Women's Basketball Visits No. 20 Georgia Tuesday
12/15/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 15, 2002
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MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS (4-3)VS. #20 GEORGIA LADY BULLDOGS (5-2)When Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2002 - 7 p.m.Site Athens, Ga. - Stegeman Coliseum (10,523)Radio The Fan 730 AM (Michael Sinnott, play-by-play)Television NoneCoaches MSU: Joanne P. McCallie (Northwestern, 1987) Overall: 200-108 (11th season); MSU: 33-34 (Third season) Georgia: Andy Landers (Tennessee Tech, 1974) Overall: 651-192 (28th season); UGA: 569-171 (24th season)
TIP-OFF: After a well-deserved break, the Michigan State women's basketball returns to action Tuesday, Dec. 17, when the Spartans visit No. 20 Georgia. MSU will then continue its unusual road trip by venturing from Athens, Ga., to Providence, R.I., where the Spartans will battle Providence on Friday, Dec. 20.
MSU has not played since an 88-77 victory at Oakland Dec. 5, capping a stretch of seven games in 14 days for the Spartans. Ironically enough, after hosting Michigan State, Oakland's next game was Dec. 8 at Georgia, where the Lady Bulldogs posted a 99-56 victory.
SPARTANS READY FOR REMATCH WITH BULLDOGS: Georgia must certainly be out for revenge when the two teams meet Tuesday, after last season's Spartan victory in East Lansing. Georgia entered the Breslin Center last Jan. 5 with an 11-0 record and a No. 8 national ranking, but in front of a national television audience on CBS, MSU handed the Lady Bulldogs a stunning 70-49 loss. The 21-point margin of victory would prove to equal Georgia's worst loss of the 2001-02 season.
SCOUTING GEORGIA: Georgia is 5-2 after defeating Tennessee Tech, 87-56, Saturday. After opening with two wins, the Lady Bulldogs dropped a pair of games out west to Arizona and Arizona State, but bounced back to defeat UCLA and Oakland at home prior to the Tennessee Tech win. Georgia has proven to be a team that likes to pound the ball inside, as the Lady Dogs average 28.9 two-point baskets per game and just three three-point baskets per contest. Georgia is shooting 52.6 percent on two-point attempts, and just .280 on three-point bombs. Despite their prevalence for the inside game, the Lady Dogs have attempted fewer free throws than their opponents this season (139 to 130), but Georgia does outrebound its opponents by 10.4 boards per game.
Six-foot four-inch junior center Christi Thomas leads Georgia in scoring and rebounding, averaging 18.4 points and 8.0 boards. Kara Braxton, a 6-6 sophomore forward, is not far behind, averaging 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds. Freshman guard Alexis Kendrick, a McDonald's High School All-American, is averaging 6.7 points and 4.9 assists for the Lady Dogs.
SERIES RECORDS: Georgia leads the all-time series, 2-1. The Lady Bulldogs won in East Lansing, 66-52, Dec. 17, 1988, and against in Athens, 90-66, Dec. 16, 1989. MSU's lone victory was last season's 70-49 triumph in the Breslin Center.
HOT-SHOOTING SPARTANS EARN VICTORY AT OAKLAND: Michigan State shot a blistering 65.3 percent from the floor, sinking 32-of-49 shots, en route to an 88-77 victory at Oakland Dec. 5. The Spartans made 17-of-24 shots in the second half (70.8 percent) to overcome a 39-37 halftime deficit.
Syreeta Bromfield scored 23 points and added nine rebounds, five assists and five steals to lead the Spartans. Lindsay Bowen added 19 points for MSU, draining seven of her 10 shots including 3-of-5 from three-point range. Kelli Roehrig added 14 points while Liz Shimek had 10 and six rebounds.
