Friday, November 8
East Lansing, Mich.
7 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Detroit Mercy
Photo by: Rey Del Rio
No. 17/21 MSU Concludes Homestand Against Detroit Mercy Friday
11/7/2019 6:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Spartans opened the season with an 85-50 win.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 17/21 Michigan State women's basketball concludes its two-game homestand taking on another Great Lakes State team, when facing Detroit Mercy on Friday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. MSU opened the season with a dominating 85-50 win over Eastern Michigan on Nov. 5.
TIP-OFF
• Senior guard Shay Colley has been named to the Women's Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List, as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Colley is one of 50 players named to the initial watch list and one of six Big Ten players on the list.
• The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 194 of their last 206 games (.942) when leading with five minutes left, including 144 of their last 158. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 229-18 (.927) when holding a lead with five minutes left.
• MSU's underclassmen had a strong showing in the season opener, scoring 66 of the Spartans' 85 points. Nia Clouden led the way with 23 points.
• Senior guard Taryn McCutcheon is nearing several milestones as a Spartan. With 885 career points, McCutcheon is just 115 points away from becoming the 28th member of the 1,000-point club. She is also third in career assists with 476. She is just 99 helpers away from passing current MSU assistant coach Kristin Haynie who had 574 career assist during her Spartan career (2001-05).
SCOUTING DETROIT MERCY
Michigan State leads the overall series with Detroit Mercy, 21-7. MSU has won the last 16 outings, including a win on the road 97-60 in 2017. The last time that the teams met in East Lansing was in 2015 with the Spartans earning a dominating 81-42 victory. In their first outing of the season, the Titans fell to Loyola Chicago, 89-60 at home. Detroit Mercy was led by 17 points from Zoey Oatis, who also added six rebounds in the loss.
Oatis is the top returner, averaging 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, while fellow senior Ashley Miller averaged 5.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
Bernard Scott has led the Titans to two winning seasons in four years as head coach and an appearance in the title game of the 2017 Horizon League Championship.
SEASON OPENERS
All-time, the Spartans are now 33-15 in season openers, but 25-2 when the opener is in East Lansing. Coach Merchant is 10-3 in season openers at MSU, and has won 16 of her last 19, including her time at Eastern Michigan.
FRESHMEN SENSATIONS
New to Michigan State are five freshmen, including Michigan native Alyza Winston (Muskegon), Moria Joiner (Saginaw) and Julia Ayrault (Grosse Pointe Woods). The Spartans also welcome Cydni Dodd (Indianapolis) and Taiyier Parks (Cleveland).
All five freshmen scored in the season opener led by 14 points from Winston. Ayrault added five points and two rebounds in the opener. Joiner had an overall solid game with three points, five rebounds and three assists, while Parks led the team with three boards. In under five minutes of play, Dodd scored four points with one rebound.
IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER
The Spartans are 121-39 (75.6%) all-time in the month of November. Under Coach Merchant, Michigan State is 61-11 (84.7%) in November, with seven of the 10 losses coming against top-10 opponents. The Spartans have won 35 of their last 40 in the month.
THRILLING THIRD QUARTER
Michigan State held a two-point lead at half time against Eastern Michigan on Nov. 5, 31-29. Michigan State scored the first 28 points of the second half, highlighted by back-to-back treys by Taryn McCutcheon to open up a 59-29 lead. Freshmen Alyza Winston and Moira Joiner joined in on the fun netting their first 3-pointers of their MSU careers. During the game-changing quarter, the Eagles were 0-14 from the field, sinking three free throws. The Spartans were 11-of-18 from the field and 4-of-5 from long distance. The three points were the fewest allowed in the third quarter by Michigan State. The previous low was five against Charleston on Nov. 19, 2017.
FREQUENT FLIER
Three Spartans earned international experience during the offseason. MSU head coach Suzy Merchant earned a silver medal as the head coach of U.S. Pan American team that competed in Lima, Peru. Sophomore guard Nia Clouden also participated in the U.S. U19 World Cup Trials in Colorado Spring in May. Redshirt-senior guard Shay Colley continues her quest for the 2020 Olympics continuing train with the Canadian National Team.
