EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball returns to the road to take on Rutgers on Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. at Jersey Mike's Arena. The Spartans will close out January with their fourth road game of the month. Dom Savino and Dominique Patrick will be on the call for Big Ten Plus.
• The Spartans improved to 15-5 overall and 5-4 in B1G play with an 82-61 victory over Michigan on Jan. 27. Michigan State has won two-straight games with home wins last week against Purdue and U-M. Rutgers is 9-16 overall and 0-9 in B1G play. Overall, the Scarlet Knights have lost 11-straight games.
• 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.
• With a win against Michigan, MSU has now won its fifth-straight home game in improving to 10-1 at home this season, moving to one win shy of matching last year's win total of 11 wins in going 11-6 at the Breslin Center.
• Saturday was DeeDee Hagemann's team-leading fourth 20-point game of the season, as MSU is 4-0 this season and 5-0 in her career when she scores 20+ points. The Spartans are also 6-1 when Hagemann leads them in the scoring.
SCOUTING RUTGERS
The Scarlet Knights 6-16 overall and 0-9 in Big Ten games. Overall, Rutgers has lost 11-straight games. RU's last win was a 98-67 win over LaSalle at home on Dec. 5. Much like the Spartans, the Scarlet Knights have faced injuries and a short bench this season. Awa Sidibe is out for the season for the season, while Kaylene Smikle has been out since December.
Last time out, Rutgers fell to Wisconsin, 73-62, on Jan. 27, despite a strong fourth-quarter comeback. The Scarlet Knights made a run in the final minutes of the game, coming back from a 19 points to put the game within four points but it wasn't enough as the Badgers ended strong to pull out the victory.
Rutgers is 13th in the Big Ten in scoring offense (67.3) and 12th in scoring defense (71.5). The Scarlet Knights are seventh in rebound margin (+2.64), just ahead of Michigan State.
Individually, Destiny Adams is 15th in the league in scoring, averaging 14.3 ppg. Chyna Cornwell is fifth in rebounding with 8.0 rpg. Antonia Bates is third in the Big Ten in blocks just behind Julia Ayrault, averaging 1.67 bpg.
Rutgers head coach Coquese Washington is in her second season at the helm of the Scarlet Knights, posting a 18-36 record. Overall, Washington is in her 14th season as a collegiate head coach, amassing a 227-205 ledger. She spent 12 season as the head coach at Penn State.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE SCARLET KNIGHTS
Michigan State holds an 8-6 series lead in the brief history between the two teams. The Spartans have won four of the last four meetings, including the last two. MSU leads the series at home 5-3 in Eat Lansing, while hold a slight edge in Piscataway, 3-3. Last season in East Lansing, Michigan State came out on top, 85-63. The last time the Scarlet Knights won in East Lansing was on Feb. 24, 2021 with a 63-53 win.
LAST TIME VS RUTGERS
With alumni and Title IX trailblazers in the stands, the Michigan State women's basketball team celebrated pioneers with a wire-to-wire win over Rutgers, 85-63, on Jan. 22, 2022 at the Breslin Center.
The Spartans celebrated both Alumni Day and Title IX throughout the game. Michigan State honored all women athletes who set the path for current Spartans, as well as honoring women's basketball alumni during half time.
Michigan State snapped its four-game losing streak with the win. The Spartans got contributions for nearly everyone who played with 11 for the 15 players that saw action scoring at least on three points. Michigan State had four players in double figures led by senior forward Taiyier Parks who scored 14 points with seven rebounds off the bench.
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.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
• The Spartans improved to 15-5 overall and 5-4 in B1G play with an 82-61 victory over Michigan on Jan. 27. Michigan State has won two-straight games with home wins last week against Purdue and U-M. Rutgers is 9-16 overall and 0-9 in B1G play. Overall, the Scarlet Knights have lost 11-straight games.
• 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.
• With a win against Michigan, MSU has now won its fifth-straight home game in improving to 10-1 at home this season, moving to one win shy of matching last year's win total of 11 wins in going 11-6 at the Breslin Center.
• Saturday was DeeDee Hagemann's team-leading fourth 20-point game of the season, as MSU is 4-0 this season and 5-0 in her career when she scores 20+ points. The Spartans are also 6-1 when Hagemann leads them in the scoring.
SCOUTING RUTGERS
The Scarlet Knights 6-16 overall and 0-9 in Big Ten games. Overall, Rutgers has lost 11-straight games. RU's last win was a 98-67 win over LaSalle at home on Dec. 5. Much like the Spartans, the Scarlet Knights have faced injuries and a short bench this season. Awa Sidibe is out for the season for the season, while Kaylene Smikle has been out since December.
Last time out, Rutgers fell to Wisconsin, 73-62, on Jan. 27, despite a strong fourth-quarter comeback. The Scarlet Knights made a run in the final minutes of the game, coming back from a 19 points to put the game within four points but it wasn't enough as the Badgers ended strong to pull out the victory.
Rutgers is 13th in the Big Ten in scoring offense (67.3) and 12th in scoring defense (71.5). The Scarlet Knights are seventh in rebound margin (+2.64), just ahead of Michigan State.
Individually, Destiny Adams is 15th in the league in scoring, averaging 14.3 ppg. Chyna Cornwell is fifth in rebounding with 8.0 rpg. Antonia Bates is third in the Big Ten in blocks just behind Julia Ayrault, averaging 1.67 bpg.
Rutgers head coach Coquese Washington is in her second season at the helm of the Scarlet Knights, posting a 18-36 record. Overall, Washington is in her 14th season as a collegiate head coach, amassing a 227-205 ledger. She spent 12 season as the head coach at Penn State.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE SCARLET KNIGHTS
Michigan State holds an 8-6 series lead in the brief history between the two teams. The Spartans have won four of the last four meetings, including the last two. MSU leads the series at home 5-3 in Eat Lansing, while hold a slight edge in Piscataway, 3-3. Last season in East Lansing, Michigan State came out on top, 85-63. The last time the Scarlet Knights won in East Lansing was on Feb. 24, 2021 with a 63-53 win.
LAST TIME VS RUTGERS
With alumni and Title IX trailblazers in the stands, the Michigan State women's basketball team celebrated pioneers with a wire-to-wire win over Rutgers, 85-63, on Jan. 22, 2022 at the Breslin Center.
The Spartans celebrated both Alumni Day and Title IX throughout the game. Michigan State honored all women athletes who set the path for current Spartans, as well as honoring women's basketball alumni during half time.
Michigan State snapped its four-game losing streak with the win. The Spartans got contributions for nearly everyone who played with 11 for the 15 players that saw action scoring at least on three points. Michigan State had four players in double figures led by senior forward Taiyier Parks who scored 14 points with seven rebounds off the bench.
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.
Recap of Michigan game is available here.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