Both teams shot well in the opening stanza, as MSU made 60 percent of its shots and Oakland shot 59 percent. But the Grizzlies, who led by as much as seven in the first period, had the advantage by making nine of their 15 three-point shots. Oakland led 33-26, but a three-pointer by Bromfield pulled MSU within one at 36-35 late in the half before the Spartans settled for a two-point halftime deficit.
The Spartans started slow in the second half, turning the ball over three times in their first four possessions, but then caught fire. Sophomore Kristin Haynie (Mason) made a steal that Bromfield converted into a layup to give MSU its first lead since 4-3 at 46-44. MSU led 50-49 when a Roehrig started a 20-2 run that put the game away. Five Spartans scored during the run which was capped by a Bowen three that put MSU on top 70-51 with 6:15 left.
Oakland continued its three-point onslaught, closing within 76-67 with 2:55 left, but another Bromfield bomb held off the Grizzlies. Oakland did inch within eight at 79-71, but MSU made five of six free throws down the stretch to hold on for the victory.
Michigan State held a 27-21 edge on the boards, and had a big advantage from the free throw line. MSU sank 17-of-22 free throws while Oakland attempted just six free throws, making four. MSU had 14 turnovers while Oakland, which shot 52.7 percent for the game, had 13.
200 AND COUNTING: MSU head coach Joanne P. McCallie notched career win No. 200 Dec. 5 at Oakland. In her 11th season as a head coach, McCallie now owns a career record of 200-108.
BROMFIELD NAMED BIG TEN CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Syreeta Bromfield was named Big Ten co-Player of the Week Dec. 9 after her performance in two MSU victories last week. Bromfield had two outstanding all-around games for Michigan State last week as the Spartans won twice. She averaged 26.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.5 steals and 5.5 assists while shooting 58.1 percent from the field.
During an 85-72 against Kent State Dec. 3, Bromfield had career-highs of 30 points, eight steals and six assists while adding seven rebounds. In an 88-77 win at Oakland Dec. 5, she had team-highs of 23 points, nine rebounds, five steals and five assists.
Bromfield's eight steals against Kent State tied for fifth most in a single game in MSU history, and were the most by a Spartan since Jamie Wesley set the school record by recording 12 steals vs. Minnesota Feb. 2, 1996. She also became the first Spartan to score 30 points in a game since Maxann Reese did it against Purdue on Feb. 17, 2000.
THE NASTY NINE: Michigan State, which started the offseason with 12 players, had been down to eight due to a rash of injures just two games into the season. Junior guard Candice Jackson was the latest casualty, tearing her left ACL Nov. 24 against Miami (Ohio). The Spartans had already lost senior forward Maria Recker (shoulder) and freshman guard Patrice McKinney (ACL) for the year to injuries, and junior transfer Caroline Nixon from Australia was not cleared to play by the NCAA. As a result, the Spartans turned to Michigan State's Final Four field hockey team for help, as junior guard Theresa Pusateri was added to the roster in time for the Thanksgiving trip to Memphis. Pusateri played in 17 games for the field hockey squad this fall, scoring one goal and adding an assist.
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARDS: Last season Michigan State outrebounded its opponents by 4.3 rebounds per game. This year the Spartans are off to an even better start. MSU has outrebounded its opponents by an average of 13.4 rebounds per game through seven games, which leads the Big Ten and ranks sixth nationally. MSU has been particularly impressive on the offensive boards, as MSU has more offensive rebounds (125) than its opponents have defensive rebounds (118). MSU outrebounded Mercer on Nov. 29 by a whopping 62-30 margin.
IF YOU INVITE THEM, THEY WILL COME: Michigan State set a new school attendance record Dec. 3 when 12,058 witnessed MSU's 85-72 victory against Kent State. The crowd consisted largely of fourth and fifth-grade students who were invited as part of the When I Grow Up program. Activities before the game, during timouts and halftime and on the concourse were set up to promote education and to assist kids in thinking about possible career paths. The crowd easily surpassed MSU's previous record of 7,733, established Feb. 20, 2000, vs. Michigan.
