joiner and Julia Ayraul who are both scoring 14.9 ppg. As a team, MSU is scoring 86.5 ppg, while allowing only 66.5.Â
BY THE NUMBERS VS. RUTGERS
• It was the second time in the last three games that MSU had five players in double-figures, with those same five Spartans scoring 10+ points in the win over Purdue (1/24/24). Michigan State is now 7-1 when five or more score in double-figures.
• Sophomore guard Abbey Kimball drained four 3-pointers for her 11th game with multiple triples, including the second time in the last three games and fourth in the last six outings. The four treys was one shy of her season and career-high of five triples vs James Madison (11/23/23).
• Sophomore guard Theryn Hallock's 16 points was her second double-digit outing in the last three games as part of the ninth time this season and 10th in her career. Hallock made seven field goals, tying her second-most this season for the fourth time this season, behind her career-high 10 field goals vs. Purdue (1/24/24).
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.
WIRE-TO-WIRE
MSU led from start-to-finish against Purdue on Jan. 24, marking the second-straight home game and the fifth overall time this season that the Spartans have never trailed in the game, including the fourth time at home, joining Game 4 vs. Evansville (11/19/23), Game 10 vs. Central Michigan (12/17/23), Game 12 vs. Coastal Carolina (12/21/23) and Game 17 vs. Northwestern (1/17/24), with the neutral-court Coastal Carolina contest the lone game away from home in going tip to final buzzer never trailing. The Spartans came close to a wire-to-wire win against Rutgers, but the Scarlet Knights led for 19 seconds.
GETTING IN THE LINEUP
The Michigan State starting five of junior guard DeeDee Hagemann, sophomore guard Abbey Kimball junior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate, graduate guard Moira Joiner and graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault in Tuesday's game at Rutgers was the Spartans' 11th game in a row starting with that opening five ... Tuesday was the 18th contest this season those five were the Spartans' starting five for tipoff. MSU is now 13-5 with that starting five. The only other two Spartans to start this season are sophomore guard Theryn Hallock and junior forward Isaline Alexander.
MOVIN' ON UP
Several Spartans are moving up the MSU record books. With one block on Jan. 30, Ayrault now has 48 rejections this season through 21 games, the most in a single-season since 2009-10 when Allyssa DeHaan had 101 rejections. The 48 blocks holds the No. 8 spot on MSU's single-season top 10 list, needing just two more for the No. 7 spot of 50 blocks by Kelli Roehrig (2004-05).
Graduate guard Moira Joiner now has 180 made 3-pointers and still stands sixth all-time. Even though she is just a junior, guard DeeDee Hagemann already has 384 career assists. By dishing out seven assists against Rutgers, Hagemann now has 384 helpers for her career, holding the No. 9 spot on the Spartans' career assists list.
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 208-81 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 one block against  Rutgers on Jan. 30, graduate guard Julia Ayrault now has 48 rejections this season through 21 games, the most in a single-season since 2009-10 when Allyssa DeHaan had 101 rejections. The 48 blocks holds the No. 8 spot on MSU's single-season top 10 list, needing just two more for the No. 7 spot of 50 blocks by Kelli Roehrig (2004-05).
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 1,031 career points which puts her 29th all-time in the MSU record books. She is just three points away from tying Brenda Jezowski (1980-85) with 1,034 points.
Joiner's two 3-pointers against Rutgers gives her 180 for her career, becoming the sixth Spartan women's basketball player with 180 treys, and just three shy of the No. 5 spot on MSU's career 3-pointers list, held by Kalisha Keane (2007-11) with 183 3-pointers.Â
AMONG THE BEST IN THE LAND
The Spartans are 13th in the nation field goal percentage, shooting 48.2 percent from the field. Michigan State is also sixth in the country in assists per game, averaging 19.7 apg. They are also first in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.79). The Spartans high-flying offense currently stands 13th in the nation in scoring margin, as well (+20.0). MSU is currently seventh in the nation in 3-pointers made (9.3/game).