AGAINST THE GREAT LAKES STATE
Michigan State has had great success against other collegiate programs in the state of Michigan over the past 17 seasons. Since the beginning of the 2002-03 season, the Spartans are 60-5 (.923) against in-state rivals, including a 45-5 (.900) mark under Coach Merchant. All-time, Michigan State is 193-60 (.766) against other Michigan schools.
RETURN TO THE GREAT LAKES STATE
Michigan State adds two new coaches to the staff this season in Dean Lockwood and former Spartan All-American Kristin Haynie. Lockwood and Haynie come to Michigan State with extensive basketball roots in the state of Michigan, as well as highly-decorated careers. During his 15-year tenure as an assistant coach at Tennessee, Lockwood won two NCAA titles. Haynie returns to Michigan State where she earned All-American honors, leading MSU to the 2005 National Championship game.
FANS CONTINUE TO PACK THE BRESLIN
Michigan State women's basketball continued to pack the Breslin Center last season, averaging 5,496 fans per game last season. MSU was 15th in the nation and fifth in the Big Ten in attendance. This marked the 15th-consecutive season that the Spartans have ranked in the top 15 nationally in attendance. Michigan State has had a total attendance of over 80,000 every season since 2005-06. The Spartans had their 15th-best crowd this season when 11,368 fans packed the Breslin Center as MSU defeated Michigan.
COLLEY EARNS PRESEASON HONOR
To kickoff the beginning of Big Ten Women's Basketball Media Week, the conference released the Preseason Coaches and Media Polls, in addition to the preseason All-Big Ten teams. Michigan State redshirt-senior guard Shay Colley earned Preseason All-Big Ten honors for the second-straight season.
The Spartans were voted to finish second by the Big Ten coaches and third by the media. This was MSU's highest preseason ranking since being voted to finish second by the coaches prior to the 2016-17 campaign.
During the 2018-19 campaign, Colley led the Spartans and was 12th in scoring in the Big Ten, averaging 14.1 points per game. In earning All-Big Ten honors, Colley was tied for 11th in steals per game (1.6 spg) and sixth in free throw percentage (.794).
Michigan State completed the 2018-19 season with a 21-12 record, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans return four starters from last season, including all-conference honorees Colley, senior guard Taryn McCutcheon and sophomore guard Nia Clouden.
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. MSU has won 138 of its last 156 games when scoring at least 70 points, and MSU is 156-27 under head coach Suzy Merchant when hanging at least 70 points on the scoreboard.
UP NEXT
After concluding its brief two-game homestand, the Spartans will hit the road to take on last's National runner-up No 16 Notre Dame in South Bend on Thursday, Nov. 14 at 8 p.m.
EXHIBITION REWIND: MSU 85, EASTERN MICHIGAN 50
No. 17/21 Michigan State women's basketball used an explosive 32-point third quarter to pull away from Eastern Michigan and earn an 85-50 win in its season opener at the Breslin Center on Tuesday. MSU head coach Suzy Merchant improved to 4-0 against her former squad, as Merchant was the head coach of the Eagles from 1998-2007.
The Spartans have won five-straight season openers and seven of their last eight.
Michigan State had four players in double figures led by a game-high 23 points from sophomore guard Nia Clouden, who was just four points shy of her career high of 27 against Iowa last season. In her Spartan debut, freshman guard Alyza Winston added 14 points, while sophomore guard Tory Ozment and senior guard Taryn McCutcheon both added 10 points. Senior guard Shay Colley led the Spartans on the boards with eight. Twelve different Spartans scored in the season opener.
Postgame Notes vs. EMU
• The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 194 of their last 206 games (.942) when leading with five minutes left, including 144 of their last 158. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 229-18 (.927) when holding a lead with five minutes left.
• Four Spartans posted double-digits, led by sophomore guard Nia Clouden's game-best 23 points, followed by 14 points off the bench by freshman guard Alyza Winston in her Spartan debut ... senior guard Taryn McCutcheon and sophomore guard Tory Ozment netted 10 points apiece.
