MSU defeated the Boilermakers in East Lansing earlier this season.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball will conclude its two-game road swing, traveling to Purdue on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. This is the second meeting between the Spartans and the Boilermakers with MSU winning in East Lansing, 97-70 on Jan. 24. JJ Palmer and Alex Brophy will be on the call for the BTN Plus.
• The Spartans returned to the winning column with a 70-66 win over Michigan on the road on Feb. 18. MSU is now 18-7 overall and 8-6 in Big Ten play. This is the first time since the 2018-19 season that the Spartans have reached the 18-win mark.
• Purdue is 11-14 this season and holds a 4-10 record in league play. The Boilermakers are 2-2 in their last four games, falling to Nebraska 77-65 at home on Feb. 17.
• For the first time since the 2018-19 season, Michigan State swept the season series with Michigan. In that season, MSU defeated Michigan 77-73 on Jan. 27 in Ann Arbor. The Spartans completed the sweep at home, 74-64, in East Lansing on Feb. 24. Prior to the win in East Lansing this season on Jan. 27, Michigan had won six of the last seven in the series. The win on Sunday was the 100th meeting of the two in-state rivals with MSU leading the series 75-25.
• Against Michigan on Feb. 18, graduate guard Moira Joiner tied her career high with six steals against Michigan on Sunday. She previously had six steals against Michigan on Feb. 5, 2023.
SCOUTING PURDUE
This is the second meeting of the season between the Boilermakers and the Spartans. Michigan State took the first meeting 97-70 on Jan. 24. Purdue stands 11-14 overall and 4-10 in league contests.
The Boilermakers are 2-2 in their last four games with wins against Illinois and at Northwestern. Purdue has losses at Indiana and at home against Nebraska.
Purdue is second in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (.778) and seventh in assists (7.48 apg). The Boilermakers are 11th in scoring offense (68.2 ppg), while standing ninth in scoring defense (69.5 ppg).
Jeanae Terry is tied with Julia Ayrault for eighth in the league in rebounding, averaging 7.1 rpg. Terry is also second in assists with 6.2 apg.
Head coach Katie Gearlds is in her third season at Purdue, leading the Boilermakers to back-to-back postseason bids, including the first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2017. She holds and overall record of 275-90. During her three seasons at Purdue she has a record of 47-40.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE BOILERMAKERS
Purdue leads the overall series with Michigan State 44-38. The Spartans are on top of the series in the Breslin Center 25-16, while the Boilermakers are on top 23-11 in West Lafayette. On neutral ground, Purdue leads 5-2. The Boilermakers have won the two of the last meetings in East Lansing, before MSU's dominating 97-70 win on Jan. 24. The Spartans have won three-straight games in West Lafayette with their last win coming on Jan. 3, 2021 by a score of 71-64.
LAST TIME VS PURDUE
Graduate guard Moira Joiner became the 30th member of the Michigan State women's basketball 1,000-point club early in the first quarter, as the Spartans rolled past Purdue, 97-70 on Jan. 24 at the Breslin Center.
Overall, five Spartans reached double figures in the win. Sophomore guard Theryn Hallock set a new career high with 24 points off the bench, going 10-for-12 from the field. Graduate guard/forward Tory Ozment also set a new career high with 23 points off the bench, also adding eight rebounds. Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault was just shy of a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds, while sophomore guard Abbey Kimball scored 10 points in the victory.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