Thanks largely to that game, MSU currently ranks 12th nationally in attendance, averaging 5,255 fans per game.
JUST SHOOT ME: The Spartans appear to have improved their shooting touch during the offseason, as MSU has hit 46.5 percent of its shots during the first seven games, including 40.2 percent from three-point distance. Last year, MSU shot 41.7 percent from the field and 30.4 percent from downtown. MSU also sank 74.7 percent of its free throws in the opening seven games - an improvement from last year's 69.4 percent. MSU ranks second in the Big Ten and 32nd nationally in three-point field goal percentage, and fifth in the conference and 36th nationally in field goal percentage.
PUTTING IN OVERTIME: Michigan State's injuries and subsequent lack of depth have forced players into playing more minutes than they otherwise might have. Freshman guard Lindsay Bowen has been on the court for 252 of a possible 280 minutes already this season, averaging 36.0 minutes per game. Senior Syreeta Bromfield has averaged 31.6 minutes, while freshman Liz Shimek is averaging 30.4 minutes. Sophomore guard Kristin Haynie, who played just 13 minutes in the opener after recovering from an illness, has averaged 31.2 minutes in the last six games.
THE DEFENSE RESTS: From the "Maybe defense doesn't always win games" department, Michigan State is 4-1 this year when allowing more than 60 points, and 0-2 when the Spartans surrender fewer than 60 points.
FAB FRESHMEN: Michigan State has received big boosts from its freshmen this year. Lindsay Bowen scored 26 points against Fresno State in her Spartan debut Nov. 23, and is averaging 13.7 points while sinking 18-of-39 three-point shots (46.2 percent). Liz Shimek has posted double-doubles in three contests, and ranks second in the Big Ten and 24th nationally averaging 10.4 rebounds, including 16 in 24 minutes vs. Mercer, while adding 9.9 points per game.
OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION: Michigan State started its season by scoring 82 points in the season opener against Fresno State, then 84 points vs. Miami (Ohio). Last season, it took 27 contests before the Spartans scored 80 or more points in a game. MSU had not started a season with two games of 80+ points since 1994. The Spartans added 85 points Dec. 3 vs. Kent State, then scored 88 Dec. 5 at Oakland, which was the most points scored by MSU since getting 101 vs. Chicago State Nov. 26, 2000.
ON THE REBOUND: Freshman Liz Shimek's 16 rebounds Nov. 29 against Mercer are the most by a Spartan since Kristin Rasmussen pulled down 17 vs. Central Michigan Dec. 8, 1999. Shimek has pulled down double-digit rebounds in four of MSU's seven games this season.
ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS: Liz Shimek and Syreeta Bromfield were named to the Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic All-Tournament team Nov. 30. Shimek averaged 12 points and 14 rebounds in two games, including career-highs of 16 rebounds vs. Mercer and 15 points vs. Memphis. Bromfield had a double-double vs. Mercer with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Bromfield and Kelli Roehrig were named to the Spartan Chevrolet Classic All-Tournament team Nov. 24. Bromfield averaged 19.5 points and seven rebounds in two games, including 28 points and nine boards Nov. 24 vs. Miami (Ohio). Roehrig had 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting vs. Fresno State before adding 13 points vs. Miami. Joining the Spartans on the All-Tournament team were tournament MVP Heather Cusick and Jana Butler from Miami (Ohio), Jeanette Gray from Valparaiso and Lindsay Logan from Fresno State.
CALLIER'S BIG NIGHTS: Senior Jennifer Callier had just five points and two rebounds in MSU's first two games combined, but then exploded for 12 points on five-of-eight shooting and added four rebounds and a block vs. Toledo. In her next game, she matched a career-high with 15 points vs. Mercer and added five rebounds and a career-best four assists.