Individually, Julia Ayrault is 18th in the nation in blocks with 48 and 21st in blocks per game (2.4 bpg). DeeDee Hagemann is 11th in the country assist/turnover ratio (2.29).
HAGEMANN'S MAKING A LASTING IMPACT
Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann is approaching etching her name in the MSU record books once again. With 94 assists so far this season, she looking reach the 100 assist mark her first three seasons. She would be the first person since Taryn McCutcheon (2017-20) to reach 100 assists in her first three seasons. McCutcheon is the all-time MSU leader in assists with 568. She also currently holds an assist/turnover ratio of 2.9, which would break her own record of 2.61 set last season.
DEEDEE CONTINUES TO HELP
With five assists in the first half alone against Rutgers on Jan. 30, junior guard DeeDee Hagemann moved up to tie for No. 9 on MSU's career assists list with her 382nd career assist, passing Kim Archer (1983-88) with 381 assists and tying Eileen Shea (1987-91) with 382 helpers. Hagemann's seven total assists on the night gives her 384 for her career, closing in on becoming the eighth Spartan women's basketball player with 400 career assists and closing in on the No. 8 spot held by Brittney Thomas (2007-11) with 401 helpers.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
This season, Michigan State is second in the Big Ten in scoring margin (+20.1) and second in assists (19.6 apg). The Spartans are also second in the league in 3-point field goals made, averaging 9.40 per game. MSU is first in turnover margin (+7.40) and first in assist/turnover ratio (1.78).
Graduate guard Moira Joiner leads the Spartans in scoring, averaging 14.9 points per game, which is 13th, while graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault is 13th with 14.86 ppg. Ayrault is also sixth in rebounding with 7.5 rpg. Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann is seventh in the league in assists, averaging 4.7 apg and first in assist/turnover ratio (2.9). Joiner is third in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.405). Ayrault is also second in the conference in blocks, averaging 2.3 bpg, behind Wisconsin's Serah Williams.
PUTTING IN THE MINUTES
Due to significant injuries this season, the Spartans have been forced to play with nine players for much of the season. Many MSU players have been logging in a lot of minutes so far this year. Moira Joiner is 13th in the  Big Ten in minutes played, averaging 31.0 mpg. DeeDee Hagemann is second with 30.2 mpg, while Theryn Hallock is third in minutes off the bench with 25.3 mpg, while Abbey Kimball is fourth with 25.1 mpg.  MSU has seven players who are averaging over 20 minutes per game.Â
DID YOU KNOW?
Minnesota is the first of four teams that Michigan State will play twice this season. Â After losing in Columbus, MSU looks to get revenge against Ohio State on Feb. 11. Â MSU will then take on Michigan on the road (Feb. 18) and Purdue (Feb. 21). Finally, the Spartans will host Rutgers on
BOUNCING BACK
Michigan State has had a history of bouncing back after losses this season. After the Spartans previous five losses, MSU has rebounded with a vengeance. Four of the five wins after losses have been by 18 points or more.
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.
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. Â
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.Â
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.Â
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.Â
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 used a balanced attack with five players in double figures to defeat Rutgers, 82-64, at Jersey Mike's Arena on Tuesday night.
With the win, the Spartans have now won three-straight games to improve to 16-5 overall and 6-4 in Big Ten action. Rutgers falls to 6-17 overall and 0-10 in league play. MSU has now won three-straight against the Scarlet Knights.
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.
Hagemann's seven total assists on the night gives her 384 for her career, closing in on becoming the eighth Spartan women's basketball player with 400 career assists and closing in on the No. 8 spot held by Brittney Thomas (2007-11) with 401 helpers.
