Spartans Visit Detroit Saturday
12/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 10, 2004
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No. 12/12 Michigan State Spartans (7-1)vs. Detroit Titans (1-5)When Sat., Dec. 11, 2004 • 2 p.m.Site Detroit, Mich. (Calihan Hall: 8,295)Radio The Fan 730 AM (Michael Sinnott -- play-by-play)TV NoneCoaches MSU: Joanne P. McCallie (Northwestern, 1987) MSU: 75-53 (Fifth year); Overall: 242-126 (13th year) Detroit: Mickey Barrett (Xavier, 2003) UDM: 16-19 (Second season); Overall: Same
Opening Tip
Michigan State heads back on the road when the Spartans visit Detroit Saturday afternoon. MSU is 2-0 in road games this season, earning victories at then-No. 3/3 Notre Dame and at Cincinnati, while MSU is also 2-1 in neutral site games. Detroit has played just one home game thus far, falling to UNLV, 82-49 last Saturday.
Point Production
Michigan State has scored 75 or more points in seven of its eight games this season, with the only exception being a 56-54 victory over Utah Nov. 26 in Hawaii. The consistent point production is a welcome addition to this year's team, as last season, MSU only scored 75 or more points four times all season. In fact, during head coach Joanne P. McCallie's previous four seasons, the most 75-point games MSU has had in a season was eight during the 2002-03 season. This year's total of seven is already the second best total since McCallie's arrival.
On The Rebound
Michigan State is off to another great start in the rebounding department, having outrebounded seven of its first eight opponents and holding a +9.6 rebounding margin, which is second in the Big Ten. Michigan State ranked second in the Big Ten last season in rebounding margin (+5.3) and led the league in 2002-03. Liz Shimek, who is on pace to become the first player in MSU history to grab 1,000 career rebounds, averages a team-best 8.8 rebounds per game, while Kelli Roehrig, who has three double-doubles, has an 8.5 average. The guards have also contributed, as Kristin Haynie averages 6.3 rebounds and Victoria Lucas-Perry adds 4.4 rebounds per game.
Scouting Detroit
Detroit is off to a 1-5 start and has dropped its last three games, including an 86-34 contest at No. 18 Minnesota Dec. 2. MSU and Detroit have one common opponent as each team has played at Cincinnati. The Titans lost their season opener to the Bearcats, 60-31, while MSU escaped with a 77-61 victory last Saturday.
Junior guard Lindsey Pasquinzo is the only player averaging double figure points, scoring 15.8 points per game and adding a team-high 14 steals. Pasquinzo has led the team in scoring in each of Detroit's last four games. Junior guard Katie Solner leads the team in assists per game (3.5) and is second in scoring (9.8). Senior center/forward April Savalli chips in 6.2 points per game and tops the team averaging 3.7 rebounds per game.
As a team, Detroit is scoring just 52.0 points per game thanks in part to 31.8 percent shooting, although the Titans did shoot a season-best 42.0 percent in their last game at Wednesday at Louisville. Detroit has allowed opponents to score 71.8 points per game while shooting 50.3 percent from the field. The Titans are outrebounded by 13.2 boards per game, but do hold a +3.5 average turnover margin, forcing 20.7 miscues per game.
Series Records
Michigan State leads the all-time series 12-7, and has won the last seven meetings. The Titans hold a 6-3 lead in games played in Detroit, but MSU has won the last three, including a 62-61 victory in its last trip Nov. 28, 2001. Detroit's last victory in the series was a 75-70 decision Dec. 20, 1994.
Last Game: Michigan State 85, Eastern Illinois 45
Michigan State dominated the paint while posting a convincing 85-45 victory over Eastern Illinois Thursday at the Breslin Center. The taller Spartans held a 57-25 rebounding edge and grabbed 27 offensive boards, and had a 44-8 edge in points in the paint.
Despite playing without Kristin Haynie, who suffered a thumb injury the day before the game in practice, MSU rolled to a 51-24 halftime lead and never looked back. The Spartan sophomores stepped up their games, as Rene Haynes had a season-high 18 points and a career-best eight rebounds, while Victoria Lucas-Perry had career highs of 15 points and seven assists and added a season-high eight boards.
