No. 16/17 Women's Basketball Hosts Oakland Wednesday
11/25/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
In a pre-Thanksgiving matchup, the No. 16/17 Michigan State women's basketball team will host Oakland on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. ET.
| #16/17 Michigan State (2-1) vs. Oakland (1-2) | |
| Date | Wednesday, November 26 |
| Time | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| Location | East Lansing, Mich. | Breslin Center |
| Tickets | Click To Purchase |
| Television | none |
| Radio | WJIM 1240AM | SpartanSportsNetwork.com |
| Game Notes | Michigan State | Oakland |
| Statistics | Michigan State | Oakland |
| Internet Coverage | BTN Plus (subscription) | |
| Promotions | Season Ticket Holder Appreciation Night Four Seats, Four Treats Free admission with Wednesday's volleyball ticket stub |
| Social Media | @MSU_WBasketball  | Facebook  |
ABOUT OAKLAND
The Golden Grizzlies enter the week at 1-2 overall and are coming off a 66-40 win over Chicago State on Sunday. Oakland is led by Olivia Nash's 14.0 points and 9.7 rebounds, as she is the team's only double-figure scorer. Former Spartan standout (2000-04) and Director of Basketball Operations (2007-14) Julie Dombroski returns to the Breslin Center as an assistant coach of the Golden Grizzlies.
AGAINST THE GOLDEN GRIZZLIES
Michigan State leads the all-time series against Oakland, 10-4, including a 6-2 mark in East Lansing. The Spartans have won six-in-a-row, including each of the last three seasons. The Spartans have won the last three seasons by an average margin of 25.0 points per game.
In last season's 80-62 victory in East Lansing (Dec. 15), the Spartans were led by a double-double from Aerial Powers, as she posted 21 points, 11 rebounds, three steals, three assists and two blocks. MSU started sluggish, falling behind 21-11 with 7:52 left until halftime. Michigan State followed with 12 unanswered points over the next four minutes to take its first lead and went on a 23-3 run in the second half to put the game away. Michigan State scored 53 second half points. The Spartans held a 55-35 edge on the glass and blocked nine shots.
AGAINST IN-STATE SCHOOLS
Michigan State has had great success against other collegiate programs in the state of Michigan over the past 12 seasons. Since the beginning of the 2002-03 season, the Spartans are 42-2 (.955) against in-state rivals, including a 27-2 (.931) mark under Coach Merchant. All-time, Michigan State is 175-57 (.754) against other Michigan schools.
QUICK HITTERS FROM SUNDAY (No. 15/17 Michigan State 64, IUPUI 45)
- Tori Jankoska led the team with a season-high 22 points, her third-straight 20-point game to start the season. She also dished out a team-high six assists.
- Jankoska tied her career-high with 11 free throws made (a mark she set in the opener vs. Eastern Michigan), which is tied for the ninth-most in a MSU single-game.
- MSU improved to 9-0 when Jankoska leads the team in scoring in her career.
- Aerial Powers had her third-straight double-double with 17 points and a team-high 13 rebounds.
- MSU used an early 13-2 run and a late 12-0 run to lead it to victory.
- The Spartans were 19-for-23 (82.6%) from the free throw line, while IUPUI was only 2-for-5 (40.0%).
IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER
The Spartans are 100-36 (73.5%) all-time in the month of November. Under Coach Merchant, Michigan State is 39-9 (81.3%) in November, with six of the nine losses coming against top-10 opponents. The Spartans have won 15 of their last 17 in the month.
WOODEN WATCH
Michigan State sophomore Aerial Powers was named to the John R. Wooden Women's Preseason Top 30 on Monday, November 30. She was one of five players in the Big Ten. The list is comprised of 30 student-athletes who are the early front-runners for college basketball's most prestigious honor. The list was chosen by a preseason poll of national women's college basketball media members.
OFFENSIVE START
Both sophomore Tori Jankoska and Aerial Powers have been off to a fast offensive start over the season's first three games. The pair both rank in the top-5 in the Big Ten in scoring, as Powers is third with 21.3 points and Jankoska is fourth with 20.7. Jankoska is the first Spartan since Kisha Kelley in 1994 to start the season with three-straight 20-point games. The duo was also the first pair to reach 20 points in the first two games in program history.
