Sunday, November 16
East Lansing, Mich.
2 PM
Michigan State University
vs
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Western Michigan
No. 24 MSU Women Hosts Western Michigan Sunday
11/15/2025 12:23:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Spartans are four games into a six-game homestand.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball continues its six-game homestand on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. against Western Michigan. The Spartans have started the season 3-0 after a 96-52 win over Youngstown State on Wednesday. Kyle Keegan and Jack Stager will be on the call for B1G+.
• Western Michigan earned its first win of the season under first-year head coach Kate Achter against Milwaukee on Nov. 13, 65-64. Achter is familiar with the Spartans, as she was the head coach at Detroit Mercy for three seasons. She is also a 2008 graduate of Bowling Green.
• The Spartans have scored 90+ points in their first three games for the second-straight year under head coach Robyn Fralick. MSU has now scored 90 or more 21 times under Coach Fralick, now with three in 2025-26 after six in 2024-25 and 12 in 2023-25.
• Michigan State is currently second in the NCAA and second in the Big Ten in assists per game, averaging 27.3 apg. MSU is also first in turnover margin in the nation and first in the B1G (+20.7).
• The Spartans swiped 17 steals Wednesday night against Youngstown State, as they now have 15+ steals in all three games.
SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGANÂ Â Â
Western Michigan comes to East Lansing with a 1-2 record. The Broncos started the season with a 65-45 loss at Appalachian State on Nov. 3. They followed that up with a 72-64 home loss to Duquesne on Nov. 9. WMU defeated Milwaukee in another road game, 65-64.
De'Anna Richardson is the only Bronco averaging in double figures with 12.7 ppg. Richardson also leads the team in rebounding, averaging 6.3 rpg. Western Michigan is averaging 58.0 points per game, while allowing 67.0.
Kate Achter is in her first season at the helm of Western Michigan. With the win against Milwaukee, the Broncos captured their first win of the season. Spartan fans will be familiar with Achter, as she spent three seasons at Detroit Mercy. She is also a 2008 graduate of Bowling Green
SERIES HISTORY VS. BRONCOS
Michigan State leads the all-time series against Western Michigan, 18-8. The Spartans have won 11-straight meetings, including the last game in East Lansing in 2024. Last season, Julia Ayrault and Grace VanSlooten both earned their first double-doubles of the season in a 79-42 win in Kalamazoo.
The last meeting in Kalamazoo went into overtime in 2016 with MSU coming out on top, 68-64.
The last Broncos win came in 1982 in Grand Rapids, 77-60. Overall, Michigan State is 8-3 against Western Michigan in East Lansing and 6-3 in Kalamazoo. On neutral ground, MSU leads 4-2.
BY THE Â NUMBERS vs. YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Michigan State used the same starting lineup for the third-straight game of senior forward Grace VanSlooten, senior forward Marah Dykstra, senior guard Threryn Hallock, junior guard Rashunda Jones and redshirt-sophomore guard Kennedy Blair. MSU is 3-0 with that lineup.
PUTTING UP BIG NUMBERS
The Spartans have scored 90+ points in their first three games for the second-straight year under head coach Robyn Fralick. MSU has now scored 90 or more 21 times under Coach Fralick, now with three in 2025-26 after six in 2024-25 and 12 in 2023-25. The Spartans improved to 20-1 under Coach Fralick when scoring 90+ points, with the lone loss coming in a 94-91 loss at No. 14/13 Indiana on Feb. 8, 2024.
ALEXANDER RETURNS TO THE COURTÂ Â Â
After missing all of the 2024-25 season and much of the 2023-24 season, senior forward Isaline Alexander returned to action on Nov. 4 against Mercyhurst. She scored eight points in her return to the Breslin Center.
BIG TIME BIG TEN NUMBERS
The Spartans are first in the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging 104.3 ppg. Michigan State is also first in scoring margin (+54.0). The Spartans are also first in turnover margin (+20.7).