Kelli Roehrig and Liz Shimek added 14 points each for MSU, with Roehrig reaching the 1,000 career point mark during the contest. Lindsay Bowen, playing the point in Haynie's absence, scored 10 points, dished out six assists and had a career-high five steals.
MSU took 23 more shots than Eastern Illinois, sinking 34-of-72 field goals, while the Panthers hit just 14-of-49.
Haynie Misses First Game
Kristin Haynie sat out the Eastern Illinois game after injuring her left (non-shooting) thumb during practice the day before the game. It was the first game that Haynie has missed during her MSU career after playing in 99 consecutive games, including 95 starts. Her status for the Detroit game is questionable.
Stopping The Slump
Victoria Lucas-Perry came out of a mini-slump in a big way, collecting 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists vs. Eastern Illinois. Lucas-Perry, who had started the first five games this season, had struggled in her previous three games, totaling just three points, seven rebounds and one assist in games vs. TCU, Notre Dame and Cincinnati.
Having A Grand Time
Kelli Roehrig became the 13th player in MSU history and the first since the 2000-01 season to reach the 1,000 career point mark during Thursday's game vs. Eastern Illinois. At least two other Spartans and possibly three could reach the mark this season. Lindsay Bowen (939) and Kristin Haynie (900) are not far from the milestone. Liz Shimek is next with 751 points, and needed 363 points entering the season to reach the mark. Shimek scored 335 points as a sophomore.
Threes Not Kind To Spartans
If MSU has shows a weakness so far this season, it could surprisingly be 3-point shooting, which had been a strength in recent seasons. MSU ranks ninth in the Big Ten this year, sinking just 27.1 percent of its 3-point attempts (29-of-107). Last season, MSU ranked fourth in the league by shooting .350 from long range, which ranked 47th nationally, and just two seasons ago, MSU led the Big Ten and ranked third nationally with a 3-point percentage of .397.
Defense On Display
Eastern Illinois became the second team this season help below 50 points by MSU, but the Spartans have surrendered more points thus far this season than last, allowing 61.5 points per game. Last season, MSU ranked first in the Big Ten and 14th nationally allowing just 56.1 points per game. The Spartans, who also led the league in field-goal percentage defense (37.9), held 10 teams below 50 points in a game last season, including limiting Michigan to a Breslin Center record low 33 points.
Bowen Named Big Ten Player of the Week
Lindsay Bowen, in the midst of one of the best scoring streaks for any player in Spartan history, was named Big Ten Player of the Week Dec. 6 following road victories at Notre Dame and Cincinnati. Bowen averaged 25.5 points in the two games, pouring in 23 points including a game-tying 3-point basket with 13.6 seconds left Dec. 2 at Notre Dame, and torching Cincinnati for 28 points including 18 during a second-half comeback Dec. 4. In her previous game Nov. 28 vs. TCU, Bowen scored a career-high 33 points with a career-best six 3-pointers, giving her an average of 28.0 points per game over the three-game stretch, which ironically was her career high prior to the TCU game.
Oh Shoot!
It's not often that you see three third- or fourth-year players set career highs in field goal attempts in the same game, but that's exactly what happened Dec. 4 at Cincinnati. Lindsay Bowen attempted a career-high 20 field goals, while Kelli Roehrig (19) and Liz Shimek (17) also both set career highs for field goal attempts. Those three players combined for 64 of MSU's 77 points in the game (Bowen - 28; Roehrig - 18; Shimek - 18).
Road Warriors
For the second straight season, Michigan State played five consecutive games away from home, going 4-1 during the stretch from Nov. 26 to Dec. 4. Last year, MSU played five consecutive road games in December, falling at Oklahoma State before winning games at Kent State, at Toledo, at Pepperdine and at UCLA.
MSU set a school record last season by winning 10 road games, including six in the Big Ten. MSU had road winning streaks of five and four games, and snapped Ohio State's 24-game home winning streak and Minnesota's 19-game home winning streak.
