EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball returns home to the Breslin Center to take on Northwestern on Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 6:30 p.m. The Spartans now stand 12-4 overall and 2-3 in Big Ten games this season after a 70-65 loss to No. 17/16 Ohio State on Jan. 14. Bryan Rector and Derrick Mitchell will be on the call for Big Ten Plus.
• Northwestern stands 7-10 overall and 2-4 in league contests this season. Last time out, the Wildcats suffered 92-53 loss to Illinois in Evanston.
• Graduate guard Moira Joiner is inching near the 1,000 point mark. With 13 points against Ohio State, she now has scored 974 points in her Spartan career. With one 3-pointer against Ohio State, she also stands sixth all-time in the MSU record books with 170 treys.
• After playing five of their last six games away from home, Michigan State will now enjoy a stretch of home games at the friendly confines of the Breslin Center. MSU will end the month of January playing three of its last five games at home. After Northwestern, the Spartans will take on Purdue (Jan. 24) and Michigan (Jan. 27) at home.
• Against OSU, junior guard DeeDee Hagemann distributed five assists, posting her eighth contest this season with five or more helpers. Hagemann's five assists give her 357 for her career, moving up to No. 12 on MSU's career assists list, passing Vnemina Reese (1998-2002) with 356 helpers.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
The Wildcats come to East Lansing with a 7-10 overall and 2-4 B1G record in tow, coming off a 93-52 loss to in-state rival Illinois on Sunday. Northwestern has lost three of its last four, with losses at Penn State (95-55 on Jan. 2) and at No. 20 Ohio State (90-60 on Jan. 5) and a win at Wisconsin (74-69 on Jan. 10), before Sunday's home loss to Illinois.
In Sunday's loss, Illinois jumped out to a 20-11 first-quarter advantage and never looked back, pulling away for a 45-21 halftime score. The Illini stretched their lead to 62-29 early in the third stanza, before six unanswered Wildcats points pulled them within 62-35 on a pair of free throws by senior forward Paige Mott. However, that would be the closest that Northwestern would get, as Illinois won going away, 93-52. Graduate guard Maggie Pina netted a season-high 11 points, followed by junior forward Caileigh Walsh and Mott with eight points apiece, and Walsh added six rebounds to go with three blocks.
Northwestern is 13th in the B1G in scoring offense (67.4 ppg), while ranking 14th in scoring defense (80.8 ppg), to rank 14th in scoring margin (-13.4 ppg). The Wildcats are shooting 41.6 percent from the field, along with 36.3 percent from 3-point range and 78.8 percent at the free throw line. NU averages 36.7 rebounds per game. Northwestern is averaging 18.2 assists per contest, while committing 17.6 turnovers per game, to go with a 1.0 assist/turnover ratio.
Two Wildcats average double-figures, led by Walsh with 13.1 ppg, while junior guard Melannie Daley adds 12.4 ppg. Walsh also leads NU on the board with 5.9 rpg. Sophomore guard Caroline Lau dishes out 6.0 assists per game to rank second in the B1G, and is 15th in assist/turnover ratio (1.5).
Northwestern head coach Joe McKeown is in his 16th season at the helm of the Wildcats' program, the longest tenured coach in NU's program history. McKeown has a 257-229 record, and the 257 wins ranks him second among active B1G coaches.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE WILDCATS
Michigan State leads the overall series with Northwestern, 46-29. The Spartans have won the last two games in the series, including winning in Evanston for the first time since 2014 last season. Overall, MSU leads the series in East Lansing, 26-9. The Wildcats lead in Evanston 18-20, while MSU is on top 2-0 on neutral ground.
LAST TIME VS NORTHWESTERN
Michigan State women's basketball earned its fourth-straight win with a 71-64 victory over Northwestern on at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Jan. 2.
This was MSU's first win at Welsh-Ryan since 2014.
Michigan State had three players in double figures led by 21 points by sophomore guard Matilda Ekh, who went 5-for-8 from beyond the arc. Senior forward Taiyier Parks had her second-straight double-digit scoring game with 17 points and six rebounds, while graduate guard Kamaria McDaniel added 13 points. Redshirt-junior guard/forward Julia Ayrault was a beast on the boards with 10 rebounds to lead all players.
MAKING THE "MO"ST OF IT
Graduate guard Moira Joiner had a solid senior season, averaging 10.1 points per game during the 2022-23 season. She scored a career-high 302 points with 46 3-pointers. For her encore performance as a Spartan, she is improving on last season. This season, she is averaging 16.0 ppg. She already has scored 256 points just 46 points away from tying last season's point total. She is only three 3-pointers away from matching last year's total of 46.
BY THE NUMBERS VS. OHIO STATE
• The Spartan starting five of junior guard DeeDee Hagemann, sophomore guard Abbey Kimball junior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate, graduate guard Moira Joiner and graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault for Sunday's game marked the sixth-straight game and the 13th time overall this season that the Spartans have rolled out that line-up for the opening tip-off. MSU is now 9-4 this season with that starting five.
