Tuesday, December 22
East Lansing, Mich.
12 PM ET
Michigan State University
vs
Oakland
MSU Women Conclude Home Stretch Against Oakland Tuesday
12/21/2020 5:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Spartans will play their final game of 2020.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State concludes the non-conference portion of the 2020-21 season against Oakland on Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 12 p.m. The Spartans are concluding a rough stretch of three games in five days after wins against Central Michigan (Dec. 18) and Northern Illinois (Dec. 20). This week, Michigan State is ranked No. 25 in the Associated Press poll.
• MSU improved to 6-0 with Sunday's win, the Spartans' first 6-0 start to a season since the 2012-13 season when they opened 8-0. This is the longest winning streak since Michigan State won eight-straight from Nov. 23-Dec. 30 during the 2018-19 season.
• Through six games, the Spartans stand second in the nation and first in the league in assist/turnover ratio (1.88). They are also third in the NCAA and first in the league in assists per game, averaging 22.5 ppg. Junior guard Nia Clouden is 11th in the country and first in the Big Ten this season with 35 assists.
• Junior guard Nia Clouden's 18 points against Northern Illinois on Dec. 20 gives her 948 career points, just 52 points away from the 1,000 career points milestone. She has scored in double figures in every game this season.
• After the holiday break, Michigan State returns to Big Ten action. The Spartans will take on Purdue on the road on Jan. 3, before returning to the Breslin Center to face No. 14/14 Maryland on Jan. 7.
SCOUTING OAKLAND
The Golden Grizzlies bring a 3-3 overall record into Tuesday's tangle with the Spartans. Oakland is finishing up a hectic stretch of games, as Tuesday's game is the Grizzlies' third game in the last four days after playing at Horizon League foe Wright State on Saturday and Sunday. Oakland won Saturday's opener, 75-69, before falling, 74-49, Sunday, as OU suffered its first conference loss of the early season, now at 3-1, as well as having its three-game win streak snapped.
Oakland has two players scoring in double-figures, led by junior guard Kahlaijah Dean at 16.7 points per game, adding a team-best 2.0 steals per game, along with second on the team with 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest. Sophomore guard Alona Blackwell adds 12.0 ppg and is the Grizzlies' leading 3-point shooter at 14-of-38 (.368), adding 3.2 rpg. Senior guard Chloe Guingrich leads OU with 5.2 rebounds per game.
As a team, Oakland is averaging 67.0 ppg, but allowing 72.3 ppg, for a scoring margin of -5.3. OU also has a -11.3 rebounding margin, getting out-rebounded by an average of 46.7-35.3 rpg. The Grizzlies are shooting 39.0 percent (142-of-364) from the field, including 28.8 percent (34-of-118) from 3-point range, making 5.7 treys per game, as well as 64.6 percent (84-of-130) at the free throw line. OU head coach Jeff Tungate is in his eighth season leading the Grizzlies, posting a 93-124 record.
SERIES HISTORY VS. OAKLAND
Tuesday with be the 21st meeting between MSU and Oakland, with the Spartans winning the last 12 meetings in a row and leading the all-time series, 16-4. The teams have met in each of the last 10 seasons since the 2011-12 season. MSU also holds a 10-2 lead in games in East Lansing, winning the last seven in a row on the Spartans' home court, including last season's 76-56 win on Nov. 19, 2019, that came on the heels of a 102-58 Spartan rout in Rochester on Dec. 5, 2018. Tuesday's game date of Dec. 22 is the latest the Spartans and Grizzlies have played in a season since the 1981-82 season, when they played on Feb. 9, 1982.
LAST TIME VS. OAKLAND
Taryn McCutcheon scored 16 points, Mardrekia Cook added 14 and No. 15/16 Michigan State women's basketball defeated Oakland 76-56 on Nov. 19, 2019 at the Breslin Center.
MSU had four in double figures led by 16 points by McCutcheon, while Cook added a season-high 14 points. Sophomore forward Kayla Belles was one point shy of matching her career high, scoring 11 points, while sophomore guard Nia Clouden added 10. Freshman forward Taiyier Parks was the first Spartan to reach double figures in rebounds with 10.
Kayla Luchenbach had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Golden Grizzlies (2-2) with Jalisha Terry scoring 16 points.