EN FUEGO: Sophomore Kellii Roehrig ranked fourth in the Big Ten as a freshman, shooting .564 from the field, which ranks second-best for a freshman in MSU history. This season, she's been even hotter, sinking 60.3 percent of her field goal attempts, which ranks sixth in the Big Ten and 36th nationally. Roehrig is averaging 13.1 points per game for MSU.
OPENING ACT: By defeating Fresno State 82-68 in the season opener, MSU improved to 19-12 all-time in season openers, including an 11-2 record when the opener is at home. The Spartans have now won four straight season-opening games.
DOUBLE TROUBLE: Freshman Liz Shimek proved that it was no fluke that she was named Ms. Basketball for the state of Michigan last year. Shimek started her MSU career with two double-doubles, scoring 10 points against both Fresno State and Miami (Ohio) while grabbing game-high rebounds total of 14 vs. Fresno State and 11 vs. Miami. She added her third double-double vs. Memphis Nov. 30, scoring a career-high 15 points with 12 rebounds.
USELESS STAT OF THE WEEK: Michigan State's all-time record when Julie Pagel's point total is divisible by three is 14-10.
INJURY BUG: Michigan State has seen its depth depleted by injuries already this season. Junior guard Candice Jackson was the latest casualty, going down with a torn left ACL Nov. 24 vs. Miami (Ohio). Jackson is expected to be out for the season.
Freshman guard Patrice McKinney suffered a torn ACL in her right knee during an individual workout Oct. 3, and is expected to redshirt this season. Senior forward Maria Recker has had a lingering shoulder injury since her freshman season that will keep her out of action this year.
Junior guard Caroline Nixon (hamstring) was held out of the game against Athletes In Action, while junior forward Julie Pagel has been suffering from a back injury, which kept her out of the second exhibition contest.
In addition, sophomore center Kelli Roehrig fractured a bone in her left (non-shooting) thumb in late October, but did not miss any action. Sophomore guard Kristin Haynie suffered from mononucleosis this summer, and an illness kept her out of the Oct. 26 Green-White scrimmage.
THE BACK COURT: Sophomore Kristin Haynie is a returning starter at guard, while senior Syreeta Bromfield returns at the wing. Haynie set MSU freshman records with 177 assists and 77 steals last year and was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman team. She averaged 7.8 points, 3.7 assists and 2.4 steals last year, ranking seventh in the Big Ten in steals and 11th in assists. Bromfield was MSU's leading scorer (15.6 ppg) and rebounder (6.5 rpg) last year, while earning second-team All-Big Ten honors.
One newcomer who is seeing plenty of action is freshman Lindsay Bowen. Bowen was a four-time class C all-state pick at Dansville High who is the third leading scorer in Michigan High School history. Bowen was runner-up to current teammate Liz Shimek for Michigan Ms. Basketball honors last season.
THE FRONT COURT: The Spartans return forward Julie Pagel and centers Jennifer Callier and Kelli Roehrig from last year's team. Pagel ranked second for MSU averaging 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds. Callier started 13 of the 31 games in which she played and averaged 3.3 points and 3.2 rebounds, while Roehrig poured in 8.2 points and grabbed 3.7 boards while starting 16 games.
A pair of freshmen have been added to the mix. Liz Shimek, a 6-1 forward from Empire, Mich., was named Michigan's Ms. Basketball last year after averaging 24.0 points and 15.0 rebounds for Maple City-Glen Lake. Megan Osmer, a 6-2 center, joins the Spartans after leading Bellevue (Wash.) High to four league titles and two district championships.
LIKE A FINE WINE: If players, like wine, get better with age, MSU should show continued improvement this season. A year ago the Spartans had seven first-year players on their 12-player roster. This season, MSU has seven players returning who combined to start 109 games last season. Players who scored 77 percent of MSU's points and hauled down 79 percent of MSU's rebounds return this season.
BROMFIELD LEADS THE WAY: Syreeta Bromfield had an impressive first season for Michigan State, and looks to continue her production in 2002-03. Last year, Bromfield led MSU in scoring 15 times and in rebounding 15 times, while also posting a team-best four double-doubles.
