No. 15 Michigan State Closes Out Road Trip at Oregon Sunday

EUGENE, Ore. - No. 15/15 Michigan State women's basketball concludes its Pacific Northwest road trip at (RV) Oregon on Sunday, Jan. 11 at Matthew Knight Arena. Tipoff time is set for 5 p.m. ET. Brody Napier and Olivia Arciniega will be on the call for B1G+.

• The Spartans have now won seven-straight games to improve to 15-1 overall and 4-1 in Big Ten play after an 82-67 win over No. 23 Washington on Jan. 8. Kennedy Blair led the way with 21 points for her third 20-point game of the season.

• Oregon has won two-straight games after a double overtime loss to Michigan at home on Dec. 29. The Ducks are 14-3 overall this season and 2-2 in Big Ten action. During its winning streak, Oregon has wins against Northwestern and USC.

• Junior guard Rashunda Jones registered the first double-double of not only her Spartan career, but her collegiate career as well, with 17 points and a game-high and career-best 10 rebounds, as Jones is in her first season at MSU after transferring from Purdue.

• Against Washington, three Spartans scored in double-figures, led by Kennedy Blair with 21 points, followed by 17 points apiece from Rashunda Jones and Grace VanSlooten. The Spartans are now 7-0 with a trio of double-digit scorers.

SCOUTING OREGON
Oregon holds a 14-3 overall record and stand 2-2 in Big Ten action. The Ducks have won two-straight games with wins over No. 21 USC on the road and Northwestern at home. The Ducks last loss came at home in double overtime to No. 6 Michigan, 92-87. Oregon is receiving votes in the coaches poll.

Katie Fiso leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.2 ppg, which is 15th in the Big Ten. Ehis Etute is first on the team and eighth in the league in rebounding with 7.6 rpg. Fiso also stands second in the Big Ten in assists with 7.1 apg.

The Ducks are 9-1 at home this season, including 1-1 in league games. Oregon is ninth in the conference in scoring offense, averaging 78.2 ppg.

Oregon head coach Kelly Graves is in his 12th season at the helm of the Ducks with an overall record of 257-126. Prior to Oregon, Graves spent 14 seasons at Gonzaga and three years a Saint Marys (Calif.). His overall record is 639-288.

SERIES HISTORY VS. THE DUCKS
Oregon holds the series lead all-time against Michigan State, 4-1. The teams have only met once at Matthew Knight Arena with Oregon coming out on top 88-55 on Nov. 22, 2016. The Spartans only win came in East Lansing on Dec. 9 2018. MSU took down No. 3 Oregon, 88-62. The two teams also met in Portland in 2022 at the PK85 with the Ducks winning 86-78. Last season in East Lansing, No. 18 MSU fell to Oregon, 63-59 for its first home loss of the season. Former Duck Grace VanSlooten scored 14 points in the loss. She played 63 games in her first two seasons at Oregon from 2022-24.

FRALICK REACHES A MILESTONE
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick reached a career milestone against Illinois. With the win, she earned her 250th career win mark, holding a 251-96 record in 11 seasons as a head coach. She has won 59 games at MSU.

DID YOU KNOW?
No. 15/15 Michigan State won its seventh-straight game and improved to 15-1 overall and 4-1 in B1G play. The Spartans' 15-1 record matches their best record through 16 games since 2010-11 when also going 15-1, on the way to opening 16-1 before losing in game 18.
LUCKY SEVEN
Winning seven-straight games, the Spartans hold the second-longest winning streak in the Big Ten behind UCLA, which has won eight in a row. During the winning streak, Michigan State is scoring 83.4 ppg, while allowing only 61.0 ppg. Grace VanSlooten leads the team with scoring in the last seven games with 14.3 ppg. VanSlooten has scored 100 points during the streak. Kennedy Blair is second in scoring with 14.1 ppg. MSU is shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from beyond the arc.

BY THE NUMBERS vs. WASHINGTON
Senior forward Grace VanSlooten was playing Washington for the sixth time in her career, facing the Huskies four times while at Oregon and now twice with Michigan State, and with 17 points Thursday, VanSlooten has now scored 76 points in the six games to average 12.7 points per game against Washington, including double-figures in four of the six contests vs. the Huskies.
Michigan State played away from home for the eighth time in its last 10 games, as MSU's game last time out on Jan. 4 vs. Illinois and Dec. 28 vs. Rutgers were the lone games not on the road during that span. The Spartans are now 8-0 at home, 4-0 in neutral games and 3-1 in road games.