• Michigan State was held below 70 points for just the second time this season with a season-low 65 points, with MSU only previously held under 70 in the last 10 games since scoring 69 in loss to Creighton (11/24).
• Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault pulled down nine rebounds, sharing the team-lead with Ozment and marking the seventh-straight game with seven or more boards and ninth total time this season. Ayrault has at least four rebounds in all 16 games this season including five or more boards in 14 contests.
CLOSING IN ON 1,000
Graduate guard Moira Joiner is inching near the 1,000 point mark. With 13 points against Ohio State, she now has scored 974 points in her Spartan career. With one 3-pointer against Ohio State, she also stands sixth all-time in the MSU record books with 170 treys. The last Spartan to reach 1,000 points was All-American Nia Clouden, who ended her career in 2022 with 1,882 points.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
This season, Michigan State is second in the Big Ten in scoring margin (+22.1) and second in assists (19.9 apg). The Spartans are also second in the league in 3-point field goals made, averaging 9.75 per game. MSU is tied for first in turnover margin with Ohio State (+7.94) and first in assist/turnover ratio (1.78).
Graduate guard Moira Joiner leads the Spartans in scoring, averaging 16.0 points per game, which is 10th in the Big Ten. Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault is sixth in rebounding with 7.6 rpg. Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann is ninth in the league in assists, averaging 4.5 apg. Joiner is fourth in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.406). Ayrault is also second in the conference in blocks, averaging 2.4 bpg, behind Wisconsin's Serah Williams.
DID YOU KNOW?
Against Ohio State, graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault pulled down nine rebounds, sharing the team-lead with Tory Ozment and marking the seventh-straight game with seven or more boards and ninth total time this season. Ayrault has at least four rebounds in all 16 games this season, including five or more boards in 14 contests.
LAST TIME OUT
Despite a season-high 18 points from graduate guard/forward Tory Ozment, the Michigan State women's basketball dropped a defensive battle with No. 17/16 Ohio State, 70-65, at Value City Arena on Sunday afternoon.
Both teams came into Sunday's contest averaging nearly 90 points per game in a match-up that saw both teams shoot well below their season averages under tough defensive pressure.
For the second time this season, Michigan State had only two players in double figures led by Ozment's season-high 18 points. She was just one shy from tying her career high of 19 set against Virginia on Nov. 28, 2018. Graduate guard Moira Joiner continued her streak of reaching double figures in all 16 games this season with 13 points, to go along with a season-high five assists.
Game preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
• Northwestern stands 7-10 overall and 2-4 in league contests this season. Last time out, the Wildcats suffered 92-53 loss to Illinois in Evanston.
• Graduate guard Moira Joiner is inching near the 1,000 point mark. With 13 points against Ohio State, she now has scored 974 points in her Spartan career. With one 3-pointer against Ohio State, she also stands sixth all-time in the MSU record books with 170 treys.
• After playing five of their last six games away from home, Michigan State will now enjoy a stretch of home games at the friendly confines of the Breslin Center. MSU will end the month of January playing three of its last five games at home. After Northwestern, the Spartans will take on Purdue (Jan. 24) and Michigan (Jan. 27) at home.
• Against OSU, junior guard DeeDee Hagemann distributed five assists, posting her eighth contest this season with five or more helpers. Hagemann's five assists give her 357 for her career, moving up to No. 12 on MSU's career assists list, passing Vnemina Reese (1998-2002) with 356 helpers.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
The Wildcats come to East Lansing with a 7-10 overall and 2-4 B1G record in tow, coming off a 93-52 loss to in-state rival Illinois on Sunday. Northwestern has lost three of its last four, with losses at Penn State (95-55 on Jan. 2) and at No. 20 Ohio State (90-60 on Jan. 5) and a win at Wisconsin (74-69 on Jan. 10), before Sunday's home loss to Illinois.
In Sunday's loss, Illinois jumped out to a 20-11 first-quarter advantage and never looked back, pulling away for a 45-21 halftime score. The Illini stretched their lead to 62-29 early in the third stanza, before six unanswered Wildcats points pulled them within 62-35 on a pair of free throws by senior forward Paige Mott. However, that would be the closest that Northwestern would get, as Illinois won going away, 93-52. Graduate guard Maggie Pina netted a season-high 11 points, followed by junior forward Caileigh Walsh and Mott with eight points apiece, and Walsh added six rebounds to go with three blocks.
Northwestern is 13th in the B1G in scoring offense (67.4 ppg), while ranking 14th in scoring defense (80.8 ppg), to rank 14th in scoring margin (-13.4 ppg). The Wildcats are shooting 41.6 percent from the field, along with 36.3 percent from 3-point range and 78.8 percent at the free throw line. NU averages 36.7 rebounds per game. Northwestern is averaging 18.2 assists per contest, while committing 17.6 turnovers per game, to go with a 1.0 assist/turnover ratio.