• Clouden's 23 points was shy of her career-best of 27 points ... she also matched her jersey number with her 24th career double-figure scoring game ... Clouden also netted a career-high three 3-pointers ... the sophomore guard also tied a career-best by swiping four steals, leading the way as the Spartans had 17 swipes in the game.
TIP-OFF
• Senior guard Shay Colley has been named to the Women's Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List, as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Colley is one of 50 players named to the initial watch list and one of six Big Ten players on the list.
• The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 194 of their last 206 games (.942) when leading with five minutes left, including 144 of their last 158. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 229-18 (.927) when holding a lead with five minutes left.
• MSU's underclassmen had a strong showing in the season opener, scoring 66 of the Spartans' 85 points. Nia Clouden led the way with 23 points.
• Senior guard Taryn McCutcheon is nearing several milestones as a Spartan. With 885 career points, McCutcheon is just 115 points away from becoming the 28th member of the 1,000-point club. She is also third in career assists with 476. She is just 99 helpers away from passing current MSU assistant coach Kristin Haynie who had 574 career assist during her Spartan career (2001-05).
SCOUTING DETROIT MERCY
Michigan State leads the overall series with Detroit Mercy, 21-7. MSU has won the last 16 outings, including a win on the road 97-60 in 2017. The last time that the teams met in East Lansing was in 2015 with the Spartans earning a dominating 81-42 victory. In their first outing of the season, the Titans fell to Loyola Chicago, 89-60 at home. Detroit Mercy was led by 17 points from Zoey Oatis, who also added six rebounds in the loss.
Oatis is the top returner, averaging 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, while fellow senior Ashley Miller averaged 5.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
Bernard Scott has led the Titans to two winning seasons in four years as head coach and an appearance in the title game of the 2017 Horizon League Championship.
SEASON OPENERS
All-time, the Spartans are now 33-15 in season openers, but 25-2 when the opener is in East Lansing. Coach Merchant is 10-3 in season openers at MSU, and has won 16 of her last 19, including her time at Eastern Michigan.
FRESHMEN SENSATIONS
New to Michigan State are five freshmen, including Michigan native Alyza Winston (Muskegon), Moria Joiner (Saginaw) and Julia Ayrault (Grosse Pointe Woods). The Spartans also welcome Cydni Dodd (Indianapolis) and Taiyier Parks (Cleveland).
All five freshmen scored in the season opener led by 14 points from Winston. Ayrault added five points and two rebounds in the opener. Joiner had an overall solid game with three points, five rebounds and three assists, while Parks led the team with three boards. In under five minutes of play, Dodd scored four points with one rebound.
IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER
The Spartans are 121-39 (75.6%) all-time in the month of November. Under Coach Merchant, Michigan State is 61-11 (84.7%) in November, with seven of the 10 losses coming against top-10 opponents. The Spartans have won 35 of their last 40 in the month.
THRILLING THIRD QUARTER
Michigan State held a two-point lead at half time against Eastern Michigan on Nov. 5, 31-29. Michigan State scored the first 28 points of the second half, highlighted by back-to-back treys by Taryn McCutcheon to open up a 59-29 lead. Freshmen Alyza Winston and Moira Joiner joined in on the fun netting their first 3-pointers of their MSU careers. During the game-changing quarter, the Eagles were 0-14 from the field, sinking three free throws. The Spartans were 11-of-18 from the field and 4-of-5 from long distance. The three points were the fewest allowed in the third quarter by Michigan State. The previous low was five against Charleston on Nov. 19, 2017.
FREQUENT FLIER
Three Spartans earned international experience during the offseason. MSU head coach Suzy Merchant earned a silver medal as the head coach of U.S. Pan American team that competed in Lima, Peru. Sophomore guard Nia Clouden also participated in the U.S. U19 World Cup Trials in Colorado Spring in May. Redshirt-senior guard Shay Colley continues her quest for the 2020 Olympics continuing train with the Canadian National Team.
AGAINST THE GREAT LAKES STATE
Michigan State has had great success against other collegiate programs in the state of Michigan over the past 17 seasons. Since the beginning of the 2002-03 season, the Spartans are 60-5 (.923) against in-state rivals, including a 45-5 (.900) mark under Coach Merchant. All-time, Michigan State is 193-60 (.766) against other Michigan schools.