Kennedy Blair is also third in assists with 7.0 apg, while Grace VanSlooten  and Jones are tied for first in steals with 3.7 spg.
SHOOT-MATE
Senior guard Emma Shumate has netted multiple 3-pointers in all three games this season as Wednesday's four triples tied her season-high from the Mercyhurst game along with two treys last game vs. Eastern Michigan.
Shumate's 14 points was her second double-figure outing of the season and fifth for her Spartan career.
WELCOME BACK
After tearing her ACL on Jan. 22, 2025 against Penn State, Juliann Woodard returned to the lineup against Eastern Michigan. Woodard entered the game at the 3:46 mark of the fourth quarter. At the 3:39 point, she drained her first shot, which was a 3-pointer. Her trey gave the Spartans a 32-point advantage.
ADDING UP THE ACCOLADES
Senior forward Grace VanSlooten was named to the 2025-26 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's College Player of the Year Watch List Presented by AXIA Time. Â She was one of 50 players named to the watch list that honors the best players in the nation.
VanSlooten is one of 13 Big Ten players named to the watch list, including her team USA teammate Hannah Stuelke from Iowa. VanSlooten was also named to the Preseason All-Big Ten team earlier this month as well the Cheryl Miller Award Watch List.Â
DOUBLE THE FUN
Redshirt-sophomore guard Kennedy Blair made the most of her first Spartan start against Mercyhurst on Nov. 4. She captured her first double-double with 14 points and 12 assists against Mercyhurst on Nov. 4.
SPARTANS VS. THE NCAA
After a pair of games, Michigan State stands second in the nation in assists per game, averaging 28.0 apg. The Spartans are also fifth in the nation and first in the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging 108.55 ppg. MSU has also been strong on the defensive end of the ball, standing second in the country in turnover margin (+24.5).
HOLDING ON TO THE BALL
The Spartans only had three turnovers on Nov. 4 against Mercyhurst, also setting a school record for fewest turnovers, bettering the previous record of five done three previous times, first done in a 56-55 win at Northwestern on Jan. 22, 1989, then again in a 76-69 win vs. Standford on March 29, 2005 and most recently in a 68-66 win over Toledo on March 18, 2018.
SEASON OPENERS
Michigan State has won its 12th-straight season-opener and three in a row under head coach Robyn Fralick. MSU's last season-opening loss was on Nov. 11, 2013 at #6/7 Notre Dame. The Spartans have won 16-consecutive home openers, as their last loss in the first home game of the season was on Nov. 19, 2009 vs. #5/6 Notre Dame.
VANSLOOTEN EARNS PRESEASON HONOR
Michigan State women's basketball senior forward Grace VanSlooten was named 2025-26 Preseason All-Big Ten by both the coaches and media. In her first season with the Spartans, VanSlooten earned second-team All-Big Ten honors. She was first on the team in scoring, averaging 15.5 points per game. She scored a career-high 480 points her junior season. Â She was tied for 15th in the Big Ten in rebounding, averaging 7.3 rebounds per game. In a win against, Vanderbilt at the Acrisure Classic on Nov. 27, she scored her 1,000th career point.
BRINGING HOME THE GOLD
Three players earned gold medals for their home countries this summer. Grace VanSlooten  won the FIBA Women's Americup for Team USA. Marah Dykstra won gold for Canada in the FIBA 3x3 Junior Pan American Games. Inés Sotelo and Spain won a gold medal in the 2025 FIBA Eurobasket.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick has announced senior forward Grace VanSlooten and senior guard Abbey Kimball as team captains, as voted on by the players on the 2025-26 women's basketball team. This is the first time that either has been named a captain for Michigan State. VanSlooten is in her second season with MSU after transferring from Oregon. Kimball is in her fourth season as a Spartan.
