No. 16/17 Spartan Women Travel to Northwestern Sunday
MSU is looking for its fourth road B1G win.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 16/17 Michigan State women's basketball hits the road to take on Northwestern on Sunday, Feb. 2 at 3 p.m. ET at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The game will be streamed on the B1G+ with Adam Beck and Dylan Friedland on the call.
• Michigan State had it five-game winning streak snapped by Oregon, 63-59, on Thursday at the Breslin Center. The Spartans are now 17-4 overall and 7-3 in Big Ten action. The Spartans are looking for their fourth-straight road B1G win.
• Northwestern holds a 7-12 overall record and are 0-8 in league contests. Last time out, the Wildcats were edged by Iowa in Iowa City, 85-80, on Jan. 28.
• The Spartan defense has been solid all season. Senior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate set a news season high with six against Oregon on Thursday. She now stands third in the B1G in steals with 2.3 spg. The defense swiped 13 steals Thursday for their fourth-straight contest and fifth in the last six outings with double-digit steals.
• Theryn Hallock posted 12 points for her fourth game in a row and sixth in the last seven in double-figures as part of nine times in the last 11 games. Overall, Hallock has tallied 10+ points in 15 of the 21 games this season and posted double-digits for the 32nd time in her career.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
Northwestern holds an overall record of 7-12, while standing 0-8 in Big Ten contests. The Wildcats are 5-8 at Welsh-Ryan Arena and 1-3 in away contests. Northwestern is looking for its first conference win, coming close last time out with an 85-80 loss to Iowa on the road on Jan. 28. The Wildcats have allowed at least 80 points in their last three games.
The Wildcats have five different players averaging in double figures, led by Caileigh Walsh who is scoring 11.4 points per game. Grace Sullivan is second in scoring with 10.9 ppg. Northwestern is fifth in the Big Ten in blocked shots, averaging 4.6 bpg. The Wildcats are also third in assists with 18.7 apg, just behind the Spartans at 18.8 apg.
Northwestern head coach Joe McKeown is in his 17th season as the helm of the Wildcats with a 266-252 record. Overall, he is in his 39th season as a head coach with stops at George Washington and New Mexico State. His overall record is 775-426.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE WILDCATS
Michigan State leads the overall series with Northwestern, 47-29. The Spartans had lost three-straight games in the series, before rebounding to win the last three, including a 91-72 win in East Lansing last season. The last time that the teams met in Evanston was on Jan. 2, 2023, when MSU edged the Wildcats, 71-64.
In Evanston, Northwestern leads the series 20-18, while the Spartans are on top in East Lansing, 27-9. On neutral ground, Michigan State has won the two meetings.
LAST TIME VS. NORTHWESTERN
Michigan State used a balanced attack to take down Northwestern in a wire-to-wire victory, 91-72, at the Breslin Center on Jan. 17, 2024.
Michigan State had six players in double figures along with at Penn State (Dec. 30) and against Evansville (Nov. 19). MSU was led by graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault who scored 16 points with a career-high six assists and three blocks. Graduate guard/forward Tory Ozment and graduate guard Moira Joiner both added 14 points, while sophomore guard Abbey Kimball and junior guard DeeDee Hagemann scored 12 and 10 points respectively.
MSU had 26 assists on 32 made baskets, led by Hagemann's eight assists, which tied a season best.
Northwestern was led by 18 points off the bench from Melannie Daley.
WHAT A QUARTER!
The Spartans' 31-point third quarter against Michigan on Jan. 25 tied for the third-most in any quarter, behind 33 points in both the fourth quarter vs. Vanderbilt (11/27/24) and the fourth quarter vs. Yale (11/8/24), and 32 in the first quarter vs. Detroit Mercy (11/20/24), while matching 31 points in the first frame in the season-opener vs. Oakland (11/5/24). It's the eighth quarter this season with 30+ points, and MSU has now scored 30 points at least once in every quarter except the second quarter.
LOOKING TO BOUNCE BACK
MSU was held to a season-low 59 points in Thursday's game against Oregon, after scoring 59 points in the second-half alone last time out at Michigan (1/25/25) in the 88-58 Victory for MSU in Ann Arbor.
HALLOCK HEATING UP
Junior guard Theryn Hallock has erupted for 80 points in her last four games, with 12 points last time out against Oregon. She also had the top two scoring outings of her career with 26 points at Illinois on Jan. 19 and 25 at Michigan on Jan. 25. Both of her top outings coming on the road. Hallock is now averaging 20.0 ppg in her last four games. Hallock's 25 points against Michigan wasn't only just one shy of her career-best from two games ago, but was her third 20-point outing this season and fifth of her career, with MSU improving to 2-1 this season and 4-1 in her career when she posts 20+ points.