GIVING A HELPING HAND
Michigan State's 25 assists against NIU on Dec. 20 not only tied the second-most of the season, but was the Spartans' second-straight and fourth game this season in topping 20 or more helpers in the six games, joining 24 last time out vs. Central Michigan (Dec. 18), along with 25 in the season-opener vs. Saint Francis (Nov. 27), 26 vs. Detroit Mercy (Dec. 2).
Individually, the Spartans have two players in the top 10 in the Big Ten in assists per game. Nia Clouden is fourth, averaging 5.8 apg, while Tory Ozment is 10th with 4.8 apg. Ozment is also tied for fourth in assist/turnover ratio (3.22).
CLOUDEN WITH A CHANCE OF SCORING
Junior guard Nia Clouden had her three-game 20-point scoring streak halted with 18 points against Northern Illinois on Dec. 20. Clouden has now posted double-figures in all six games this season as part of 17 games in a row dating back to last season. She leads the team in scoring, averaging 19.2 points per game. She also is tops on the team in assists per game with 5.8 per game.
Clouden now has 17-straight career games in double-digits dating back to last year, having posted double-figures in 33 of her last 36 games played, doing so in every game but three last season. For her career, Clouden now has double-digits in 56 of her 69 games played.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
The Big Ten has six team ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 this week and two more receiving votes. This is the most top 25 teams of any conference in the country this week and the most the Big Ten has had in a single week since Jan. 14, 2019. Michigan State enters the polls at No. 25, while Maryland leads way No. 14. The other ranked teams include - Northwestern (No. 15), Ohio State (No. 16), Michigan (No. 17) and Indiana (No. 19).
LOOKING TOWARD 1,000
With 18 points on Dec. 20, Nia Clouden now has 948 career points, closing in on the 1,000 career points milestone. She is looking to become the seventh player in the last seven years to reach the 1,000-point mark.
Years Player Points
2019-20 Taryn McCutcheon 1,119
2018-19 Jenna Allen 1,098
2017-18 Branndais Agee 1,250
2015-16 Tori Jankoska 2,212
2014-15 Aerial Powers 1,817
2014-15 Becca Mills 1,157
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
Several Spartan sophomores are showing no signs of a sophomore slump against Northern Illinois on Dec. 20.
• Julia Ayrault dished out a career-high five assists and swatted a season-high three blocks, tying her career-high.
• Taiyier Parks pulled down a season-high and career-best tying 10 rebounds for her second double-figure rebounding game of her career.
PUTTING UP BIG NUMBERS
After not having a pair of 20-point scorers in the same since Feb. 3, 2019 vs. Purdue when Shay Colley and Sidney Cooks netted 20 points apiece before Winston and Clouden did it last against Minnesota on Dec. 9, the Spartan duo has now reached that feat in back-to-back games with Winston's 25 points and Clouden's 21 points on Dec. 12 vs. Iowa.
Clouden and Winston's back-to-back 20-point games marks the first time that the Spartans have had two 20-point scorers in consecutive games since the 2016-17 season, when Aerial Powers (27) and Branndais Agee (20) did so on Feb. 3. vs. Michigan, then Powers (31) and Agee (22) on Feb. 5 vs. Maryland.
LOOKING AHEAD
Michigan State women's basketball's game against Ohio State that was set for Thursday, Dec. 31 in Columbus, Ohio, has been postponed due to COVID-19 concerns within the Buckeyes' program.
The decision to pause activities and to postpone the games was made jointly by the Ohio State Department of Athletics and its sports medicine staff in consultation with the Big Ten Conference. For Ohio State's complete release, please click here. Both schools will work with the Conference office to identify potential rescheduling options later this season.
SPARTANS AGAINST THE NCAA
After six games, the Spartans are currently third in the nation in assists per game (22.5 apg) and second in assists to turnover ratio (1.88). Michigan State is 13 in turnover margin +8.33 margin. Junior guard Nia Clouden is 11th in the nation and first in the Big Ten in assists with 35, while standing 20th in the country and fourth in the Big Ten in assists per game with 5.8 apg.
ERASE HATE
Michigan State women's basketball head coach Suzy Merchant is proud to launch the Erase Hate campaign for the 2020-21 season. The Erase Hate campaign aims to put the focus on student-athlete driven programming to address social injustice issues. Throughout this season, women's basketball players work to help lift up the voices of underrepresented groups both on campus and across the Greater Lansing area.