REACHING THE CENTURY MARK
After scoring 107 points in last year's season-opener vs. Oakland in a 107-42 Victory for MSU on Nov. 5, 2024, the Spartans have scored 100+ points in back-to-back season-openers for the first time in school history after scoring 125 against Mercyhurst on Nov. 4. Â The closest MSU had been to reaching the century back in consecutive lid-lifters to a season was in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 season-openers when the Spartans scored 100 in a 100-58 win over Robert Morris in on Nov. 11, 2017, and then 99 the next year in a 99-69 win over Bowling Green on Nov. 6, 2018.
LAST TIME OUT
On Breslin Boom Night, the No. 24 Michigan State women's basketball team brought the boom with 12 3-pointers, en route to 96-52 win over Youngstown State on Wednesday night at the Breslin Center.
For the third-straight game, the Spartans had at least four players reach double figures led by a game-high 17 points and six rebounds from senior forward Grace VanSlooten. Off the bench, senior guard Emma Shumate tied her season high with 14 points, going 4-for-5 from long range. Senior guards Theryn Hallock and Jalyn Brown both added 11 points. Despite early foul trouble, redshirt-sophomore guard Kennedy Blair ended with eight points, five assists and a career-high four steals.
NEW DIGS
The Spartans welcome four transfers to the 2025-26 season. Rashunda Jones is a junior guard, who comes to Michigan State after two years at Purdue. Marah Dykstra is a senior forward who spent three season at Montana State in the Big Sky Conference. Jalyn Brown is the second-straight player to come to MSU from Arizona State. The guard played two seasons at ASU. Last season, senior Jaddan Simmons spent one season with MSU. Finally, Sara Sambolić is a junior guard from Slovenia who transferred from the University of Ljubljana.
Â
• Western Michigan earned its first win of the season under first-year head coach Kate Achter against Milwaukee on Nov. 13, 65-64. Achter is familiar with the Spartans, as she was the head coach at Detroit Mercy for three seasons. She is also a 2008 graduate of Bowling Green.
• The Spartans have scored 90+ points in their first three games for the second-straight year under head coach Robyn Fralick. MSU has now scored 90 or more 21 times under Coach Fralick, now with three in 2025-26 after six in 2024-25 and 12 in 2023-25.
• Michigan State is currently second in the NCAA and second in the Big Ten in assists per game, averaging 27.3 apg. MSU is also first in turnover margin in the nation and first in the B1G (+20.7).
• The Spartans swiped 17 steals Wednesday night against Youngstown State, as they now have 15+ steals in all three games.
SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGANÂ Â Â
Western Michigan comes to East Lansing with a 1-2 record. The Broncos started the season with a 65-45 loss at Appalachian State on Nov. 3. They followed that up with a 72-64 home loss to Duquesne on Nov. 9. WMU defeated Milwaukee in another road game, 65-64.
De'Anna Richardson is the only Bronco averaging in double figures with 12.7 ppg. Richardson also leads the team in rebounding, averaging 6.3 rpg. Western Michigan is averaging 58.0 points per game, while allowing 67.0.
Kate Achter is in her first season at the helm of Western Michigan. With the win against Milwaukee, the Broncos captured their first win of the season. Spartan fans will be familiar with Achter, as she spent three seasons at Detroit Mercy. She is also a 2008 graduate of Bowling Green
SERIES HISTORY VS. BRONCOS
Michigan State leads the all-time series against Western Michigan, 18-8. The Spartans have won 11-straight meetings, including the last game in East Lansing in 2024. Last season, Julia Ayrault and Grace VanSlooten both earned their first double-doubles of the season in a 79-42 win in Kalamazoo.
The last meeting in Kalamazoo went into overtime in 2016 with MSU coming out on top, 68-64.
The last Broncos win came in 1982 in Grand Rapids, 77-60. Overall, Michigan State is 8-3 against Western Michigan in East Lansing and 6-3 in Kalamazoo. On neutral ground, MSU leads 4-2.
