Women's Basketball Faces Providence Friday
12/20/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 20, 2001
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
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This Week's Action
Michigan State (8-1 overall) vs. Providence (6-3 OVERALL)When Friday, Dec. 21, 2001, 7 p.m. ESTSite East Lansing, Mich. (Breslin Center)Radio The Fan 730 AMCoaches MSU: Joanne P. McCallie (Northwestern 1987) Overall: 185-92 (10th year), MSU: 18-19 (2nd year) PC: Jim Jabir Overall: 213-211 (16th year), PC: 55-90 (6th year)
Tip-Off -- Michigan State (8-1 overall) heads into Friday's contest riding a four-game winning streak. It is also just the fourth home game of the season for the Spartans. Providence (6-3 overall) has won three of its last four games, including a 79-70 overtime victory vs. New Hampshire Dec. 8.
Note of the Day
The Streakers - Michigan State will be looking for its fifth straight win on Friday. It would be MSU's longest winning streak since opening up the 1999-2000 season with seven consecutive victories. The Spartans carry a four-game winning streak into Friday's game. It marks the second time this season that MSU has won four straight, as the Spartans opened the season with four straight wins.
The school record for the longest winning streak is 11 games, set from Feb. 17, 1977 to March 12, 1977.
Scouting Michigan State -- Michigan State brings an 8-1 slate into the Providence game. The Spartans have won four straight games, after a 68-53 victory over Wisconsin-Green Bay last Saturday.
The Spartans are led by junior forward Syreeta Bromfield, who is averaging 17.2 points and 7.8 rebounds. Sophomore forward Julie Pagel is averaging 9.7 points and 7.0 rebounds, while freshman guard Kristin Haynie is averaging 8.7 points and 3.6 steals. Junior guard Vnemina Reese rounds out the top four scorers at 8.6 points per game.
MSU is averaging 61.4 points per game, while allowing 57.2 points. MSU is connecting on 39.6 percent (194-of-490) of its shots from the field. In addition, the Spartans hold a 37.9-to-34.0 edge on the boards.
MSU Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie - McCallie is in her second season at the helm of the MSU basketball program. McCallie was named to the position on March 27, 2000 becoming just the fourth coach in MSU women's basketball history. She is in her 10th year overall as a head coach, compiling a 185-92 (.668) overall mark. Prior to her arrival at MSU, McCallie spent eight years as the head coach at Maine, guiding the Black Bears to a 167-73 mark including six straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
She is joined on her staff by associate head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, assistant coach Felisha Legette-Jack and assistant coach Janel Grimm.
Last Time Out - It was a complete team effort for Michigan State in a 68-53 win at Wisconsin-Green Bay on Saturday afternoon. MSU jumped out to an early 10-0 lead and never looked back in cruising to the win. Syreeta Bromfield led MSU with 24 points, while Julie Pagel and Candice Jackson each chipped in 12 points. The Spartans shot 55.1 percent from the field, including 50.0 percent from the three-point line.
This Week's Opponent
Providence Friars
Providence carries a 6-3 mark into Friday's game. The Friars have been off since a 79-70 overtime victory against New Hampshire Dec. 8.
Senior guard Chrissy Vozab and senior center Dani Trippany pace the Friars attack. Vozab is averaging 10.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists. Trippany is averaging 10.1 points and a team-best 5.7 rebounds. PC is averaging 66.7 points while allowing 65.2 points.
Michigan State and Providence meet for just the second time in school history. MSU won the only meeting, a 96-71 victory on Dec. 28, 1990 in the Pepsi/Church's Holiday Classic in Miami, Fla.
Below is a look at the all-time series.
Date Location MSU-Opp12/28/90 Miami, Fla. W, 96-71MSU leads 1-0
Spartan Notebook
Pagel Lighting It Up - Sophomore forward Julie Pagel has been on a scoring tear lately. She has scored in double figures in each of the last four games, averaging 12.5 points per game. In this same time span, she is shooting 62.5 percent (15-of-24) from the field and 76.9 percent (20-of-26) from the free throw line. The Utica, Mich., native also has recorded 24 rebounds, six assists, five blocks and five steals during this stretch.
Shoot The Ball - MSU shot a season-best 55.1 percent (27-of-49) against UWGB. The Spartans shot 51.9 percent in the first half and 59.1 percent in the second stanza. MSU also shot 50.0 percent (6-of-12) from three-point line.
The last time MSU shot 50 percent or better from the field was against Minnesota (52.0%, 26-of-50) on Jan. 7, 2001.
In The Polls - MSU received seven votes in this week's Associated Press poll and nine points in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll. The last time the Spartans made an appearance in the national polls was during the 1996-97 season. MSU was ranked 24th by AP and 21st by USA Today in the final poll of the 1996-97 season.
Out Of The Gate - MSU's 8-1 start ties for the second best start in school history. The 1999-2000 squad also began the season with a 7-1 mark. The 1973-74 squad holds the school record for the best start with a 12-1 slate.
