This is only the third meeting between the teams.
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - Michigan State women's basketball will hit the road for the Thanksgiving break heading to Palm Springs, California for the Acrisure Classic Nov. 26-27. The Spartans open action against the Cal Bears on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. ET.
• The Spartans have started the season 6-0 for the first time under head coach Robyn Fralick, along with the second time in the last three years, as part of the third time in the last five seasons, joining the 2022-23 and 2020-21 seasons.
• Cal is off to a fast start with a 6-0 record this season. Last time out, the Bears defeated Auburn 63-59 on Nov. 22. The Spartans and the Bears have a limited history only playing twice. The series is tied 1-1 with MSU winning the last meeting in 1996.
• The Spartans have three players averaging in double figures led by junior forward Grace VanSlooten, who is averaging 16.6 ppg. Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault is second in scoring with 13.6 ppg, while junior guard Theryn Hallock is third with 12.8 ppg.
• Michigan State is first in the nation in scoring margin through six games this season (+50.5). MSU also stands second in the nation and first in the Big Ten in assists per game, averaging 23.2 apg. On the defensive side of the ball, MSU is third in steaks per game, averaging 16.8 spg.
SCOUTING CALIFORNIA
California is off to a fast start with a 6-0 record. The Bears have a pair of road wins against San Jose State and Gonzaga. Last time out on Nov. 22, Cal edged out a 63-59 win over Auburn on Nov. 22.
The Bears have four players averaging in double figures, led by Lulu Twidale who is scoring 18.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. Ioanna Krimili is second with 16.0 ppg. Kayla Williams and Marta Suarez are scoring 12.7 and 11.8 ppg, respectively. As a team, Cal is averaging 82.5 ppg, while allowing only 55.7 ppg.
Charmin Smith is in her sixth season at the helm of the Bears. She holds an overall career record of 62-80.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE BEARS
Michigan State and Cal have a very brief history with the series tied 1-1. In 1988 in Berkeley, Cal came out on top 64-54. In the only other meeting, Michigan State defeated Cal on the road, 93-62, in Berkeley.
LOOKING AHEAD
Following the game against the Bears, Michigan State will take on either Arizona or Vanderbilt. The Spartans don't have a very extensive history with either team. MSU is 1-1 against Arizona with the last meeting coming in 2004. Both team has won one neutral site meeting.
MSU holds a slight 2-1 advantage over Vanderbilt. The last meeting was in the NCAA Tournament in 2005 with the Spartans coming out out on top, 76-64.
Arizona
1/2/93 Tempe, Ariz. L, 46-89
3/21/04 Austin, Texas W, 72-60
Series tied 1-1 (N: 1-1)
Vanderbilt
1/15/97 East Lansing W, 82-51
12/3/97 Nashville L, 51-63
3/27/05 Kansas City W, 76-64
MSU leads 2-1 (H: 1-0, A: 0-1, N: 1-0)
WELCOME TO THE ACRISURE CLASSIC
The Acrisure Classic is a part of the Acrisure Series, the country's largest MTE series, (multiple team event) which will be held at the beautiful new 11,000-seat Acrisure Arena. The Acrisure Classic boasts some of the nation's strongest programs as Arizona, Vanderbilt and Michigan State all made the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
BY THE NUMBERS VS. UDM
• All 20 points scored by Michigan State in the fourth quarter was scored by freshmen off the bench, including forward Helen Holley netting her first career points with a lay-up. Guard Kennedy Blair added seven points, while forward Juliann Woodard scored 10. MSU's bench out-scored its counterparts from Detroit Mercy, 42-27.
• The Spartan defense held Detroit Mercy to 44 points, tying for the second-fewest points allowed behind 42 points done twice, most recently last time out vs. Western Michigan (11/17/24) and matching holding Oakland to 42 points in the season-opener on Nov. 5. Michigan State's defense has limited the opposition under 50 points for the fifth game through six contests this season.
STINGY DEFENSE
MSU held Detroit Mercy to eight points in the first quarter and eight points the fourth frame on Nov. 20, as the Spartans have now stymied the opposition to single-digits in at least one quarter of all six games, as part of in 10 quarters out of the 24 total quarters played. MSU has posted multiple quarters with single-figure scoring in four of the six games this season.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
Michigan State is first in the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging 96.3 points per game, just ahead of Ohio State's 92.8 ppg. The Spartans are also tied for first in the league in scoring defense, allowing only 45.8 ppg. MSU is also tied for second in the league in assists with 23.4 apg and are first in steals with 16.8. The Spartans are first in turnover margin, forcing +14.5 per game.
AROUND THE NATION
After just six games, the Spartans are first in the nation scoring margin, winning games by 50.5 points. Michigan State is second in the NCAA and first in the Big Ten in assists per game with 23.2 apg. MSU is also seventh in bench points with 39.8 bench points per contest. Michigan State stands fourth and first in the Big Ten in scoring margin, winning games by 49.2 ppg.
LAST TIME OUT
Four Michigan State women's basketball players reached double figures, as the Spartans cruised to a 101-44 victory of Detroit Mercy Wednesday night at the Breslin Center.
Despite playing just 14 minutes, freshman forward Juliann Woodard led the Spartans in scoring with 17 points off the bench. She went 7-for-8 from the field, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. Junior forward Grace VanSlooten scored 16 points, adding seven boards and five assists. Graduate guard Jaddan Simmons, who earned her second start of the season, had a MSU career-high with 15 points and three steals. Junior guard Theryn Hallock added 11 points and tied a career high with four steals, while redshirt-freshman Kennedy Blair added 10 points.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