BIG TEN OPENERS
Michigan State is 19-19 in Big Ten openers, having won six of their last nine. MSU is now 8-5 in league openers in Coach Merchant's 13 seasons. Last season, the Spartans won their opener in East Lansing against No. 16 Iowa, 84-70. The last time that Michigan State played Minnesota in a B1G opener was to start the 2013-14 league action with MSU winning 81-56 on the road.
FAST OUT OF THE GATE
MSU scored a season-high 48 points in the first half on the way to a 48-38 lead at intermission at Minnesota on Dec. 9. The Spartans' 28 second-quarter points were their most in a quarter this season, bettering the previous quarter-high of 24 points, done twice, first in the opening quarter vs. Saint Francis (PA) in the season-opener on Nov. 27, and again in the fourth frame vs. Detroit Mercy on Dec. 2. Against Iowa on Dec. 12, the Spartans scored 44 points in the first half with 24 points in the first quarter.
MASK UP, MICHIGAN
Things will look very different in the Breslin Center to start the season. Currently, there will be no fans in the stands, including the families of the players. Crowd noise will be piped and the music will be going to get the players hyped up. From the comfort of home, fans can look for familiar faces in the cardboard cutouts in the stands. All postgame media will be done via Zoom this year.
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. The Green & White have won 152 of their last 170 games (.889) when scoring at least 70 points, and the Spartans are 170-28 (.859) under head coach Suzy Merchant when hanging at least 70 points on the scoreboard. The Spartans are now 6-0 this season when reaching the 70-point mark.
CLOSING OUT THE GAMES
The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 215 of their last 228 games (.943) when leading with five minutes left, including 166 of their last 181. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 250-19 (.929) when holding a lead with five minutes left. This season, MSU is 6-0 when leading with five minutes remaining.
CLOUDEN EARNS PRESEASON HONORS
Michigan State junior guard Nia Clouden has been named Preseason All-Big Ten by both the coaches and media. During the 2019-20 campaign, Clouden finished the season first on the team in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game, which was also eighth in the Big Ten. She also tied for 14th in the league in assists (3.3 apg) and 11th in steals (1.7 spg). Last season, Clouden captured second-team All-Big Big Ten honors after being named to the honorable mention squad as a freshman.
• MSU improved to 6-0 with Sunday's win, the Spartans' first 6-0 start to a season since the 2012-13 season when they opened 8-0. This is the longest winning streak since Michigan State won eight-straight from Nov. 23-Dec. 30 during the 2018-19 season.
• Through six games, the Spartans stand second in the nation and first in the league in assist/turnover ratio (1.88). They are also third in the NCAA and first in the league in assists per game, averaging 22.5 ppg. Junior guard Nia Clouden is 11th in the country and first in the Big Ten this season with 35 assists.
• Junior guard Nia Clouden's 18 points against Northern Illinois on Dec. 20 gives her 948 career points, just 52 points away from the 1,000 career points milestone. She has scored in double figures in every game this season.
• After the holiday break, Michigan State returns to Big Ten action. The Spartans will take on Purdue on the road on Jan. 3, before returning to the Breslin Center to face No. 14/14 Maryland on Jan. 7.
SCOUTING OAKLAND
The Golden Grizzlies bring a 3-3 overall record into Tuesday's tangle with the Spartans. Oakland is finishing up a hectic stretch of games, as Tuesday's game is the Grizzlies' third game in the last four days after playing at Horizon League foe Wright State on Saturday and Sunday. Oakland won Saturday's opener, 75-69, before falling, 74-49, Sunday, as OU suffered its first conference loss of the early season, now at 3-1, as well as having its three-game win streak snapped.
Oakland has two players scoring in double-figures, led by junior guard Kahlaijah Dean at 16.7 points per game, adding a team-best 2.0 steals per game, along with second on the team with 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest. Sophomore guard Alona Blackwell adds 12.0 ppg and is the Grizzlies' leading 3-point shooter at 14-of-38 (.368), adding 3.2 rpg. Senior guard Chloe Guingrich leads OU with 5.2 rebounds per game.
As a team, Oakland is averaging 67.0 ppg, but allowing 72.3 ppg, for a scoring margin of -5.3. OU also has a -11.3 rebounding margin, getting out-rebounded by an average of 46.7-35.3 rpg. The Grizzlies are shooting 39.0 percent (142-of-364) from the field, including 28.8 percent (34-of-118) from 3-point range, making 5.7 treys per game, as well as 64.6 percent (84-of-130) at the free throw line. OU head coach Jeff Tungate is in his eighth season leading the Grizzlies, posting a 93-124 record.