Overtime Overdrive
Michigan State is 2-0 in overtime game this season and 4-0 over the past two seasons. MSU claimed an 82-78 victory over then-No. 18/17 Boston College Nov. 21, and an 82-73 win at then-No. 3/3 Notre Dame Dec. 2. MSU, which went 2-0 in overtime games last season with wins at Northwestern (67-57) and Indiana (60-51), had lost its last nine consecutive overtime games prior to the current four-game streak, including three double-overtime games. In its last four overtime periods, MSU has outscored its opponents 47-15 (12-3 vs. Notre Dame, 12-8 vs. Boston College, 14-4 vs. Northwestern and 9-0 vs. Indiana).
Beating The Best
Michigan State's victory over No. 3 Notre Dame Dec. 2 marked the highest-ranked team that MSU has ever beaten. Previously, the highest-ranked team the Spartans had beaten was No. 4/4 Penn State, 71-63, Jan. 23, 2000 in East Lansing. MSU improved to 2-0 this season against nationally-ranked teams, having previously defeated then-No. 18/17 Boston College Nov. 21 in the championship game of the Spartan Classic. MSU has won 11 games against nationally-ranked teams in the past four seasons, with five of the 11 wins coming on the road.
Homewreckers
If you've got a lengthy home-court winning streak, Michigan State is not the team you want to see coming to town. In the last two seasons MSU has snapped three long home-court winning streaks, including a Dec. 2 victory at Notre Dame that snapped the Irish's 25-game home winning streak. Last year, MSU snapped Ohio State's 24-game home winning streak and stopped Minnesota's 19-game home winning streak.
Ms. Versatility
Senior guard Kristin Haynie is the only player in the Big Ten who is listed among the league leaders in scoring (22nd - 11.3), rebounding (13th - 6.3), assists (fifth - 4.4), steals (first - 4.0), field goal percentage (12th - .526) and free throw percentage (tied for third - .889).
Dynamite Debut
Freshman Maggie Dwyer made her first career start Dec. 2 at Notre Dame, and although she played only 15 minutes, she answered the call with a career-high nine points. Dwyer has been a rebounding machine during her limited minutes, averaging 12.0 rebounds per 40 minutes played, which ranks just behind Kelli Roehrig's 12.1 average for the team lead.
Bowen Breaks 30 Barrier
Lindsay Bowen scored a career-high 33 points Nov. 28 vs. TCU, including 20 in the first half. Her 33 points were the sixth most in a single game in MSU history, and she became the first Spartan to score 30 or more points in a game since Syreeta Bromfield lit up Kent State for 30 points Dec. 3, 2002. Bowen's six 3-pointers were tied for fourth-best in a game in Spartan history, and the most since Bromfield hit six vs. Miami (Ohio), Nov. 23, 2002.
Milestone Maker
Kristin Haynie reached the 400 career assist mark Nov. 27 vs. Santa Clara, and currently has 416 assists. She is just the fourth Spartan to reach 400 career assists, and is now just 44 assists shy of the MSU career record held by Chris Powers. Haynie became MSU's career steals leader last season, and has 257 for her career. She is also just 100 points shy of reaching 1,000 career points and has 413 career rebounds.
Four But No More
Michigan State has started each of the last two seasons and three of the last four with a 4-0 record, but each time MSU lost its fifth game of the year, including a Nov. 28 loss to TCU. Last year, MSU was upset at Oklahoma State, 62-60, and the Spartans fell at Florida International, 69-56, in 2002.
Useless Stat of the Game
Michigan State has played 19 games against Detroit, but only five of them happened on odd numbered days, including none of the last five meetings. The last game played on an odd date was MSU's 78-70 win in East Lansing Dec. 1, 1998. MSU is 3-2 in games played vs. Detroit on odd dates and 9-5 when playing the Titans on an even date. This will be just the second game between the teams played on an odd date during an even numbered year.
Rank You Very Much
Michigan State is currently ranked 12th in both polls, which is the highest ranking in Spartan history. Prior to this season, the highest MSU had ever climbed in the rankings was when the Spartans were No. 15 in the coaches poll Feb. 9, 2004.