RETURN TO THE GREAT LAKES STATE
Michigan State adds two new coaches to the staff this season in Dean Lockwood and former Spartan All-American Kristin Haynie. Lockwood and Haynie come to Michigan State with extensive basketball roots in the state of Michigan, as well as highly-decorated careers. During his 15-year tenure as an assistant coach at Tennessee, Lockwood won two NCAA titles. Haynie returns to Michigan State where she earned All-American honors, leading MSU to the 2005 National Championship game.
FANS CONTINUE TO PACK THE BRESLIN
Michigan State women's basketball continued to pack the Breslin Center last season, averaging 5,496 fans per game last season. MSU was 15th in the nation and fifth in the Big Ten in attendance. This marked the 15th-consecutive season that the Spartans have ranked in the top 15 nationally in attendance. Michigan State has had a total attendance of over 80,000 every season since 2005-06. The Spartans had their 15th-best crowd this season when 11,368 fans packed the Breslin Center as MSU defeated Michigan.
COLLEY EARNS PRESEASON HONOR
To kickoff the beginning of Big Ten Women's Basketball Media Week, the conference released the Preseason Coaches and Media Polls, in addition to the preseason All-Big Ten teams. Michigan State redshirt-senior guard Shay Colley earned Preseason All-Big Ten honors for the second-straight season.
The Spartans were voted to finish second by the Big Ten coaches and third by the media. This was MSU's highest preseason ranking since being voted to finish second by the coaches prior to the 2016-17 campaign.
During the 2018-19 campaign, Colley led the Spartans and was 12th in scoring in the Big Ten, averaging 14.1 points per game. In earning All-Big Ten honors, Colley was tied for 11th in steals per game (1.6 spg) and sixth in free throw percentage (.794).
Michigan State completed the 2018-19 season with a 21-12 record, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans return four starters from last season, including all-conference honorees Colley, senior guard Taryn McCutcheon and sophomore guard Nia Clouden.
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. MSU has won 138 of its last 156 games when scoring at least 70 points, and MSU is 156-27 under head coach Suzy Merchant when hanging at least 70 points on the scoreboard.
UP NEXT
After concluding its brief two-game homestand, the Spartans will hit the road to take on last's National runner-up No 16 Notre Dame in South Bend on Thursday, Nov. 14 at 8 p.m.
EXHIBITION REWIND: MSU 85, EASTERN MICHIGAN 50
No. 17/21 Michigan State women's basketball used an explosive 32-point third quarter to pull away from Eastern Michigan and earn an 85-50 win in its season opener at the Breslin Center on Tuesday. MSU head coach Suzy Merchant improved to 4-0 against her former squad, as Merchant was the head coach of the Eagles from 1998-2007.
The Spartans have won five-straight season openers and seven of their last eight.
Michigan State had four players in double figures led by a game-high 23 points from sophomore guard Nia Clouden, who was just four points shy of her career high of 27 against Iowa last season. In her Spartan debut, freshman guard Alyza Winston added 14 points, while sophomore guard Tory Ozment and senior guard Taryn McCutcheon both added 10 points. Senior guard Shay Colley led the Spartans on the boards with eight. Twelve different Spartans scored in the season opener.
Postgame Notes vs. EMU
• The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 194 of their last 206 games (.942) when leading with five minutes left, including 144 of their last 158. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 229-18 (.927) when holding a lead with five minutes left.
• Four Spartans posted double-digits, led by sophomore guard Nia Clouden's game-best 23 points, followed by 14 points off the bench by freshman guard Alyza Winston in her Spartan debut ... senior guard Taryn McCutcheon and sophomore guard Tory Ozment netted 10 points apiece.
• Clouden's 23 points was shy of her career-best of 27 points ... she also matched her jersey number with her 24th career double-figure scoring game ... Clouden also netted a career-high three 3-pointers ... the sophomore guard also tied a career-best by swiping four steals, leading the way as the Spartans had 17 swipes in the game.
Players Mentioned
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