SERIES HISTORY VS. OAKLAND
Tuesday with be the 21st meeting between MSU and Oakland, with the Spartans winning the last 12 meetings in a row and leading the all-time series, 16-4. The teams have met in each of the last 10 seasons since the 2011-12 season. MSU also holds a 10-2 lead in games in East Lansing, winning the last seven in a row on the Spartans' home court, including last season's 76-56 win on Nov. 19, 2019, that came on the heels of a 102-58 Spartan rout in Rochester on Dec. 5, 2018. Tuesday's game date of Dec. 22 is the latest the Spartans and Grizzlies have played in a season since the 1981-82 season, when they played on Feb. 9, 1982.
LAST TIME VS. OAKLAND
Taryn McCutcheon scored 16 points, Mardrekia Cook added 14 and No. 15/16 Michigan State women's basketball defeated Oakland 76-56 on Nov. 19, 2019 at the Breslin Center.
MSU had four in double figures led by 16 points by McCutcheon, while Cook added a season-high 14 points. Sophomore forward Kayla Belles was one point shy of matching her career high, scoring 11 points, while sophomore guard Nia Clouden added 10. Freshman forward Taiyier Parks was the first Spartan to reach double figures in rebounds with 10.
Kayla Luchenbach had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Golden Grizzlies (2-2) with Jalisha Terry scoring 16 points.
GIVING A HELPING HAND
Michigan State's 25 assists against NIU on Dec. 20 not only tied the second-most of the season, but was the Spartans' second-straight and fourth game this season in topping 20 or more helpers in the six games, joining 24 last time out vs. Central Michigan (Dec. 18), along with 25 in the season-opener vs. Saint Francis (Nov. 27), 26 vs. Detroit Mercy (Dec. 2).
Individually, the Spartans have two players in the top 10 in the Big Ten in assists per game. Nia Clouden is fourth, averaging 5.8 apg, while Tory Ozment is 10th with 4.8 apg. Ozment is also tied for fourth in assist/turnover ratio (3.22).
CLOUDEN WITH A CHANCE OF SCORING
Junior guard Nia Clouden had her three-game 20-point scoring streak halted with 18 points against Northern Illinois on Dec. 20. Clouden has now posted double-figures in all six games this season as part of 17 games in a row dating back to last season. She leads the team in scoring, averaging 19.2 points per game. She also is tops on the team in assists per game with 5.8 per game.
Clouden now has 17-straight career games in double-digits dating back to last year, having posted double-figures in 33 of her last 36 games played, doing so in every game but three last season. For her career, Clouden now has double-digits in 56 of her 69 games played.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
The Big Ten has six team ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 this week and two more receiving votes. This is the most top 25 teams of any conference in the country this week and the most the Big Ten has had in a single week since Jan. 14, 2019. Michigan State enters the polls at No. 25, while Maryland leads way No. 14. The other ranked teams include - Northwestern (No. 15), Ohio State (No. 16), Michigan (No. 17) and Indiana (No. 19).
LOOKING TOWARD 1,000
With 18 points on Dec. 20, Nia Clouden now has 948 career points, closing in on the 1,000 career points milestone. She is looking to become the seventh player in the last seven years to reach the 1,000-point mark.
Years Player Points
2019-20 Taryn McCutcheon 1,119
2018-19 Jenna Allen 1,098
2017-18 Branndais Agee 1,250
2015-16 Tori Jankoska 2,212
2014-15 Aerial Powers 1,817
2014-15 Becca Mills 1,157
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
Several Spartan sophomores are showing no signs of a sophomore slump against Northern Illinois on Dec. 20.
• Julia Ayrault dished out a career-high five assists and swatted a season-high three blocks, tying her career-high.
• Taiyier Parks pulled down a season-high and career-best tying 10 rebounds for her second double-figure rebounding game of her career.
PUTTING UP BIG NUMBERS
After not having a pair of 20-point scorers in the same since Feb. 3, 2019 vs. Purdue when Shay Colley and Sidney Cooks netted 20 points apiece before Winston and Clouden did it last against Minnesota on Dec. 9, the Spartan duo has now reached that feat in back-to-back games with Winston's 25 points and Clouden's 21 points on Dec. 12 vs. Iowa.