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• The Spartans improved to 16-5 overall and 6-4 in B1G play with an 82-64 victory over Rutgers on the road on Jan. 30. Minnesota comes to the Breslin Center with a 14-7 overall record and are 4-6 in league play. This is the second meeting this season between the Spartans and the Gophers, with Minnesota winning the game in Minneapolis, 69-50 on Jan. 20.Â
• With a 16-5 overall record, Michigan State tied its win total from the 2022-23 season. That season the Spartans ended with a 16-14 record. MSU is one Big Ten win away from tying the its win last year, as the Spartans were 7-10 last season.
• The Spartans have reached the 80-point mark for three-straight games. Michigan State has scored at least 80 points in 15 of the 16 victories so far this season, as Michigan State improved to 15-0 when scoring 80+ points.
• Junior guard Dee Dee Hagemann's seven total assists against Rutgers gives her 384 for her career, closing in on becoming the eighth Spartan women's basketball player with 400 career assists and closing in on the No. 8 spot held by Brittney Thomas (2007-11) with 401 helpers.
SCOUTING MINNESOTA
Minnesota comes to the Breslin Center with a 14-7 overall record and are 4-6 in league contests. The Gophers have lost three-straight games with their last win coming against MSU on Jan. 20. Minnesota suffered a setback when sophomore Mara Braun got hurt against Illinois on Jan. 28. Her foot injury required foot surgery. Braun has been one of the Big Ten's top scorers at 17.8 points per game, which is fourth in the league.
Minnesota is second in the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing only 61.5 ppg. The Gophers are fourth in rebound margin (+5.14), while also standing fourth in steals (8.43 spg).
Mallory Heyer is four in the B1G in rebounding with 8.1 rpg. Amaya Battle is fourth in assists with 5.4 helpers per game, while also standing 11th in steals with 1.8 spg.
Minnesota head coach Dawn Plitzuweit in her first year leading the Gophers, posting a 14-7 record so far, and is in her 17th overall season as a collegiate head coach, amassing a 379-148 mark. Plitzuweit came to Minneapolis after one season at West Virginia.
Plitzuweit has ties to the state of Michigan, as she played at Michigan Tech, earning back-to-back GLIAC Player of the Year awards in 1994 and 1994. She started her coaching career as an assistant at her alma mater (1995-97), as well as at Michigan (2007-12) and was also head coach at Grand Valley State (2002-07).
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE GOLDEN GOPHERS
Michigan State leads the overall series with Minnesota, 47-25. The Spartans have won four of the last six meetings, including last season's Senior Day game in East Lansing, 71-67. MSU is on top in the series at home 27-7, while the series is tied in Minneapolis 17-17. On neutral ground, the Spartans are ahead 3-1. In the first meeting this season, the Gophers had the hot hand, defeating the Spartans 69-50.
LAST TIME VS MINNESOTA
Michigan State women's basketball fell to Minnesota on the road, 69-50, on Jan. 20 at Williams Arena.
Michigan State had its worst shooting performance of the season going 20-for-61 from the field for 32.8 percent in scoring a season-low points. Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann led the Spartans with 18 points and seven rebounds, as the only Spartan to reach double figures. Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault added nine points and eight rebounds for MSU.
Minnesota was led by Mallory Heyer who scored 18 points and added a game-high 15 rebounds.
ONLY NEWBIES
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick and Minnesota head coach Dawn Plitzuweit are the only two Big Ten women's basketball coaches who are in their first-year at their current B1G posts.Â
NET RANKING
Through Feb. 1, Michigan State holds a NET ranking of No. 20, which is fourth-best in the Big Ten. Iowa is first at No. 5, followed by Indiana at No. 11 and Ohio State at No. 14.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
With a 16-5 overall record, Michigan State tied its win total from the 2022-23 season. That season the Spartans ended with a 16-14 record. MSU is one Big Ten win away from tying the its win last year, as the Spartans were 7-10 last season.
Through 21 games last season, Michigan State held a 11-10 overall record and were 3-7 in Big Ten action. The Spartans two leading scorers were Kamaria McDaniel (14.6 ppg) and Matilda Ekh (12.5 ppg). As a team, MSU was averaging 80.0 points and allowing 65.3 ppg.