Powers has also tallied double-doubles in the first three games, the first Spartan to have accomplished that feat. Powers also ranks second in the conference in rebounds with 13.0 per game. Over her past nine games, Powers has posted seven double-doubles. During the stretch, she is averaging 16.3 points and 11.1 rebounds. For her career, Powers has 13 double-doubles.
Dating back to last season, Jankoska has scored in double figures in 20 of her last 24 games, averaging 14.4 points during the stretch. The Spartans are 9-0 in her career when she leads the team in scoring.
GUARDING THE THREE
Michigan State has been stingy in guarding behind the arc so far this season. Spartan opponents have made only 2.0 3-pointers per game (which leads the Big Ten), while shooting only 19.4% (second in the conference).
CRASHING THE BOARDS
The Spartans finished last season second in the Big Ten and 23rd in the nation in rebound margin (+7.3). MSU has been top-40 in the nation in rebound margin in each of Merchant's seven seasons. The Spartans have led the Big Ten in four of the last six seasons.
MSU has out-rebounded 102 of its last 127 opponents (80.3%), including all three games this season. The Spartans have a +9.3 rebound margin on the season.
Individually, two Spartans are in the top-10 in the Big Ten, as Aerial Powers is second with 13.0 rebounds per game and Jasmine Hines is tied for ninth with 9.0. Hines leads the conference with 5.3 offensive rebounds per game, while Powers with sixth with 3.7. Throughout their careers, both Powers and Hines have been efficient rebounders, as Powers is averaging 12.7 rebounds per 40 minutes and Hines is averaging 10.7.
MERCHANT MARVELS
In Coach Merchant's first seven-plus seasons at MSU, the Spartans have gone 165-73 (69.4%). Her winning percentage is the 10th-best all-time among Big Ten coaches, and second among active conference coaches. Her 163 wins in her fist seven seasons were the fourth-most by a Big Ten coach in their first seven seasons. During her span, the 165 wins are third among Big Ten schools, trailing only new member Maryland (199) and Ohio State (168). Merchant has won at least 20 games in 10-straight seasons, not including the shortened 2006-07 season due to her maternity leave. In her career, she has 11 20-win seasons.
In conference games, she is 82-36 (69.5%), ranking her 10th all-time in career winning percentage in Big Ten games and second among active coaches. During her Spartan career, her 82 conference wins are the most in the Big Ten (Iowa and Ohio State-76).
Merchant also owns the most NCAA appearances as MSU head coach (six).
MAGIC NUMBERS
In head coach Suzy Merchant's tenure, when two numbers on the scoreboard were achieved it typically has been a sign of a MSU win. When the Spartans have scored at least 70 points, their record is 76-5 (93.8%), and have won 59 of their last 60 games. Also, when they hold opponents to 60 points or less, their record is 122-11 (91.7%).
CLOSING IT OUT
The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 104 of their last 105 games (99.0%) when leading with five minutes left, including winning 55 games in a row. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 146-5 (96.7%) when holding a lead with five minutes left.
HOME COOKING
The 2014-15 basketball season is the Spartans' 26th inside the Breslin Center. MSU has an all-time record of 264-88 (.750) at Breslin and have been even more dominant of late in its cozy confines, having won 58 of its last 68 games (.853).
FANS CONTINUE TO PACK THE BRESLIN
The Spartans ended last season ranked seventh in the nation and second in the Big Ten with 7,145 fans per game. It marked the 10th-straight season that the Spartans have been among the nation's top-15 in attendance, and the fifth consecutive year they have been in the top-10. The average is the third best in program history.
ON THIS DATE
Michigan State is 12-3 all-time on Nov. 26, having won its last eight games.
Suzy Merchant RADIO SHOW
The Suzy Merchant Radio Show will begin on Wednesday, Dec. 3. The show, typically held on Wednesdays if no conflicts, is held 12-1 p.m. at Reno's East on Abbott Road. It can be heard locally on WVFN 730AM or at SpartanSportsNetwork.com.
