MSU Women's Basketball Opens Tripleheader with Northeastern Sunday
12/15/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
| RV/RV Michigan State (9-2) vs. Northeastern (2-7) | |
| Date | Sunday, Dec. 18 |
| Time | 12 p.m. ET |
| Location | East Lansing, Mich. | Breslin Center |
| Tickets | Click To Purchase |
| Television | BTN Plus |
| Radio | Spartan Sports Network | WJIM-AM 1240 |
| Game Notes | Michigan State | Northeastern |
| Statistics | Michigan State | Northeastern |
| Internet Coverage | |
| Promotions | None |
| Social Media | @MSU_WBasketball  | Facebook  | Instagram  |
EAST LANSING , Mich. - After playing seven of their last eight games on the road, the Spartans return home to take on Northeastern on Sunday, Dec. 18 at noon. The game is part of a tripleheader with the MSU hockey team and the MSU men's basketball team, the MSU women will play at Noon, while the Spartan hockey squad plays at 3 p.m. The Michigan State men end the tripleheader at 7 p.m.
STARTING LINEUP
• Michigan State will conclude non-conference action on Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. against No. 2 Notre Dame. The Spartans are currently 9-2 this season with two non-conference games remaining. Last season, Michigan State ended non-conference play with a matching 9-2 record.
• Freshman guard Taryn McCutcheon set a new career-high with 15 points. McCutcheon also had a career-high five 3-pointers in the win. Her previous high was 11 points versus Davidson on Nov. 11.
• Senior guard Tori Jankoska is one of only two players to be in the all-time career top-10 in both assists and points. Jankoska is No. 4 in points with 1,711 and No. 6 in assists with 384. Lindsay Bowen (2002-06) is the only other player in both who is No. 3 in the record books with 1,739 career points and No. 8 all-time with 371 assists.
• With the 85-48 win over Rhode Island, the Spartans have now scored at least 80 points three times this season. The 85 points against the Rams were the most scored this season. Michigan State also scored 80 points against Oakland (81-74) and Delaware (81-64).
SCOUTING NORTHEASTERN
Northeastern has two players averaging in double-figure scoring this season, led by Francesca Sally who averages 12.3 points per game. Sally also leads the team in rebounds this season with 69 in total to average 7.7 per game. Jess Genco is the other Husky scoring in double-digits, averaging 11.2 points per game.
Through all nine games this season the Huskies have had the same starting lineup - Francesca Sally, Jess Genco, Gabby Giacone, Zoe Zwerling, and Shannon Todd.
Northeastern is averaging 61.9 points per game on a field goal percentage of .380, shooting 208-for-547. The Huskies have a .326 percentage from behind the three-point line, shooting 61-for-187.
The Huskies pull in on average 38.1 rebounds per game, which gives them the 0.5 rebounding margin over their opponents this season who have averaged 37.6 per game.
MORE ABOUT THE HUSKIES
Northeastern is currently on a seven-game losing streak, and will enter Sunday afternoon's game with an overall mark of 2-7 on the year.
The last time out Northeastern fell in its closest game of the season to New Hampshire, 66-63 in overtime. Fancesca Sally led the team with 23 points and notched the teams only two blocks. Gabby Giacone brought in team-high 13 rebounds, five offensive and eight defensive, while Jess Genco passed out team-high six assists.
The 2016-17 campaign marks head coach Kelly Cole's third year with the Northeastern program, she became the sixth head coach in program's history on June 9, 2014.
Cole improved the Huskies record in her second season with Northeastern leading the Huskies to 11 more wins than during her first year, a mark that tied for the seventh best turnaround in Division I history. Last season, Cole coached the Huskies to a conference record of 9-9 to finish sixth in the CAA league.
ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD
The only other meeting between the Spartans and the Huskies was last season in Boston. Michigan State stopped Northeastern, 77-51, in Boston on Dec. 18 last season. The MSU started off the three games with the Spartan men's team defeated NU the next day, before the MSU hockey team fell to the Huskies in the nightcap.
LAST TIME VS. NORTHEASTERN
Last season in Boston, Akyah Taylor scored 17 points and Aerial Powers had 16 points and 12 rebounds to lead No. 24 Michigan State to a 77-51 win over Northeastern.
Tori Jankoska added 14 points and Branndais Agee 11 for the Spartans (8-2), who won their fourth straight.
Taylor had a MSU career-high 17 points off the bench for the Spartans in 24 minutes. Michigan State out-scored Northeastern 30-21 in bench points
The game was part of the Winter Showdown, with the men's teams playing on Saturday afternoon and the hockey teams squaring off Saturday night.
Francesca Sally led the Huskies (5-4) with 14 points and Samantha DeFreese added 11.
BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE B1G SEASON
The Spartans are 10 games into the 2016-17 season. With a shortened Big Ten schedule, Michigan State will play 13 non-conference games this season and 16 Big Ten contests. So far in non-conference play, MSU is 9-2. The Spartans still have to play Northeastern and No. 2/2 Notre Dame to end non-conference action on Dec. 2o.
BALANCED ATTACK
MSU improved to 5-0 this season when at least three players have scored in double figures. The Spartans have also had three in double figures against Southern, Western Michigan and Oakland.
JANKOSKA'S CAREER NIGHT
Senior guard Tori Jankoska recorded her second double-double of the season and her 15th in her career. She scored a career-high 37 points and brought in 10 rebounds. Her 37 points is the third-most scored in a single game in the Michigan State record books. Maxann Reese scored 41 points against Iowa in 1999, while Aerial Powers scored 40 against Minnesota in 2016. The 37 points were the most points scored in MSU history in a non-conference game. Jankoska also had the second-most points scored in the Big Ten this season behind Tyra Buss of Indiana's 38 points versus N.C. State.
GETTING IN THE LINEUP
The Spartans have had six different starting lineups in the first 11 games. Seniors Taya Reimer and Tori Jankoska along with freshman Taryn McCutcheon have started all 10 games so far this season. Junior Lexi Gussert has started three games this season, while sophomore Jenna Allen also has started a trio of games. Sophomore Hana Vesela and redshirt freshman Victoria Gaines both have started two games, while freshman Nia Hollie has started the last three contests. Redshirt senior guard Branndais Agee has started seven games this season.
Jankoska leads the way starting 92 games during her Michigan State career. Branndais Agee has the second most starts of any current Spartan with 40.
TARYN TEARING IT UP
Freshman guard Taryn McCutcheon is only seven assists shy of breaking into the freshman top-10 records in assists. McCutcheon has 57 assists through 11 games, while Lindsay Bowen currently sits at 10th with 64 assists.
SCORING JUST ISN'T ENOUGH
Guard Tori Jankoska is in the top 10 in the Big Ten in both scoring and assists. She is second in the league and first on the team in scoring, averaging 22.3 points per game. Jankoska is fifth in the league in assists, averaging 5.0 apg. So far this season, she has scored 245 total points and added 55 helpers. Jankoska and Indiana's Tyra Buss are the only players in the Big Ten in the top 10 in scoring and assists.
Jankoska is one of only two players to be in the all-time career top-10 in both assists and points. Jankoska is No. 4 in points with 1,711 and No. 6 in assists with 384. Lindsay Bowen (2002-06) is the only other player in both who is No. 3 in the record books with 1,739 career points and No. 8 all-time with 371 assists.
RAINING THREES
In Michigan State's win against Delaware, the Spartans set a school record with 14 3-pointers.
The previous record was 13 on three different occasions: vs. Minnesota on 2/8/15, 13 vs. Iona on 12/12/10 and 13 vs. Florida Gulf Coast on 12/13/09. The individual record is still intact. Jankoska ended the game with eight trey. Maxann Reese still holds the school record with 10 vs. Iowa, on 1/29/99.
JANKOSKA CLIMBING THE CHARTS
With a team-high 16 points against Rhode Island, Tori Jankoska remains in fourth place on the MSU career scoring list with 1,711 points. Jankoska is now 107 from becoming Michigan State's all-time leading scorer. Currently Lindsay Bowen (2002-06) is third with 1,739 point, while Liz Shimek (2002-06) is second with 1,780 points. Aerial Powers (2014-16) is the all-time leading scorer with 1,817 points scored in the Spartan Green and White.
Jankoska now has 230 career 3-pointers, staying in second place in the record books. She passed Maxann Reese who had 218 career treys. Jankoska is now 64 3-pointers away from tying Lindsay Bowen (2002-06) for first place. Bowen ended her MSU career with 294 treys.
SPARTANS VS. THE BIG TEN
Several Michigan State players rank among the best in the Big Ten early this season. Freshman guard Taryn McCutcheon is tied for third in the Big Ten in assists, averaging 5.2 apg. Senior guard Tori Jankoska is second in the league in scoring, averaging 22.3 points per game. Ohio State's Kelsey Mitchell is first in the conference in scoring, averaging 23.4 ppg. Jankoska is also fifth in the league in assists (5.0 apg) and second in free throw percentage (.902). Jankoska is second in the conference in 3-point field goals made with 3.1.
Redshirt senior guard Branndais Agee is 10th in the B1G in rebounding with 7.4 rpg. She is also tied for seventh in the league in defensive rebounds with 5.7 rpg.
IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER
The Spartans improved to 167-94 (.640) all-time in the month of December. Under Coach Merchant, Michigan State is 50-24 (.676) in the 12th month of the calendar year. The Spartans have won 22 of their last 33 games in December.
IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER
The Spartans are 111-38 (74.5%) all-time in the month of November. Under Coach Merchant, Michigan State is 51-10 (83.6%) in November, with seven of the 10 losses coming against top-10 opponents. The Spartans have won 26 of their last 30 in the month.
WELL CONDITIONED
Guards Taryn McCutcheon and Tori Jankoska have shown off their off-season conditioning so far this season. Jankoska is tied for first in the league in minutes played, averaging 35.2 mph. McCutcheon is fourth the Big Ten in minutes played, averaging 34.6 mpg through the 11 games of the season.
SEASON OPENERS
Michigan State women's basketball opened the season with a 70-34 win over Davidson. All-time, the Spartans are 30-15 in season openers, but 22-2 when the opener is in East Lansing. Coach Merchant is 7-3 in season openers at MSU, and has won 13 of her last 16, including her time at Eastern Michigan.
CLOSING IT OUT
The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 148 of their last 153 games (.967) when leading with five minutes left, including 99 of their last 105. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 184-8 (.958) when holding a lead with five minutes left. This season, the Spartans are 9-0.
BOUNCE BACK ABILITY
In Coach Merchant's first 10 seasons, the Spartans are 67-25 (72.8%) following a loss.
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 49-4 (.925) against in-state rivals, including a 34-4 (.895) mark under Coach Merchant. All-time, Michigan State is 182-59 (.755) against other Michigan schools.
GETTING ON THE SCOREBOARD
Against Davidson, nine different Spartans scored at least two. Four different player scored their first points in the Green and White. Taya Reimer (9) and Taryn McCutcheon (11) both started and scored their first MSU points. Freshmen Mardrekia Cook and Nia Hollie scored five and two points, respectively.
THE SCHEDULE
The Spartans will take on 14 teams that reached either the NCAA Tournament or the Women's Invitation Tournament (WNIT) last season, including NCAA national runner-up Syracuse, as part of a 29-game regular-season schedule.
Last season, the Spartans ended the season 25-9 advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Michigan State brings back two starters in senior guard Tori Jankoska and redshirt senior guard Branndais Agee.
The Big Ten is returning to a 16-game women's basketball conference schedule format this season after all 14 team played 18 games the last two seasons. Michigan State will play Minnesota, Nebraska and Purdue at home and on the road. The Spartans will host Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Maryland and Penn State, while traveling to Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern, Rutgers and Wisconsin.
Overall, the Spartans will play 15 home games, including their exhibition against Northwood on Nov. 6.
Suzy Merchant RADIO SHOW
Michigan State women's basketball head coach Suzy Merchant will start her weekly radio call-in show, the Suzy Merchant Radio Show, on Monday, Dec. 5 at Reno's East. Coach Merchant joins host Keaton Gillogly, the Spartans' play-by-play voice, from 12-1 p.m., for an in-depth look into the MSU women's basketball program.
The show, produced by the Spartan Sports Network, can be heard locally on WVFN 730 AM and will also be streamed live (both audio and video) on SpartanSportsNetwork.com, as well as available on the SSN mobile app.
The show is typically held on Wednesdays throughout the season if no conflicts.
Radio Show Dates
Wednesday, December, 28
Tuesday, January 3
Wednesday, January 12
Wednesday, January 18
Tuesday, January 24
Wednesday, February 1
Wednesday, February 8
Wednesday, February 15
Tuesday, February 21
Wednesday, March 1
JANKOSKA EARNS PRESEASON HONORS
Senior guard Tori Jankoska was named to the Preseason All-Big Ten team by both the coaches and the media. Michigan State was selected third in the Coaches Poll.
Big Ten regular season and tournament champion Maryland was picked first in both the Coaches and the Media polls, while the Hoosiers took the third spot in the media poll. Ohio State's Kelsey Mitchell was named Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year in both polls.
Last season, Jankoska was second on the team in scoring, averaging 15.1 points per game. She was first in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (.877) during the 2015-16 season. Jankoska also earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors the last two seasons.
EUROPEAN ADVENTURE
Michigan State women's basketball spent the summer on a 10-day European excursion. The Spartans traveled to Europe from August 19-28. Michigan State played exhibition in each country, while taking side trips to Normandy, France and Oxford, England. The trip was as much about team bonding as it was basketball, as the learned about each other on and off the court.
"First and foremost, some of these guys are never going to have a chance to come over here and see some of the amazing things, starting out in Rome and ending in London. I think that the educational piece was really important," MSU head coach Suzy Merchant said. "I think that the team bonding was also important. We have a lot of new faces, so the ability to come together a little bit is huge, as well as the final component is to be able to practice and play some games."