Two Spartans Named To All-Tournament Team In Hawaii
Lindsay Bowen and Kelli Roehrig were both named to the All-Tournament team at the conclusion of the Rainbow Wahine Classic. Bowen scored 33 points in the championship game, sinking six 3-point baskets, and averaged 17.7 points during the three games. Roehrig had two double-doubles, totaling 23 points and 12 rebounds vs. Santa Clara and 22 points and 12 boards vs. TCU. She averaged 17 points and 11 rebounds for the tournament.
Three Spartans Named To Spartan Classic All-Tournament Team
Three members of the MSU team were named to the All-Tournament team following MSU's victory at the Spartan Classic. Kristin Haynie was named MVP after averaging 15.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.5 steals and 3.5 assists while shooting 58.9 percent from the field and sinking all eight free throws. Liz Shimek made the team by averaging 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds while adding six blocks. Kelli Roehrig rounded out MSU's selections after averaging 14.5 points and 4.0 rebounds.
Exhibit A
If statistics during exhibition games are an indicator of how statistics during the regular season might turn out, which they usually aren't, one player in particular is looking to have a much bigger season this year.
Kelli Roehrig, who averaged 9.1 points and 4.4 rebounds last season, averaged 22.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in just 24 minutes per game in two exhibition contests. Roehrig sank 19-of-24 shots from the field (79.2 percent) and 6-of-7 from the free throw line (.857). She already has three double-doubles this season and is averaging 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 55.7 percent from the field.
Other key performers in exhibition games for MSU were Lindsay Bowen (18.5 ppg, 9-of-15 from 3-point range), Rene Haynes (14.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 10 steals), Maggie Dwyer (12.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg) and Victoria Lucas-Perry (11.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg).
Moving On Up
• Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie needs eight more wins to reach 250 victories during her career, which is in its 13th season.
• Kelli Roehrig (1,002 points), Lindsay Bowen (939) and Kristin Haynie (900) have all cracked the top 25 on MSU's career scoring list, and Liz Shimek (751) should break into the top 25 before the season is done.
• Lindsay Bowen, who has averaged 71.5 three-point baskets during her first two seasons, needs just three more to take over second on MSU's career charts and 61 to equal Maxann Reese's record of 218.
• Liz Shimek currently ranks 15th in career rebounds at MSU with 585 in just over two seasons, and needs just 64 more to move into the top 10.
• Kristin Haynie, who ranks third currently with 416 career assists, needs 44 more to tie Chris Powers' MSU record of 460.
• Kelli Roehrig ranks third in Spartan history with 94 career blocks, and needs 13 more to move into second.
Three's Company
Michigan State has made at least one three-point basket in 75 consecutive games as a team, thanks largely to junior Lindsay Bowen, who has made at least one triple in 64 of 68 career games, including 13 in a row.
Spartans Garner National Respect
In the preseason Top 25s of various publications, MSU received a good deal of national respect. The Spartans were ranked No. 11 by Athlon Sports, No. 12 by Street & Smith's and No. 21 by Lindy's College Basketball Annual in their preseason publications. On ESPN.com's women's college basketball preview, both Nancy Lieberman and Charlie Creme picked the Spartans as the best team in the Big Ten. In addition, Liz Shimek was named a preseason honorable mention All-American by Street & Smith's.
Big Ten Coaches Pick MSU Second
The Big Ten coaches picked Michigan State to finish second in the Big Ten preseason poll, which was released Oct. 13. The Spartans were picked behind Ohio State and ahead of 2004 Final Four participant Minnesota in the coaches poll. The coaches also honored junior Lindsay Bowen, who was picked for their five-player preseason All-Big Ten team.
Gimme Five
Michigan State has five returning starters from last season who were also the five leading scorers on the team last year. Juniors Lindsay Bowen (13.5 points per game) and Liz Shimek (10.8) led the team, followed by seniors Kelli Roehrig (9.1) and Kristin Haynie (8.9) and sophomore Rene Haynes (8.2). MSU also returns its top three rebounders, its top four in steals and top two in assists.