NET RANKINGS
In the current women's basketball NET ranking, the Spartans stand No. 17. They are fourth among Big Ten schools behind No. 4 UCLA, No. 5 USC and No. 15 Ohio State. South Carolina stands No. 1. The Big Ten has five schools in the top 25 in NET rankings with Maryland standing No. 24.
RANKED BIG TEN TEAMS
Five different Big Ten teams are ranked or receiving votes in the AP top 25 poll. UCLA leads the way at No. 1, followed by No. 4 USC, No. 8 Ohio State, No. 14 Maryland and No. 16 Michigan State. Michigan, Minnesota and Nebraska are also receiving votes in this week's poll.
AYRAULT ASCENDS THE CHARTS
With 14 points Thursday, graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault now has a sequential 1,234 career points, holding at No. 16 on MSU's career scoring list. Ayrault is eight points shy of the No. 15 spot held by Lykendra Johnson (2008-12) with 1,242 points.
Ayrault's nine rebounds Thursday gives her 687 for her career, moving up to No. 14 on MSU's career rebounding list, passing Becca Mills (2011-15) with 684 boards. Ayrault's two blocks give her 164 blocks for her career, holding steady at her spot at No. 3 on the Spartans' career blocks list.
She played her 128th career game on Thursday, moving up to tie for No. 18 on MSU's career games played list, pulling away from a tie with former teammate Nia Hollie (2016-20) and former assistant coach Kristin Haynie (2001-05), with 127 career games played. Ayrault is now tied with another former teammate, Taryn McCutcheon (2016-20) and Kelli Roehrig (2001-05) with 128 games played.
BY THE NUMBERS VS. OREGON
• Senior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate swiped a game-high and season-best six steals. It was the fifth time in the last six games that Tate swiped multiple steals, including three or more in four of the last five games. Overall, it was Tate's 14th time in the 21 games that she had multiple steals, along with the 11th game with three or more swipes.
• For the first time in the last seven games, MSU's defense held the opponent to single-digit scoring by limiting Oregon to eight points in the fourth quarter. The last time the Spartans held an opponent to single-digit scoring in a quarter was against Purdue (1/1/25). Overall, MSU's defense has logged at least one single-digit scoring in 11 of the 21 game. The Spartans have stymied the opposition to single-digit scoring in 16 total quarters this season.
GRACE IN CONSISTENCY
Junior forward Grace VanSlooten has logged 10+ points in each of the last eight games as part of posting double-digit points in 18 of her 20 games played, missing the Eastern Michigan game (11/11/24) due to illness. VanSlooten has now registered double-digit points 70 times out of 83 career games, logging double-digits in 52 games while at Oregon. She tallied three blocks for her fifth game this season with three or more blocks, but first in the last seven games, since swatting three vs. Purdue (1/1/25).
BALANCED ATTACK
Seven different Spartans have led the team in scoring. Julia Ayrault has led the team in scoring nine times, while Grace VanSlooten is second with six. Theryn Hallock has been the leading scorer five, while Jocelyn Tate, Jaddan Simmons, Emma Shumate and Juliann Woodard have led once.
YOUR STARTING FIVE
MSU's starting line-up was its same for the seventh game in a row, improving to 6-2 with that line-up, winning the last five in a row, and continues to be the Spartans' most used line-up. Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault, graduate guard Jaddan Simmons, senior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate, junior guard Theryn Hallock and freshman center Inés Sotelo were on the court for the opening tip. The starting line-up MSU opened with is one of six different starting fives that the Green & White have utilized this season, and is now the most starts, topping the five games of starting with Hallock, Tate, Ayrault, junior forward Grace VanSlooten and junior guard Emma Shumate.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
Michigan State is fourth in the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging 81.7 points per game. The Spartans are also fourth in scoring margin (+21.8). MSU is second in the league in blocks (5.6 bpg). MSU is first in steals with 13.2 spg and second in assists with 18.8 apg. The Spartans are second in turnover margin (+8.5).
Individually, graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault is 11th in the league in scoring (16.2 ppg). Junior forward Grace VanSlooten is sixth in the league in field goal percentage (.519). Senior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate is third in the league in steals (2.33). Graduate guard Jaddan Simmons is sixth in steals (2.10 spg).
WELCOME HOME
Against Washington on Jan. 12, MSU celebrated Alumni Day, with the Spartans honoring their women's basketball alums, including the 2005 Final Four team. The 2005 Spartans in attendance were recognized at the end of the first quarter, while all the alumni were honored at halftime, with approximately 50 former players in attendance, ranging from as recent as the class of 2022, to as far back as the class of 1965. All-Americans Kristin Haynie, Liz Shimek and Lindsay Bowen were among the alumni in attendance to celebrate the 2005 team.
AROUND THE NATION
After 20 games, the Spartans are 17th in the nation scoring margin, winning games by 21.8 points. Michigan State is sixth in the NCAA and first in the Big Ten in steals per game with 13.2 spg. MSU is 10th in the nation in assists with 18.8 apg and 11th in turnover margin (+8.5).