SHOOT-MATE STRIKES AGAIN
Against No. 23 Washington, senior guard Emma Shumate netted 2-of-4 behind the arc, as the sharp-shooter has made multiple triples in each of the last four games as part of 12 of the 16 games on the season. Shumate is averaging 2.25 3-pointers per game over the last four contests and 2.67 treys per game over the last six games, boosted by her career-best seven 3-pointers vs. Indiana State in the opening game of the Cherokee Invitational in Cherokee, North Carolina. Overall, Shumate's two 3-pointers give her a team-leading 36 triples on the season out of 39 total field goals.

BLAIR'S BIG NIGHT
Redshirt-sophomore guard Kennedy Blair's 21 points against No. 23 Washington was her third 20-point outing of the season and her career, joining her career-high of 25 points vs. Oakland (11/23/25) and 22 vs. Clemson (11/30/25). The 21 points was a new high in a Big Ten contest this season, bettering her previous best of 19 points last time out vs. Illinois (1/4/26).

Blair netted double-digits for the fourth game in a row as part of the 11th game this season and the 14th time of her career.

GETTING IN THE STARTING LINEUP
After using the same starting lineup for seven games, Michigan State used a different starting lineup against Clemson on Nov. 30. After an injury to Theryn Hallock, MSU went with the lineup for senior forward Grace VanSlooten, senior forward Marah Dykstra, senior guard Emma Shumate, junior guard Rashunda Jones and redshirt-sophomore guard Kennedy Blair. MSU is 2-1 with that lineup. MSU rolled out its third lineup against Indiana State with Blair, Jones, Van Slooten, Inés Sotelo and Sara Sambolić, which is now 1-0. The Spartans changed it up for a fourth time against No. 15 Ole Miss and Rutgers with VanSlooten, Jones, Blair, Sotelo and Isaline Alexander making the starting five.

Yet another lineup was debuted against Indiana in Blair, Jones VanSlooten, Sotelo and Jalyn Brown with that group improving to 3-0 after defeating Washington on Jan. 8. Overall MSU has had five different starting lineups. VanSlooten, Blair and Jones are the only three Spartans to start all 16 games.

KEEPING UP WITH JONES
During the Spartans seven-game winning streak, junior guard Rashunda Jones has been superb, reaching double figures in all seven games. She has averaged 13.4 ppg during that stretch. She has shot 50.8 percent from the field, 46.2 percent from beyond the arc and 90.3 percent from the charity stripe. She has been getting involved in all facets of the game with 4.6 rebounds per game and 3.0 assists per game. Jones also has 11 steals in that seven-game span. She registered her first Spartan double-double at No. 23 Washington with 17 points and 10 boards on Jan. 8.

TAKING DOWN THE BEST
No. 24/23 Michigan State knocked off No. 15/15 Ole Miss for the Spartans' highest ranked win under head coach Robyn Fralick. It is the Spartans' third overall win over an AP Top 25 team in their three seasons under Coach Fralick, with all three coming in last two years after beating No. 21 Iowa (68-66, 12/15/24) and No. 24 Michigan (88-58, 1/25/25). Michigan State improved to 2-0 against ranked teams after an 82-67 road victory over No. 23 Washington on Jan. 8.

SPARTANS VS. THE NCAA
After the first 16 games, Michigan State stands fifth in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.75). The Spartans are fourth in the NCAA and first in the Big Ten in turnover margin (+10.9). Michigan State is eighth in scoring margin and second in the Big Ten (+31.9). MSU is sixth in the country shooting 38.9 percent from long range. Redshirt-sophomore guard Kennedy Blair is 18th in the NCAA in assists per game (5.8 apg). Emma Shumate is 10th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.468).

STRONG BENCH
The Spartans' 59 points scored by their bench was more than Eastern Illinois' entire team scoring of 53 points on Nov. 20. Against DePaul on Dec. 14, the Spartan bench scored 44 of 90 points. MSU kept that trend up against Indiana State with 64 bench points. This season, the MSU bench has out-scored opponents 533-279. The Spartans are 12-1 this season when their bench out-scored their opponent.

HOME SWEET HOME
MSU played its sixth-straight game away from home on Dec. 22 against No. 15 Ole Miss as the Spartans are now 8-0 at home, 4-0 in neutral games and 2-1 in road games. When Michigan State faced Rutgers on Dec. 28, it had been 35 days since its last game at the Breslin Center against Oakland on Nov. 23. In January, the Spartans will play five of their eight games away from the Breslin Center.