The Back Court
Michigan State has a deep, experienced and talented group of guards this season. Three-year starter Kristin Haynie returns to the back court, and is joined by two-year starter Lindsay Bowen.
Haynie, MSU's all-time steals leader who should also easily eclipse the career assists record this year, was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection for a second straight year last season after averaging 8.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.7 steals. Her experience and leadership qualities will benefit the Spartans again this season.
Bowen, known for her three-point range and accuracy, has become a better all-around player and is more aggressive offensively. She led the squad with a 13.5 scoring average and added 2.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists while earning second-team All-Big Ten recognition last season. Her 66 three-point baskets last season give her two of the top three single-season totals in Spartan history.
Sophomore Rene Haynes looks to continue to shine on the wing, where her athleticism, defense and slashing ability helped her make the Big Ten All-Freshman team last season. Haynes averaged 8.2 points, 2.8 boards and 2.0 steals in her first season.
Sophomore Victoria Lucas-Perry was a key player off the bench last season and should continue to improve. Lucas-Perry averaged 4.0 points and 2.2 rebounds and scored nine or more points seven times.
Joining the returners are a trio of highly-touted freshmen. Courtney Davidson is a talented playmaker at the point who was a three-time first-team all-state pick at Ursuline (Ohio) High School and scored over 2,000 career points. Maggie Dwyer is an athletic and well-rounded wing player who was third in the Michigan Ms. Basketball voting and was the state discus champion for Grand Haven High School. Melanie Small adds strength and athleticism to the wing after earning all-state honors at Copley (Ohio) High School.
The Front Court
Michigan State has a much more experienced front court this season and will be expected to continue its physical style of play. The Spartans have finished first or second in the Big Ten in rebounding three straight seasons, thanks in part to players such as senior Kelli Roehrig and junior Liz Shimek.
Roehrig is back in the middle where her 6-4 frame poses an intimidating presence. After a slow start last season, she rebounded to average 9.1 points and 4.4 rebounds, including averages of 9.8 and 4.9 in Big Ten games. She shot 54.5 percent from the field and has a career percentage of over 56 percent.
Shimek was a third-team All-Big Ten pick after averaging 10.8 points and 8.1 rebounds last season. Although she is one of the Big Ten's strongest and best rebounders and has an array of post moves, she showed an ability to step out and hit the three last season, sinking 19 treys on 40.4 percent shooting.
Two sophomores earned valuable experience last season and will be keys off the bench. Katrina Grantham played in 29 games, averaging 1.1 points and 1.5 rebounds in 7.6 minutes, while Myisha Bannister could emerge this year after totalling 16 points and 25 boards over 20 games last season.
Six-foot four-inch freshman Laura Hall will provide insurance in the middle behind Roehrig and Grantham. Hall was a first-team all-state pick at Temperance (Mich.) Bedford High School.
Schedule Strength
Michigan State's 2004-05 regular season schedule includes 13 games during the regular season against teams that were in the 2004 NCAA Tournament. The Big Ten schedule includes two games each against tournament teams Minnesota, Ohio State and Iowa and one game each against Penn State and Purdue.
Three Big East teams that were in the NCAA Tournament highlight the nonconference slate, including a Dec. 29 trip to three-time NCAA champ Connecticut. MSU has already played then-No. 3/3 Notre Dame and then-No. 18/17 Boston College, and TCU was an opponent in Hawaii.
Welcome To The Family
Michigan State has added a pair of coaches with histories of success to its staff. MSU first added Al Brown, who has been to 12 NCAA Tournaments and five championship games during 27 years as a coach, and is the only person to have coached in a men's championship game (1969 with Purdue) and a women's championship game (1996-98, 2000 with Tennessee). The Spartans then added Semeka Randall, a two-time All-American and NCAA Champion at Tennessee who recently finished a four-year career in the WNBA.
Spartans Sign Four
Michigan State women's basketball coach Joanne P. McCallie has announced that four players have signed national letters of intent to join the Spartan women's basketball program in 2005-06.