JOINING THE 1K CLUB
Michigan State currently has four players who have scored at least 1,000 points in their collegiate careers. Most recently junior forward Grace VanSlooten joined the club against Vanderbilt on Nov. 27. She currently has 1,170 career points between Oregon and MSU. Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault reached the 1,000-point club against Cal on Nov. 26. During her five years at MSU, she has scored 1,234 points. Graduate guard Nyla Hampton has scored 1,256 points during her time at Bowling Green, Ball State and Michigan State. Fellow graduate guard Jaddan Simmons also has 1,273 points during four seasons at Arizona State her time at MSU. Senior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate is looking to be the next member with 964 points between her two seasons at Bowling Green and two at MSU.
BRINGING THE BOOM
For the 2024-25 season, Michigan State women's introduced its new student section - the Breslin Boom. First introduced by Coach Fralick at Michigan State Madness, Spartan students will be encouraged to yell "BOOM" on any big MSU plays.
COMEBACK KIDS
MSU's 16-point deficit and rally for win on the Nov. 26 win against Cal was the Spartans' largest comeback win since being down 19 points vs. Penn State on Feb. 22, 2017, rallying from down 46-27 with 7:55 left in the third quarter and rallying for a 73-64 Victory for MSU. In that game, All-American Tori Jankoska was held scoreless in the first half, she rallied with 21 second-half points, for a palindromic double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds.
LOCKED IN DEFENSE
Senior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate is third in the Big Ten in steals, averaging 2.33 spg. Graduate guard Jaddan Simmons is sixth (2.10 spg), while graduate guard Nyla Hampton is 10th in the Big Ten in steals, averaging 1.86 spg. The MSU defense has been tough all season. Twice this year the Spartans have tallied 22 steals in a game: against Detroit Mercy on Nov. 20 and against Oakland on Nov. 5. The only team in the Big Ten with more steals in a game is USC with 28 against CSUN on Nov. 12. The Spartans are first in the B1G in steals, averaging 13.2 spg. MSU leads the Big Ten with 274 steals this season.
BRINGING HOME THE HARDWARE
Michigan State won its second-straight tournament title after winning the Cherokee Invitational in North Carolina last season with wins over Richmond and Coastal Carolina. Prior to that, MSU last tournament crown came at the New Orleans Shootout in 2017.
LAST TIME OUT
Despite a ferocious fourth-quarter comeback, the No. 16/17 Michigan State women's basketball team dropped its first game at the Breslin Center this season, 63-59, against Oregon Thursday evening.
MSU trailed by as many as 18 points in the third quarter, but were able to slowly chip away at the Oregon lead.
Despite the low-scoring game, the Spartan still had three players in double figures led by 14 points from both junior forward Grace VanSlooten and graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault, who also added a team-high nine rebounds. VanSlooten was playing her first game against her former squad. Despite a tough shooting night, junior guard Theryn Hallock added 12 points with three assists and three steals.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick has announced guard/forward Julia Ayrault and guard Nyla Hampton as team captains, as voted on by the players on the 2024-25 women's basketball team.
This is Ayrault's second season as a captain for the Spartans. She is the first Spartan to be a captain in back-to-back seasons since Jenna Allen during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. Hampton is in her first season with the Spartans, but is familiar with head coach Robyn Fralick. She played three seasons with Bowling Green before transferring to Ball State last season.
VANSLOOTEN NAMED TO WATCH LIST
Michigan State Women's Basketball junior forward Grace VanSlooten was named to the Cheryl Miller Award preseason watch list, as announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
She is one of five Big Ten players on the list along with Indiana's Yarden Garzon, Maryland's Saylor Poffenbarger, Ohio State's Cotie McMahon and UCLA's Angela Dugalić. The award honors the nation's top small forwards.
WELCOME TO SPARTAN NATION
Michigan State women's basketball head coach Robyn Fralick announced the signing of three signees on Wednesday, including Jordan Ode (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove High School), Anna Terrian (Pewaukee, Wis./Pewaukee High School) and Amy Terrian (Pewaukee, Wis./Pewaukee High School).
Ode is a 6-0 guard, who is a native of Maple Grove, Minn. She attends Maple Grove High School and is coached by Mark Cook. Ode is currently ranked No. 33 in the ESPNW HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings.
Anna Terrian is a 5-8 guard, who is a native of Pewaukee, Wis., and plays for head coach Jim Reuter at Pewaukee High School. As a junior, she averaged 9.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Amy Terrian is a 5-8 guard, who is a native of Pewaukee, Wis., plays for head coach Jim Reuter at Pewaukee High School. Terrian is currently ranked No. 89 in the ESPNW HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings. As a junior, she averaged 18.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