BY THE Â NUMBERS vs. YOUNGSTOWN STATE
- Â Â Â There were three palindromic scores in Wednesday's game, 52-25 at the 7:24 mark in the third quarter on a free throw by senior forward Grace VanSlooten, 63-36 at 2:36 of the third quarter on a 3-point play by redshirt-sophomore Kennedy Blair, and 84-48 at 4:17 of the fourth quarter on a 3-pointer by senior guard Abbey Kimball.Â
- Â Â Â MSU pulled down 36 rebounds Wednesday night, as the Spartans have snared 30+ rebounds in all three games this season. Three MSU players grabbed five or more boards, led by VanSlooten's game-high tying six boards followed by five each by Marah Dykstra and Kennedy Blair.
Michigan State used the same starting lineup for the third-straight game of senior forward Grace VanSlooten, senior forward Marah Dykstra, senior guard Threryn Hallock, junior guard Rashunda Jones and redshirt-sophomore guard Kennedy Blair. MSU is 3-0 with that lineup.
PUTTING UP BIG NUMBERS
The Spartans have scored 90+ points in their first three games for the second-straight year under head coach Robyn Fralick. MSU has now scored 90 or more 21 times under Coach Fralick, now with three in 2025-26 after six in 2024-25 and 12 in 2023-25. The Spartans improved to 20-1 under Coach Fralick when scoring 90+ points, with the lone loss coming in a 94-91 loss at No. 14/13 Indiana on Feb. 8, 2024.
ALEXANDER RETURNS TO THE COURTÂ Â Â
After missing all of the 2024-25 season and much of the 2023-24 season, senior forward Isaline Alexander returned to action on Nov. 4 against Mercyhurst. She scored eight points in her return to the Breslin Center.
BIG TIME BIG TEN NUMBERS
The Spartans are first in the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging 104.3 ppg. Michigan State is also first in scoring margin (+54.0). The Spartans are also first in turnover margin (+20.7).
Kennedy Blair is also third in assists with 7.0 apg, while Grace VanSlooten  and Jones are tied for first in steals with 3.7 spg.
SHOOT-MATE
Senior guard Emma Shumate has netted multiple 3-pointers in all three games this season as Wednesday's four triples tied her season-high from the Mercyhurst game along with two treys last game vs. Eastern Michigan.
Shumate's 14 points was her second double-figure outing of the season and fifth for her Spartan career.
WELCOME BACK
After tearing her ACL on Jan. 22, 2025 against Penn State, Juliann Woodard returned to the lineup against Eastern Michigan. Woodard entered the game at the 3:46 mark of the fourth quarter. At the 3:39 point, she drained her first shot, which was a 3-pointer. Her trey gave the Spartans a 32-point advantage.
ADDING UP THE ACCOLADES
Senior forward Grace VanSlooten was named to the 2025-26 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's College Player of the Year Watch List Presented by AXIA Time. Â She was one of 50 players named to the watch list that honors the best players in the nation.
VanSlooten is one of 13 Big Ten players named to the watch list, including her team USA teammate Hannah Stuelke from Iowa. VanSlooten was also named to the Preseason All-Big Ten team earlier this month as well the Cheryl Miller Award Watch List.Â
DOUBLE THE FUN
Redshirt-sophomore guard Kennedy Blair made the most of her first Spartan start against Mercyhurst on Nov. 4. She captured her first double-double with 14 points and 12 assists against Mercyhurst on Nov. 4.
SPARTANS VS. THE NCAA
After a pair of games, Michigan State stands second in the nation in assists per game, averaging 28.0 apg. The Spartans are also fifth in the nation and first in the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging 108.55 ppg. MSU has also been strong on the defensive end of the ball, standing second in the country in turnover margin (+24.5).
HOLDING ON TO THE BALL
The Spartans only had three turnovers on Nov. 4 against Mercyhurst, also setting a school record for fewest turnovers, bettering the previous record of five done three previous times, first done in a 56-55 win at Northwestern on Jan. 22, 1989, then again in a 76-69 win vs. Standford on March 29, 2005 and most recently in a 68-66 win over Toledo on March 18, 2018.