SUNDAY FUNDAY
With the Spartans' win against Illinois on Jan. 4, Michigan State is now 7-1 on Sunday, their most-played day of the week. MSU is also 5-1 in day games.

BRINGING HOME THE HARDWARE
By winning the 2025 Cherokee Invitational crown, Michigan State not only defended its 2023 Cherokee Invitational championship, but also collected its second tournament title of the season after winning the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship of the Junkanoo Division in the Bahamas on Nov. 30. It is also MSU's fourth tournament title in the last three seasons after winning the 2023 Cherokee Invitational and the 2024 Acrisure Classic crown last season in Palm Springs, Calif.

VANSLOOTEN GETS BACK ON TRACK
Against Indiana on Jan. 1, senior forward Grace VanSlooten got back on track in scoring in double-figures after being held to single-digits with eight points last time out, for just the second time this season in single-digit scoring. VanSlooten has tallied 10+ points in 14 of the 16 games this season and in 33 of her last 35 games. Overall, Van Slooten has posted double-figures in the scoring column in 43 of her 47 total games as a Spartan, being held to single digits twice last season and missing one game due to illness.

Additionally, VanSlooten has now tallied double-figures scoring 93 times out of 109 career games, registering 10+ points in 57 games during her time at Oregon.

LOOKING AT THE NET
In the current women's basketball NET ranking, the Spartans stand No. 8. They are third among Big Ten schools behind No. 2 UCLA and No. 6 Michigan. UConn stands No. 1.

RANKED TEAMS IN BIG TEN
This Big Ten continues to be one of the toughest conferences in the country with three teams in the top 10 in the rankings. In the AP poll, UCLA is No. 4, while Maryland and Michigan stand No. 8 and No. 9, respectively. Iowa continues to hold the No. 14 spot followed by No. 15 Michigan State. Ohio State (No. 19), USC (No. 21) Washington (No. 23) and Nebraska (No. 25) round out the group.

BIG TIME BIG TEN NUMBERS
The Spartans are second in the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging 88.7 ppg and second in scoring margin (+31.9). Michigan State is also first in 3-point field goal field percentage (.389). The Spartans stand third in assists per game, averaging 19.9 apg and third in steals per game with 12.4 spg.

Individually, Rashunda Jones is tied for second in the league in steals per game, averaging 2.4 spg, while senior forward Grace VanSlooten is tied for ninth (2.0 spg). Kennedy Blair is also fourth in assists with 5.81 apg. Jones is fourth in the B1G in assist/turnover ratio (2.78).

FINDING THE MAGIC NUMBER
Michigan State's 102 points against Oakland on Nov. 23 marked the Spartans' sixth time out of six games scoring 90+ points. MSU's 90 points against DePaul on Dec. 14 was the first time reaching 90 in the last four games, after the Spartans had scored 90 or more points in each of the first six games of the season. MSU is now 7-0 when scoring 90+ points.
The Spartans' 115 points in the win against Indiana State on Dec. 21 was MSU's second-most of the season, behind the season-high 125 points in the season-opener vs. Mercyhurst (11/4/25). It was Michigan State's fourth 100-point game, moving to 4-0.

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. 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 as well the Cheryl Miller Award Watch List.

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. Stanford on March 29, 2005 and most recently in a 68-66 win over Toledo on March 18, 2018. Against Illinois, MSU had only six turnovers, which was the fifth time this season that the Spartans had single-digit turnovers.

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.

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.

ROBYN FRALICK RADIO SHOW
Michigan State women's basketball head coach Robyn Fralick started her weekly radio call-in show, the Robyn Fralick Radio Show, on Nov. 18 at One North Kitchen and Bar. Coach Fralick joins host Dalton Shetler, the Spartans' play-by-play voice, from 12-1 p.m., for an in-depth look into the MSU women's basketball program.

Radio Show Dates
Tuesday, Jan. 13
Tuesday, Jan. 20
Tuesday, Jan. 27
Tuesday, Feb. 3
Tuesday Feb. 10
Tuesday, Feb. 17
Tuesday, Feb. 24

No. 15 Michigan State Closes Out Road Trip at Oregon Sunday

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Players Mentioned

Isaline Alexander

Kennedy Blair

Jalyn Brown

Marah Dykstra

Theryn Hallock

Rashunda Jones

Abbey Kimball

Emma Shumate

Jaddan Simmons

Grace VanSlooten

Juliann Woodard