Michigan State University Athletics
11/4/2026 12:13:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Michigan State Head Coach Robyn Fralick
Opening Statement...Â
First of all, thank you so much for being here tonight. We really appreciate your support and coverage, and we are grateful for that throughout the season. Great way to open the season, the second quarter I was really proud of our group for holding Valpo scoreless, and yet the second half we got a little careless defensively and fouled. A lot of lessons learned in our ability to sustain for 40 minutes. We have a sign in our locker room that says be an every possession player, be an every possession team. I thought in the second half we got a little bit away from that. I love the balance, a really balanced scoring night, a really unselfish group. I am eager because there are things that we are doing well, and there are so many things that we are going to be able to clean up, and we got it growing.
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Thoughts on intensity especially on defensive to cause turnovers...Â
The one thing we felt, like, from our last exhibition game was the intensity required through a possession. We would guard the first part of a play and lose focus as the play went on. I felt like especially tonight that was very different. I thought we sustained focus, connection, ability to finish possessions defensively. I always tell them, it is not about stealing the ball, it is about moving as a unit and over time as a unit if we are disruptive, those things happen, but that is not the goal. That is just the byproduct.
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Was the dominance in the paint planed or is it something the players saw and took advantage of...
 I think that just happened throughout the game, we got a number of those off turnovers in transition. Get the ball to opposite sides, attack the seam, I mean that's always the goal right. I mean if you can dominant the paint that is a really great math formula for winning basketball games. So that is always the goal. I thought we did it in a number of different ways tonight, but I am proud of the way we did that.
Thoughts on Lilly Williams's performance...Â
I think we were cognizant of her minutes. She just got back to practice, so we want to make sure we're smart with that, but she's also got to get game experience. I thought it was awesome that her first points as a Spartan were a pick-six. I told her she should've dunked it. She's just going to keep getting so much better. She's eager. She just hasn't had consistency, but her defensive presence makes a big difference at the rim. She rebounds the ball. I love the way she gets us extra shots. Her best basketball continues to be in front of her, but how cool is that for all that she has gone through this summer? To see her help us the way she did tonight was a great first step.
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On encouraging fans to come out to the games...Â
We say this a lot in our program. Right now, the fan section that could make the biggest leap and the biggest difference is students. We've had pretty consistent community support, family support, but we are all in on finding ways to grow our student support. There are so many students here. I don't think there are that many more things to do than coming to sit in the Breslin Boom, grab a hot dog, and join the fun. As a former student-athlete and as a coach, it's such a part of the experience when the students are a part of it. In my last few years at Bowling Green, our student section made us one of the hardest places in the country to play. It was incredible. You get to be a part of something. You get to help teams win. There are so many good teams on campus now. Our volleyball team is in the top 25; our men's and women's soccer teams are in the top 25. We're receiving votes. Our men's team is in the top 10. Our hockey team. Students, you guys are a part of one of the best athletic departments in the country. Come out and support us, and I promise you, if I can buy you some food or some hot dogs or something, I am on board with that. It will be worth your time to support Michigan State Athletics. Not just us, but across the board. This is a great place to be a student and get to support.
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On Anna Terrian's impact...Â
She had a great summer. She really improved her fitness. When you improve your fitness, you improve your capacity to compete. She is a great competitor. We saw that tonight in the game. We see that every day in practice. She is ferocious for the ball. She's physical. She's athletic. She's tough. She communicates. She's one of our highest-level communicators. It's been really fun to see her growth to where she is right now, from where she was a season ago.
Â
Opening Statement...Â
First of all, thank you so much for being here tonight. We really appreciate your support and coverage, and we are grateful for that throughout the season. Great way to open the season, the second quarter I was really proud of our group for holding Valpo scoreless, and yet the second half we got a little careless defensively and fouled. A lot of lessons learned in our ability to sustain for 40 minutes. We have a sign in our locker room that says be an every possession player, be an every possession team. I thought in the second half we got a little bit away from that. I love the balance, a really balanced scoring night, a really unselfish group. I am eager because there are things that we are doing well, and there are so many things that we are going to be able to clean up, and we got it growing.
Â
Thoughts on intensity especially on defensive to cause turnovers...Â
The one thing we felt, like, from our last exhibition game was the intensity required through a possession. We would guard the first part of a play and lose focus as the play went on. I felt like especially tonight that was very different. I thought we sustained focus, connection, ability to finish possessions defensively. I always tell them, it is not about stealing the ball, it is about moving as a unit and over time as a unit if we are disruptive, those things happen, but that is not the goal. That is just the byproduct.
Â
Was the dominance in the paint planed or is it something the players saw and took advantage of...
 I think that just happened throughout the game, we got a number of those off turnovers in transition. Get the ball to opposite sides, attack the seam, I mean that's always the goal right. I mean if you can dominant the paint that is a really great math formula for winning basketball games. So that is always the goal. I thought we did it in a number of different ways tonight, but I am proud of the way we did that.
Thoughts on Lilly Williams's performance...Â
I think we were cognizant of her minutes. She just got back to practice, so we want to make sure we're smart with that, but she's also got to get game experience. I thought it was awesome that her first points as a Spartan were a pick-six. I told her she should've dunked it. She's just going to keep getting so much better. She's eager. She just hasn't had consistency, but her defensive presence makes a big difference at the rim. She rebounds the ball. I love the way she gets us extra shots. Her best basketball continues to be in front of her, but how cool is that for all that she has gone through this summer? To see her help us the way she did tonight was a great first step.
Â
On encouraging fans to come out to the games...Â
We say this a lot in our program. Right now, the fan section that could make the biggest leap and the biggest difference is students. We've had pretty consistent community support, family support, but we are all in on finding ways to grow our student support. There are so many students here. I don't think there are that many more things to do than coming to sit in the Breslin Boom, grab a hot dog, and join the fun. As a former student-athlete and as a coach, it's such a part of the experience when the students are a part of it. In my last few years at Bowling Green, our student section made us one of the hardest places in the country to play. It was incredible. You get to be a part of something. You get to help teams win. There are so many good teams on campus now. Our volleyball team is in the top 25; our men's and women's soccer teams are in the top 25. We're receiving votes. Our men's team is in the top 10. Our hockey team. Students, you guys are a part of one of the best athletic departments in the country. Come out and support us, and I promise you, if I can buy you some food or some hot dogs or something, I am on board with that. It will be worth your time to support Michigan State Athletics. Not just us, but across the board. This is a great place to be a student and get to support.
Â
On Anna Terrian's impact...Â
She had a great summer. She really improved her fitness. When you improve your fitness, you improve your capacity to compete. She is a great competitor. We saw that tonight in the game. We see that every day in practice. She is ferocious for the ball. She's physical. She's athletic. She's tough. She communicates. She's one of our highest-level communicators. It's been really fun to see her growth to where she is right now, from where she was a season ago.
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Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's BasketballTuesday, November 03
Wednesday, October 28
Tuesday, September 22
Sunday, March 15