The signees include Lauren Aitch (F, 6-2, Lansing, Mich./Waverly High School), Aisha Jefferson (F, 6-1, Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne High School), Jenny Poff (G, 5-6, St. John's, Mich./St. John's High School) and Tiffanie Shives (G, 5-10, Lansing, Mich./Lansing Christian High School).
Aitch, the daughter of former MSU basketball player Matthew Aitch, was a Street & Smith's honorable mention All-American in 2003 and 2004. She finished fifth in the 2004 Michigan Miss Basketball voting and was averaging 14.6 points and 8.8 rebounds as of signing day. She led Waverly to a 26-1 record and the Class A state championship.
Aitch, a four-year starter and three-time team captain, was named to the Associated Press Class A All-State team and the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Class A second team as a junior after averaging 19.1 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. As a sophomore, she was named to the BCAM Class A All-State third team, the Detroit Free Press all-state fourth team and the Lansing State Journal all-area team. She was a Detroit News and Associated Press honorable mention selection as a freshman, and has been an all-conference performer every season.
Jefferson is ranked as the nation's No. 47 senior by All-Star Girls Report and the No. 50 player by Blue Star Basketball. She was a Street & Smith's honorable mention All-American in both 2003 and 2004, was a Student Sports Junior All-American and a USA Today Freshman All-American. She participated in the Nike All-America Camp in 2004 and was an adidas Top Ten Camp Underclass All-Star in 2003. She played for the North team at the USA Youth Development Festival.
During her junior season in 2003-04, Jefferson averaged 14.1 points and 8.1 rebounds while shooting 59 percent from the field. She was named second-team all-state in Division I, was on the state's all-tournament team and was a first-team All-Dayton Daily News selection.
During her first three seasons at Chaminade-Julien, Jefferson has helped the squad to a 74-5 record, the 2003 state championship and a 2004 runner-up finish. Her team has been ranked No. 1 nationally by USA Today twice and has been nationally ranked her entire career. They have finished each of the past three seasons with the state's No. 1 ranking.
Poff was runner-up for this year's Michigan Miss Basketball award and as of signing day was averaging 19.3 points, 3.8 assists and 3.6 steals for St. John's, which finished 23-2 and reached the Class A state quarterfinals. Poff was shooting 51.7 percent from the field including 47.2 percent from 3-point range, and 88.2 percent from the free-throw line. She is St. John's third all-time leading scorer with 1,293 career points, and holds school career records with 433 assists, 290 steals and 155 3-point field goals.
Poff was a Class A All-State special mention selection as a junior after averaging 15.5 points and five assists per game, and was named to the Lansing State Journal's Dream Team. She was an All-Star Girls Report All-America Camp Upperclass All-Star, and was named first-team all-conference as a junior and sophomore and second team as a freshman.
Shives is the No. 18-ranked senior in the nation by All-Star Girls Report and No. 19 by Blue Star Basketball, and was named Michigan Miss Basketball this season by averaging 25.1 points, 8.0 assists, 5.2 steals and 4.4 rebounds. She led Lansing Christian to a 26-1 record and the Class D state championship, and broke the state's career 3-point basket record with her 267th 3-pointer Oct. 28. She was the preseason No. 1 player in the state as ranked by the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press.
Shives was a finalist for the U.S. Junior National Team last summer, and played on the North team at the USA Youth Development Festival. She was the Michigan Class D Player of the Year, the Lansing State Journal Player of the Year, a Street & Smith's Honorable Mention All-American and an All-Region first team pick as a junior after averaging 24 points, 6.5 rebounds, six assists and four steals per game while leading Lansing Christian to the state finals. Her 93 3-point baskets and 184 assists were both third-best in a single season in Michigan high school history. Her career high in points was a 47-point outburst vs. Webberville in 2002.
On Deck
After taking a break for final exams, MSU will host a pair of games before Christmas. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi visits Sunday, Dec. 19, at 2 p.m., while Vermont invades the Breslin Center Tuesday, Dec. 21, for a 6:30 p.m. contest.