Clouden and Winston's back-to-back 20-point games marks the first time that the Spartans have had two 20-point scorers in consecutive games since the 2016-17 season, when Aerial Powers (27) and Branndais Agee (20) did so on Feb. 3. vs. Michigan, then Powers (31) and Agee (22) on Feb. 5 vs. Maryland.
LOOKING AHEAD
Michigan State women's basketball's game against Ohio State that was set for Thursday, Dec. 31 in Columbus, Ohio, has been postponed due to COVID-19 concerns within the Buckeyes' program.
The decision to pause activities and to postpone the games was made jointly by the Ohio State Department of Athletics and its sports medicine staff in consultation with the Big Ten Conference. For Ohio State's complete release, please click here. Both schools will work with the Conference office to identify potential rescheduling options later this season.
SPARTANS AGAINST THE NCAA
After six games, the Spartans are currently third in the nation in assists per game (22.5 apg) and second in assists to turnover ratio (1.88). Michigan State is 13 in turnover margin +8.33 margin. Junior guard Nia Clouden is 11th in the nation and first in the Big Ten in assists with 35, while standing 20th in the country and fourth in the Big Ten in assists per game with 5.8 apg.
ERASE HATE
Michigan State women's basketball head coach Suzy Merchant is proud to launch the Erase Hate campaign for the 2020-21 season. The Erase Hate campaign aims to put the focus on student-athlete driven programming to address social injustice issues. Throughout this season, women's basketball players work to help lift up the voices of underrepresented groups both on campus and across the Greater Lansing area.
BIG TEN OPENERS
Michigan State is 19-19 in Big Ten openers, having won six of their last nine. MSU is now 8-5 in league openers in Coach Merchant's 13 seasons. Last season, the Spartans won their opener in East Lansing against No. 16 Iowa, 84-70. The last time that Michigan State played Minnesota in a B1G opener was to start the 2013-14 league action with MSU winning 81-56 on the road.
FAST OUT OF THE GATE
MSU scored a season-high 48 points in the first half on the way to a 48-38 lead at intermission at Minnesota on Dec. 9. The Spartans' 28 second-quarter points were their most in a quarter this season, bettering the previous quarter-high of 24 points, done twice, first in the opening quarter vs. Saint Francis (PA) in the season-opener on Nov. 27, and again in the fourth frame vs. Detroit Mercy on Dec. 2. Against Iowa on Dec. 12, the Spartans scored 44 points in the first half with 24 points in the first quarter.
MASK UP, MICHIGAN
Things will look very different in the Breslin Center to start the season. Currently, there will be no fans in the stands, including the families of the players. Crowd noise will be piped and the music will be going to get the players hyped up. From the comfort of home, fans can look for familiar faces in the cardboard cutouts in the stands. All postgame media will be done via Zoom this year.
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. The Green & White have won 152 of their last 170 games (.889) when scoring at least 70 points, and the Spartans are 170-28 (.859) under head coach Suzy Merchant when hanging at least 70 points on the scoreboard. The Spartans are now 6-0 this season when reaching the 70-point mark.
CLOSING OUT THE GAMES
The Spartans have been extremely effective closing out games over the last couple years, winning 215 of their last 228 games (.943) when leading with five minutes left, including 166 of their last 181. In Coach Merchant's tenure, Michigan State is 250-19 (.929) when holding a lead with five minutes left. This season, MSU is 6-0 when leading with five minutes remaining.
CLOUDEN EARNS PRESEASON HONORS
Michigan State junior guard Nia Clouden has been named Preseason All-Big Ten by both the coaches and media. During the 2019-20 campaign, Clouden finished the season first on the team in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game, which was also eighth in the Big Ten. She also tied for 14th in the league in assists (3.3 apg) and 11th in steals (1.7 spg). Last season, Clouden captured second-team All-Big Big Ten honors after being named to the honorable mention squad as a freshman.
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Center
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballRobyn Fralick | Women's Basketball Selection Show Press Conference | March 16, 2025
Sunday, March 16
Robyn Fralick | Women's Basketball Press Conference | Mar. 04 2025
Tuesday, March 04
Michigan State Women's Basketball vs Minnosta | Cinematic Highlight
Sunday, March 02
Coach Fralick Post Game Comments | MINN | Mar. 1 2025
Saturday, March 01