No. 15 Michigan State Hosts No. 24 Nebraska Thursday

EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 15/14 Michigan State women's basketball returns home to take on No. 24/RV Nebraska on Thursday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. at the Breslin Center. Tipoff time is set for 7 p.m. ET. Ed Cohen and Christy Winters Scott will be on the call for BTN.

• The Spartans have now won eight-straight games, improving to 16-1 overall and 5-1 in Big Ten play after an 85-81 win at Oregon on Jan. 11. Rashunda Jones scored a season-high 23 points in the comeback victory.

• Nebraska comes to East Lansing with a 14-3 overall record and an even 3-3 mark in Big Ten contests. Last time out, the Huskers fell to No. 3 UCLA, 83-61, snapping a two game-winning streak.

• The Spartans' 16-1 record matches their best record through 17 games since 2010-11 when also going 16-1, before losing in game 18. Michigan State's 5-1 Big Ten record is its best B1G start through six league games also since 2010-11.

• MSU's 85 points against Oregon marked the Spartans' fourth-straight game netting 80 or more points, scoring incrementally increasing with 80 points at Indiana (1/1/26), 81 vs. Illinois (1/4/26) and 82 on Thursday night at Washington, before the 85 points Sunday at Oregon. MSU is now 13-0 when lighting up the scoreboard for 80+ points.

SCOUTING NEBRASKA
No. 24 Nebraska holds an overall record of 14-3 and 3-3 in Big Ten play. The Cornhuskers started the season winning 12-straight games. Nebraska had won two-straight games before losing to No. 3 UCLA at home on Jan. 11, 83-61.

Britt Prince leads the team and is eighth in the Big Ten in scoring this season, averaging 18.3 ppg. She is fourth in the league in field goal percentage (.577). Jessica Petrie is second in scoring with 12.2 ppg.

The Huskers are scoring 84.4 ppg, while only allowing 62.6 ppg. They are shooting 50.1 percent from the field. Nebraska is also averaging 19.0 apg.

Nebraska head coach Amy Williams is a 1998 graduate of Nebraska. She is in her 10th season at the helm of the Huskers with record of 172-126. She also had stops at Rogers State and South Dakota before taking over at Nebraska.

SERIES HISTORY VS. THE HUSKERS
Nebraska holds the overall series lead with Michigan State, 13-6. The Huskers have won three-straight in the series, including an 85-80 loss in include last season in Lincoln. Last year, the Spartans trailed by as many as 17 points in the second half and were not able to overcome the deficit. Michigan State was led by 21 points from Julia Ayrault, which was her third 20-point game of the season. Theryn Hallock scored 18 points, while Grace VanSlooten added 12 points. Jaddan Simmons led Michigan State with three steals and five assists.

In East Lansing, MSU holds the slight advantage, 5-4. In Lincoln, it is all Nebraska with the Huskers leading, 7-0. On neutral ground, Nebraska has the slight advantage, 2-1. The last time the Spartans defeated the Huskers in East Lansing was on Dec. 30, 2021, when MSU came out on top 72-69.

FRALICK REACHES A MILESTONE
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick reached a career milestone against Illinois on Jan. 4. With the win, she earned her 250th career win mark, holding a 252-96 record in 12 seasons as a head coach. She has won 60 games at MSU.

DID YOU KNOW?
Michigan State's No. 14 ranking in the Coaches' Poll is its highest since Feb. 1, 2016. The Spartans have held strong at No. 15 in the AP for two weeks, last reaching that mark on Dec. 17, 2024.

DID YOU ALSO KNOW?
Michigan State is one of 11 teams to have both its women's and men's teams ranked in the AP top 25. In the Big Ten, the Spartans join Michigan, Nebraska and Illinois. UConn, Texas Tech, Iowa State, Alabama, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Louisville also have both teams ranked.

THE STREAK CONTINUES
Michigan State won its eighth game in a row with the win over Oregon to move to 16-1 overall and 5-1 in Big Ten action. The Spartans' 16-1 record matches their best record through 17 games since 2010-11 when also going 16-1, before losing in game 18.

GREAT EIGHT
Winning eight-straight games, the Spartans hold the second-longest winning streak in the Big Ten behind UCLA, which has won nine in a row. During the winning streak, Michigan State is scoring 83.6 ppg, while allowing only 63.5 ppg. Rashunda Jones leads the team with scoring in the last seven games with 14.6 ppg, while Grace VanSlooten is right behind her with 14.5 ppg. Jones has scored 117 points during the streak. Kennedy Blair is averaging 5.1 assists and 7.6 rebounds per game. MSU is shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from beyond the arc during the streak.