LAST TIME OUT
Four Spartans scored in double figures as the Michigan State women's basketball team had its best offensive performance of the season, defeating Rhode Island, 85-48, at the Ryan Center.
Freshman guard Taryn McCutcheon had a career-high 15 points with a career-high five 3-pointers to pace the Spartans. Senior guard Tori Jankoska had a stellar second half to end the game with a game-high 16 points to go along with eight boards, six assists and three steals. Senior forward Taya Reimer and redshirt senior guard Branndais Agee both added 11 points. Redshirt freshman forward Victoria Gaines also was solid for MSU with nine points and six rebounds.
Michigan State improves to 9-2 this season and has won three-straight games. Rhode Island falls to 4-6 with the loss. The Spartans have played seven of their last eight games on the road, going 6-2 doing that stretch.
NEWCOMERS
The Spartans welcome five newcomers this season, including senior graduate student Taya Reimer. The forward graduated from Notre Dame in May. Reimer is an experienced player who went to the Final Four with the Irish. Guard Shay Colley is a transfer from South Carolina. Colley will have to sit out this season due to transfer rules.
Michigan State also welcomes three freshmen this season. Guard Taryn McCutcheon graduated from East Lansing High School. Forward Mardrekia Cook comes to MSU from Muskegon High School, while forward Nia Hollie is from Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, Minnesota.
FANS CONTINUE TO PACK THE BRESLIN
Michigan State women's basketball continues to pack the Breslin Center, finishing the 2015-16 season seventh in the nation in home attendance. The Spartans averaged 6,561 fans in 15 home games this season. MSU had a total of 98,418 fans pass through the gates. This is the 12th-straight season that the Spartans have been ranked in the top 15 nationally in attendance. MSU has had a total attendance of at least 80,000 since 2005-06.
SPARTANS RANKED IN PRESEASON POLL
Michigan State women's basketball will open the 2016-17 season ranked No. 22 in the USA Today Coaches' Top 25 Poll. The Spartans are receiving votes in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll, standing 26th with 78 votes.
The Spartans have five opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll, including No. 1 Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish come to East Lansing for the second time in three years on Dec. 20. ACC/Big Ten Challenge opponent Syracuse is ranked No. 14 in the AP Poll. Big Ten opponent Maryland is No. 6, while Ohio State is No. 7. Indiana is currently ranked No. 23 in the preseason poll.
UP NEXT
Michigan State will have one more game remaining in the non-conference portion of the season. The Spartans will end 2016 hosting No. 2 Notre Dame on Tuesday, Dec. 20.
2016-17 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SIGNEES
Michigan State women's basketball head coach Suzy Merchant announced the signing of Sidney Cooks (Kenosha, Wisc./St. Joseph) and Claire Hendrickson (Wyoming, Michigan/Wyoming HS) to a National Letter of Intent.
Cooks is a 6-4 forward who plays for head coach Lynell Collins at St. Joseph Catholic. She is currently ranked fifth overall and second at her position by ESPN HoopGurlz. In 2016, Cooks earned AP first-team All-State as well as USA Today first-team All-Wisconsin honors. She was named honorable mention WBCA Division 4 All-State in 2015. Last season, she surpassed the 1,000 point-plateau by scoring 20 points in a win.
Cooks earned all-state and all-area honors as a junior. She was first on the team, averaging 23.1 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 3.7 blocks per game. Cooks guided the Lancers to their first WIAA state tournament appearance where they were runner-up in Division 4. As a sophomore, she scored 14.1 ppg with 9.8 rpg as St. Joseph went 20-5.
She also has extensive international experience as a member of the USA U18 National Team at the FIBA Americas Championship in Chile. En route to a gold medal, she started all five games of the tournament, averaging 10.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. She also captured a silver medal on the 3x3 U18 National Team that competed in Kazakhstan.
Hendrickson is a 5-11 guard from Wyoming, Michigan, who plays for head coach Troy Mast at Wyoming High School. She missed most of her junior season after sustaining an ACL injury, but will return for her senior campaign. As a sophomore, she averaged 14.0 points, 7.0 assists, 3.5 steals and 3.5 rebounds. She also was second on the team in blocked shots, averaging 3.4 per game. Hendrickson recorded two triple-doubles. Hendrickson also earned Honorable-Mention Class A All-State in 2015. As a freshman, she was part of the Wolves squad that went 21-3, capturing the OK Blue Conference championship and advancing to the regional semifinals. Hendrickson played AAU basketball for the Grand Rapids Storm. She is the daughter of Amy and Jon Hendrickson.