SEASON OPENERS
Michigan State has won its 12th-straight season-opener and three in a row under head coach Robyn Fralick. MSU's last season-opening loss was on Nov. 11, 2013 at #6/7 Notre Dame. The Spartans have won 16-consecutive home openers, as their last loss in the first home game of the season was on Nov. 19, 2009 vs. #5/6 Notre Dame.
VANSLOOTEN EARNS PRESEASON HONOR
Michigan State women's basketball senior forward Grace VanSlooten was named 2025-26 Preseason All-Big Ten by both the coaches and media. In her first season with the Spartans, VanSlooten earned second-team All-Big Ten honors. She was first on the team in scoring, averaging 15.5 points per game. She scored a career-high 480 points her junior season. Â She was tied for 15th in the Big Ten in rebounding, averaging 7.3 rebounds per game. In a win against, Vanderbilt at the Acrisure Classic on Nov. 27, she scored her 1,000th career point.
BRINGING HOME THE GOLD
Three players earned gold medals for their home countries this summer. Grace VanSlooten  won the FIBA Women's Americup for Team USA. Marah Dykstra won gold for Canada in the FIBA 3x3 Junior Pan American Games. Inés Sotelo and Spain won a gold medal in the 2025 FIBA Eurobasket.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick has announced senior forward Grace VanSlooten and senior guard Abbey Kimball as team captains, as voted on by the players on the 2025-26 women's basketball team. This is the first time that either has been named a captain for Michigan State. VanSlooten is in her second season with MSU after transferring from Oregon. Kimball is in her fourth season as a Spartan.
REACHING THE CENTURY MARK
After scoring 107 points in last year's season-opener vs. Oakland in a 107-42 Victory for MSU on Nov. 5, 2024, the Spartans have scored 100+ points in back-to-back season-openers for the first time in school history after scoring 125 against Mercyhurst on Nov. 4. Â The closest MSU had been to reaching the century back in consecutive lid-lifters to a season was in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 season-openers when the Spartans scored 100 in a 100-58 win over Robert Morris in on Nov. 11, 2017, and then 99 the next year in a 99-69 win over Bowling Green on Nov. 6, 2018.
LAST TIME OUT
On Breslin Boom Night, the No. 24 Michigan State women's basketball team brought the boom with 12 3-pointers, en route to 96-52 win over Youngstown State on Wednesday night at the Breslin Center.
For the third-straight game, the Spartans had at least four players reach double figures led by a game-high 17 points and six rebounds from senior forward Grace VanSlooten. Off the bench, senior guard Emma Shumate tied her season high with 14 points, going 4-for-5 from long range. Senior guards Theryn Hallock and Jalyn Brown both added 11 points. Despite early foul trouble, redshirt-sophomore guard Kennedy Blair ended with eight points, five assists and a career-high four steals.
NEW DIGS
The Spartans welcome four transfers to the 2025-26 season. Rashunda Jones is a junior guard, who comes to Michigan State after two years at Purdue. Marah Dykstra is a senior forward who spent three season at Montana State in the Big Sky Conference. Jalyn Brown is the second-straight player to come to MSU from Arizona State. The guard played two seasons at ASU. Last season, senior Jaddan Simmons spent one season with MSU. Finally, Sara Sambolić is a junior guard from Slovenia who transferred from the University of Ljubljana.
Â
.png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ 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 Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballRobyn Fralick Post Game Comments | Nebraska | Jan. 15, 2026
Thursday, January 15
Robyn Fralick Post Game Comments | Illinois | Jan. 4 2026
Sunday, January 04
Robyn Fralick Postgame Comments | Indiana
Friday, January 02
Robyn Fralick | Women's Basketball Press Conference | Dec. 28 2025
Sunday, December 28