BY THE NUMBERS vs. OREGON
MSU swept its two-game tour of the Pacific Northwest after the 82-67 win at No. 23/23 Washington on Thursday . . . Michigan State is the first Big Ten team to go 2-0 in the two-game swing at Washington and Oregon this season, after Michigan and Northwestern split.
A total of five Spartans netted double-figures, including four of the five starters along with one player off the bench, led by starting junior guard Rashunda Jones with a game-high 23 points, followed by senior forward Grace VanSlooten's double-double with 16 points and a game-best 10 rebounds. Redshirt-sophomore guard Kennedy Blair added 11 points, while the senior guards duo of Jalyn Brown and Emma Shumate tallied 10 points apiece. MSU is now 4-0 when five or more Spartans post double-digits in the scoring column.
RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME
Sophomore forward Juliann Woodard netted three 3-pointers on Sunday against Oregon, all coming at pivotal moments in the game. The three triples was Woodard's most in a Big Ten game this season and her second-most in a game this season behind her career-high five triples vs. Eastern Illinois (11/20/25). It was Woodard's third-straight game with at least one trey as part of her 10th game with at least one 3-pointer along with her third game with multiple triples in a game.

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 4-0 after defeating Oregon on Jan. 11. Overall MSU has had five different starting lineups. VanSlooten, Blair and Jones are the only three Spartans to start all 17 games.

KEEPING UP WITH JONES
During the Spartans' eight-game winning streak, junior guard Rashunda Jones has been superb, reaching double figures in all eight games. She has averaged 14.6 ppg during that stretch. She has shot 54.9 percent from the field, 47.1 percent from beyond the arc and 88.6 percent from the charity stripe. She scored a season-high 23 points in the road win against Oregon on Jan. 11. She has been getting involved in all facets of the game with 4.8 rebounds per game and 2.9 assists per game. 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 this season 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 sixth in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.65). The Spartans are sixth in the NCAA and first in the Big Ten in turnover margin (+10.3). Michigan State is ninth in scoring margin and third in the Big Ten (+30.3). MSU is seventh in the country in field goal percentage, 50.2 percent and fifth in 3-point shooting percentage (38.7 percent). Redshirt-sophomore guard Kennedy Blair is 22nd in the NCAA in assists per game (5.8 apg). Emma Shumate is 14th 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 552-293. The Spartans are 13-1 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 Oregon on Jan. 11, Michigan State is now 8-1 on Sunday, their most-played day of the week. MSU is also 6-1 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.

DOUBLE THE TROUBLE WITH GVS
Against Oregon on Jan. 11, senior forward Grace VanSlooten logged her second double-double in the last four games as part of her fourth of the season and 11th of her Spartan career. It is the 21st double-double of VanSlooten's collegiate career after 10 during her time at Oregon. VanSlooten's 16 points and 10 rebounds gives her 66 points and 41 rebounds in the last four games since being held to eight points and four rebounds vs. Rutgers (12/28/25), averaging 16.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game over the last four contests. The 16 points was VanSlooten's 15th double-figure outing in the last 17 games this season. VanSlooten now had posted double-digits in the scoring column in 34 of her last 37 games. Overall, VanSlooten has posted double-figures in the scoring column in 44 of her 48 total games as a Spartan, being held to single digits twice last season and missing one game due to illness.

LOOKING AT THE NET
In the current women's basketball NET ranking, the Spartans stand No. 7. 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 seven teams in the top 15 in the rankings. In the AP poll, UCLA is No. 4, while Michigan is No. 8. Iowa moved up to No. 11 followed by Maryland (No. 12), Ohio State (No. 14) and Michigan State No. 15. Nebraska stands No.24, while Illinois is No. 25. Minnesota, Washington, USC and Oregon are all receiving votes.
BIG TIME BIG TEN NUMBERS
The Spartans are second in the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging 88.9 ppg and third in scoring margin (+30.3). Michigan State is also first in 3-point field goal field percentage (.387). The Spartans stand third in assists per game, averaging 19.4 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 2.6 spg, while senior forward Grace VanSlooten is tied for 11th (1.9 spg). Kennedy Blair is also fourth in assists with 5.71 apg. Jones is fifth in the B1G in assist/turnover ratio (2.44).

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. 20
Tuesday, Jan. 27
Tuesday, Feb. 3
Tuesday Feb. 10
Tuesday, Feb. 17
Tuesday, Feb. 24

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Isaline Alexander

Julia Ayrault

Kennedy Blair

Jalyn Brown

Marah Dykstra

Theryn Hallock

Rashunda Jones

Abbey Kimball

Emma Shumate

Jaddan Simmons

Grace VanSlooten

Juliann Woodard