EUROPEAN VACATION: Junior Julie Pagel was a member of the 2002 Big Ten Foreign Tour squad during the summer, travelling to the Netherlands and Belgium during her 10-day visit. Pagel averaged team-highs of 11.0 points and 8.6 rebounds while leading the Big Ten team to a 5-0 record.
SECRETARIES OF DEFENSE: One of the cornerstones of Joanne P. McCallie's teams is a stingy defense. Last season MSU ranked second in the Big Ten in scoring defense (62.7 ppg), after ranking first in McCallie's initial season. In addition, the Spartans led the Big Ten by averaging 11.3 steals per game last year.
More of the same should be expected for this season. MSU returns its top three ball thieves from last year, all of whom ranked in the top 13 in the Big Ten in steals. Kristin Haynie, who ranked seventh in the Big Ten in steals, narrowly edged Syreeta Bromfield, who ranked ninth, for the team lead (77 steals to 75). Julie Pagel was third on the team and 13th in the conference with 59 steals.
LOOK, I'M ON TELEVISION: The Spartans will make a minimum of eight appearances on television in 2002-03. Two MSU contests will be featured by FOX Sports Chicago and FOX Sports Detroit, including a Jan. 30 home game against Michigan and a Feb. 20 game at Purdue. Also, FOX will broadcast all of the Big Ten Tournament games with the exception of the championship, which will air on espn2, meaning at least one more Spartan contest will be on FOX Sports.
In addition, five MSU home games will be televised by AT&T Broadband. Games scheduled to be televised include the Dec. 3 game vs. Kent State, Jan. 23 vs. Minnesota, Feb. 9 against Penn State, Feb. 13 vs. Ohio State and Feb. 24 vs. Illinois.
All of MSU's games will be broadcast live on the radio (The Fan 730 AM) and on the internet at www.msuspartans.com.
THE SCHEDULE: The Spartans face a challenging schedule in 2002-03. MSU will play 12 games against teams that competed in the 2002 NCAA Tournament, and four more against 2002 WNIT teams. NCAA Tournament teams include Georgia, Oakland, Kent State, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin. The WNIT post-season tournament participants include Illinois, Michigan and Valparaiso.
In the Big Ten schedule, the Spartans will face Indiana, Michigan, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue twice and Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin once.
SPARTANS SIGN FOUR: MSU head coach Joanne P. McCallie signed four players to national letters of intent to join the Spartans women's basketball program in 2003-04. The signees include Myisha Bannister (C, 6-3, Cleveland, Ohio/Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School), Katrina Grantham (C, 6-1, Saginaw, Mich./Heritage High School), Lorenda "Rene" Haynes (G, 5-10, Columbus, Ohio/The Wellington School) and Victoria Lucas-Perry (F, 5-11, Flint, Mich./Powers Catholic High School).
Bannister earned Division III All-Ohio honorable mention honors as a junior by averaging 11.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.7 blocks and 2.5 steals per game. She helped guide Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School to the district championship and her team, which started five juniors, advanced to the regional finals before falling.
Grantham was a second-team all-state selection in 2001 by The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press after leading Heritage to the state championship game. She is currently in her third season as a captain and has twice been named first-team All-Saginaw Valley.
Haynes has been named team MVP, first team all-league and first-team all-district each of her first three years at The Wellington School. She was named first-team all-state and district Player of the Year as a junior after averaging 27.8 points, 9.2 rebounds 3.8 steals and 2.4 assists per game. Haynes was the league MVP and second-team all-state as a sophomore after averaging 23.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 6.1 steals and 4.1 assists.
Lucas-Perry was averaging 22.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game this season. She has led Powers Catholic to two straight Class B state championships, plus a state runner-up finish. She was a first-team all-state pick as a junior, and was one of 48 juniors in the country to be invited by USA Basketball to play in an Olympic festival last June.