Two Wildcats average double-figures, led by Walsh with 13.1 ppg, while junior guard Melannie Daley adds 12.4 ppg. Walsh also leads NU on the board with 5.9 rpg. Sophomore guard Caroline Lau dishes out 6.0 assists per game to rank second in the B1G, and is 15th in assist/turnover ratio (1.5).
Northwestern head coach Joe McKeown is in his 16th season at the helm of the Wildcats' program, the longest tenured coach in NU's program history. McKeown has a 257-229 record, and the 257 wins ranks him second among active B1G coaches.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE WILDCATS
Michigan State leads the overall series with Northwestern, 46-29. The Spartans have won the last two games in the series, including winning in Evanston for the first time since 2014 last season. Overall, MSU leads the series in East Lansing, 26-9. The Wildcats lead in Evanston 18-20, while MSU is on top 2-0 on neutral ground.
LAST TIME VS NORTHWESTERN
Michigan State women's basketball earned its fourth-straight win with a 71-64 victory over Northwestern on at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Jan. 2.
This was MSU's first win at Welsh-Ryan since 2014.
Michigan State had three players in double figures led by 21 points by sophomore guard Matilda Ekh, who went 5-for-8 from beyond the arc. Senior forward Taiyier Parks had her second-straight double-digit scoring game with 17 points and six rebounds, while graduate guard Kamaria McDaniel added 13 points. Redshirt-junior guard/forward Julia Ayrault was a beast on the boards with 10 rebounds to lead all players.
MAKING THE "MO"ST OF IT
Graduate guard Moira Joiner had a solid senior season, averaging 10.1 points per game during the 2022-23 season. She scored a career-high 302 points with 46 3-pointers. For her encore performance as a Spartan, she is improving on last season. This season, she is averaging 16.0 ppg. She already has scored 256 points just 46 points away from tying last season's point total. She is only three 3-pointers away from matching last year's total of 46.
BY THE NUMBERS VS. OHIO STATE
• The Spartan starting five of junior guard DeeDee Hagemann, sophomore guard Abbey Kimball junior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate, graduate guard Moira Joiner and graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault for Sunday's game marked the sixth-straight game and the 13th time overall this season that the Spartans have rolled out that line-up for the opening tip-off. MSU is now 9-4 this season with that starting five.
• Michigan State was held below 70 points for just the second time this season with a season-low 65 points, with MSU only previously held under 70 in the last 10 games since scoring 69 in loss to Creighton (11/24).
• Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault pulled down nine rebounds, sharing the team-lead with Ozment and marking the seventh-straight game with seven or more boards and ninth total time this season. Ayrault has at least four rebounds in all 16 games this season including five or more boards in 14 contests.
CLOSING IN ON 1,000
Graduate guard Moira Joiner is inching near the 1,000 point mark. With 13 points against Ohio State, she now has scored 974 points in her Spartan career. With one 3-pointer against Ohio State, she also stands sixth all-time in the MSU record books with 170 treys. The last Spartan to reach 1,000 points was All-American Nia Clouden, who ended her career in 2022 with 1,882 points.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
This season, Michigan State is second in the Big Ten in scoring margin (+22.1) and second in assists (19.9 apg). The Spartans are also second in the league in 3-point field goals made, averaging 9.75 per game. MSU is tied for first in turnover margin with Ohio State (+7.94) and first in assist/turnover ratio (1.78).
Graduate guard Moira Joiner leads the Spartans in scoring, averaging 16.0 points per game, which is 10th in the Big Ten. Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault is sixth in rebounding with 7.6 rpg. Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann is ninth in the league in assists, averaging 4.5 apg. Joiner is fourth in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.406). Ayrault is also second in the conference in blocks, averaging 2.4 bpg, behind Wisconsin's Serah Williams.
DID YOU KNOW?
Against Ohio State, graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault pulled down nine rebounds, sharing the team-lead with Tory Ozment and marking the seventh-straight game with seven or more boards and ninth total time this season. Ayrault has at least four rebounds in all 16 games this season, including five or more boards in 14 contests.
LAST TIME OUT
Despite a season-high 18 points from graduate guard/forward Tory Ozment, the Michigan State women's basketball dropped a defensive battle with No. 17/16 Ohio State, 70-65, at Value City Arena on Sunday afternoon.
Both teams came into Sunday's contest averaging nearly 90 points per game in a match-up that saw both teams shoot well below their season averages under tough defensive pressure.
For the second time this season, Michigan State had only two players in double figures led by Ozment's season-high 18 points. She was just one shy from tying her career high of 19 set against Virginia on Nov. 28, 2018. Graduate guard Moira Joiner continued her streak of reaching double figures in all 16 games this season with 13 points, to go along with a season-high five assists.
Game preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