This season, four Spartans are averaging in double figures, led by Moira Joiner and Julia Ayraul who are both scoring 14.9 ppg. As a team, MSU is scoring 86.5 ppg, while allowing only 66.5.Â
BY THE NUMBERS VS. RUTGERS
• It was the second time in the last three games that MSU had five players in double-figures, with those same five Spartans scoring 10+ points in the win over Purdue (1/24/24). Michigan State is now 7-1 when five or more score in double-figures.
• Sophomore guard Abbey Kimball drained four 3-pointers for her 11th game with multiple triples, including the second time in the last three games and fourth in the last six outings. The four treys was one shy of her season and career-high of five triples vs James Madison (11/23/23).
• Sophomore guard Theryn Hallock's 16 points was her second double-digit outing in the last three games as part of the ninth time this season and 10th in her career. Hallock made seven field goals, tying her second-most this season for the fourth time this season, behind her career-high 10 field goals vs. Purdue (1/24/24).
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.
WIRE-TO-WIRE
MSU led from start-to-finish against Purdue on Jan. 24, marking the second-straight home game and the fifth overall time this season that the Spartans have never trailed in the game, including the fourth time at home, joining Game 4 vs. Evansville (11/19/23), Game 10 vs. Central Michigan (12/17/23), Game 12 vs. Coastal Carolina (12/21/23) and Game 17 vs. Northwestern (1/17/24), with the neutral-court Coastal Carolina contest the lone game away from home in going tip to final buzzer never trailing. The Spartans came close to a wire-to-wire win against Rutgers, but the Scarlet Knights led for 19 seconds.
GETTING IN THE LINEUP
The Michigan State starting five of junior guard DeeDee Hagemann, sophomore guard Abbey Kimball junior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate, graduate guard Moira Joiner and graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault in Tuesday's game at Rutgers was the Spartans' 11th game in a row starting with that opening five ... Tuesday was the 18th contest this season those five were the Spartans' starting five for tipoff. MSU is now 13-5 with that starting five. The only other two Spartans to start this season are sophomore guard Theryn Hallock and junior forward Isaline Alexander.
MOVIN' ON UP
Several Spartans are moving up the MSU record books. With one block on Jan. 30, Ayrault now has 48 rejections this season through 21 games, the most in a single-season since 2009-10 when Allyssa DeHaan had 101 rejections. The 48 blocks holds the No. 8 spot on MSU's single-season top 10 list, needing just two more for the No. 7 spot of 50 blocks by Kelli Roehrig (2004-05).
Graduate guard Moira Joiner now has 180 made 3-pointers and still stands sixth all-time. Even though she is just a junior, guard DeeDee Hagemann already has 384 career assists. By dishing out seven assists against Rutgers, Hagemann now has 384 helpers for her career, holding the No. 9 spot on the Spartans' career assists list.
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 208-81 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 one block against  Rutgers on Jan. 30, graduate guard Julia Ayrault now has 48 rejections this season through 21 games, the most in a single-season since 2009-10 when Allyssa DeHaan had 101 rejections. The 48 blocks holds the No. 8 spot on MSU's single-season top 10 list, needing just two more for the No. 7 spot of 50 blocks by Kelli Roehrig (2004-05).
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 1,031 career points which puts her 29th all-time in the MSU record books. She is just three points away from tying Brenda Jezowski (1980-85) with 1,034 points.
Joiner's two 3-pointers against Rutgers gives her 180 for her career, becoming the sixth Spartan women's basketball player with 180 treys, and just three shy of the No. 5 spot on MSU's career 3-pointers list, held by Kalisha Keane (2007-11) with 183 3-pointers.Â
AMONG THE BEST IN THE LAND
The Spartans are 13th in the nation field goal percentage, shooting 48.2 percent from the field. Michigan State is also sixth in the country in assists per game, averaging 19.7 apg. They are also first in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.79). The Spartans high-flying offense currently stands 13th in the nation in scoring margin, as well (+20.0). MSU is currently seventh in the nation in 3-pointers made (9.3/game).