It is quite a turnaround from last year when MSU was 5-3 after the first eight games in 2000-01.
Getting Defensive - The Spartan defense continues to hold opponents to under 60 points per contest. MSU currently ranks second in the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing 57.2 points per game.
In MSU's eight wins, the Spartans' defense is allowing just 55.8 points.
Getting Defensive II - In addition, opponents are shooting just 39.0 percent (180-of-462) from the field. MSU has forced 172 turnovers and recorded 109 steals.
Approaching Milestones
- * Maria Recker needs five more three-point field goals to moved into sixth place on MSU's all-time three-point chart. Recker has 38 career threes, tying for eighth all-time at MSU.
* Julie Pagel needs 100 more points to reach 500 for her career.
* With one more steal, Vnemina Reese would record 150 in her career.
* Abby Salscheider needs 45 more points to reach 400 for her career. She enters this week's action with 355 career points in 94 games.
Upcoming - MSU returns to action Dec. 30 against Indiana. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at the Breslin Center.
Steal That Ball - The Spartans pace the Big Ten, averaging 12.1 steals per game. MSU has posted double-figure totals in steals in all but two games this year, including a season-best 16 at Detroit and vs. Monmouth.
Action Jackson - Sophomore guard Candice Jackson scored a season-high 12 points at UWGB. Jackson, who previous best this season was five points, was 4-of-6 (.667) from the field, including a 3-for-3 effort from the three-point line.
For the season, Jackson is averaging 2.8 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists.
The Emergence Of Bromfield - Junior forward Syreeta Bromfield recorded her seventh game in double figures with a game-high 24 points vs. UWGB. She has now posted double-figure scoring in seven of her last eight games.
Bromfield currently ranks seventh in the Big Ten in scoring (17.2 ppg) and sixth in rebounding (7.8 rpg). Both marks lead the Spartans.
She arrived at MSU after leading Tallahassee Community College to a third-place finish at the Junior College National Basketball Championships in March 2001. She closed her career at TCC's all-time leading scorer (1,055 points) and rebounder (529 boards).
Moving Up The Chart - Bromfield already has scored 155 points this season, ranking 17th on MSU's single-season scoring chart. Former Spartan Eileen Shea (1987-88) is 16th with 164 points while teammate Vnemina Reese (1999-2000) is 15th with 155 points.
Pagel's Game - For the season, Pagel is averaging 9.7 points and 7.0 rebounds. She is second on the team in field goal percentage at 52.9 percent (27-of-51) and third in free throw percentage at 75.0 (33-of-44).
Spartan Quick Shots
- * MSU is outscoring its opponents 316-to-280 in the second half.
* The Spartans are already 5-1 on the road this season with wins over Arkansas State (70-59), Monmouth (60-52), Detroit (62-61), Marquette (65-63) and Wisconsin-Green Bay (68-53).
* Freshman forward Joy Johnson has averaged 5.8 rebounds per game in her last six outings.
* MSU is a perfect 3-0 at the Breslin this season.
* The Spartans held a 33-to-25 edge on the glass at UWGB, including a 28-to-19 advantage on the defensive glass.
Moving On Up - Junior guard Vnemina Reese holds down the ninth spot on MSU's career assists chart with 285. Former Spartan Maxann Reese (1997-2000) is eighth with 291 career assists.
Reese, who has led MSU in assists in each of the past two seasons, is tied for the team lead this year with 23.
Stealing The Show - Freshman guard Kristin Haynie continues to pace the Spartan attack in steals with 32, an average of 3.56 per game. That mark ranks second in the Big Ten Conference.
The 32 steals already ranks tied for eighth with Maxann Reese (1996-97) on MSU's freshman records chart. Vnemina Reese (1999-2000) holds MSU's freshman record for steals with 65.
She has at least two steals in each game to date, including a season-high five on two occasions (vs. Buffalo and at Arkansas State).
From The Line - Michigan State has improved its free throw shooting over the past four games, connecting on 72.3 percent (68-of-94) of its shots. For the season, MSU is connecting on 69.4 percent (129-of-186) of its shots from the charity stripe. Individually, Kristin Haynie leads MSU from the line at 79.23 percent (38-of-48)
Look, I'm On Television - The Spartans will make seven appearances on television in 2001-02. MSU entertains Georgia as part of the Big Ten-SEC Challenge on Jan. 5. The game will be shown on CBS television as part of a women's basketball tripleheader. The early game features Penn State at Vanderbilt at noon, followed by MSU-Georgia at 2 p.m. and UConn at Tennessee at 4 p.m.
In addition, MSU will appear on Fox Sports Chicago twice - vs. Northwestern (Jan. 27) and at Indiana (Feb. 3) - and on AT&T Cable four times - Indiana (Dec. 30), Penn State (Jan. 20), Purdue (Feb. 1) and Iowa (Feb. 20).
All of MSU's games will be broadcast live on the radio (The Fan 730 AM) and over the internet at www.msuspartans.com.