Individually, Julia Ayrault is 18th in the nation in blocks with 48 and 21st in blocks per game (2.4 bpg). DeeDee Hagemann is 11th in the country assist/turnover ratio (2.29).
HAGEMANN'S MAKING A LASTING IMPACT
Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann is approaching etching her name in the MSU record books once again. With 94 assists so far this season, she looking reach the 100 assist mark her first three seasons. She would be the first person since Taryn McCutcheon (2017-20) to reach 100 assists in her first three seasons. McCutcheon is the all-time MSU leader in assists with 568. She also currently holds an assist/turnover ratio of 2.9, which would break her own record of 2.61 set last season.
DEEDEE CONTINUES TO HELP
With five assists in the first half alone against Rutgers on Jan. 30, junior guard DeeDee Hagemann moved up to tie for No. 9 on MSU's career assists list with her 382nd career assist, passing Kim Archer (1983-88) with 381 assists and tying Eileen Shea (1987-91) with 382 helpers. Hagemann's seven total assists on the night gives her 384 for her career, closing in on becoming the eighth Spartan women's basketball player with 400 career assists and closing in on the No. 8 spot held by Brittney Thomas (2007-11) with 401 helpers.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
This season, Michigan State is second in the Big Ten in scoring margin (+20.1) and second in assists (19.6 apg). The Spartans are also second in the league in 3-point field goals made, averaging 9.40 per game. MSU is first in turnover margin (+7.40) and first in assist/turnover ratio (1.78).
Graduate guard Moira Joiner leads the Spartans in scoring, averaging 14.9 points per game, which is 13th, while graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault is 13th with 14.86 ppg. Ayrault is also sixth in rebounding with 7.5 rpg. Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann is seventh in the league in assists, averaging 4.7 apg and first in assist/turnover ratio (2.9). Joiner is third in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.405). Ayrault is also second in the conference in blocks, averaging 2.3 bpg, behind Wisconsin's Serah Williams.
PUTTING IN THE MINUTES
Due to significant injuries this season, the Spartans have been forced to play with nine players for much of the season. Many MSU players have been logging in a lot of minutes so far this year. Moira Joiner is 13th in the  Big Ten in minutes played, averaging 31.0 mpg. DeeDee Hagemann is second with 30.2 mpg, while Theryn Hallock is third in minutes off the bench with 25.3 mpg, while Abbey Kimball is fourth with 25.1 mpg.  MSU has seven players who are averaging over 20 minutes per game.Â
DID YOU KNOW?
Minnesota is the first of four teams that Michigan State will play twice this season. Â After losing in Columbus, MSU looks to get revenge against Ohio State on Feb. 11. Â MSU will then take on Michigan on the road (Feb. 18) and Purdue (Feb. 21). Finally, the Spartans will host Rutgers on
BOUNCING BACK
Michigan State has had a history of bouncing back after losses this season. After the Spartans previous five losses, MSU has rebounded with a vengeance. Four of the five wins after losses have been by 18 points or more.
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.
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. Â
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.Â
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.Â
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.Â
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 used a balanced attack with five players in double figures to defeat Rutgers, 82-64, at Jersey Mike's Arena on Tuesday night.
With the win, the Spartans have now won three-straight games to improve to 16-5 overall and 6-4 in Big Ten action. Rutgers falls to 6-17 overall and 0-10 in league play. MSU has now won three-straight against the Scarlet Knights.
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.
Hagemann's seven total assists on the night gives her 384 for her career, closing in on becoming the eighth Spartan women's basketball player with 400 career assists and closing in on the No. 8 spot held by Brittney Thomas (2007-11) with 401 helpers.
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/ Women's BasketballRobyn Fralick Postgame Press Conference | Oakland
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