Wednesday, November 20
East Lansing, Mich.
6:30 PM
Michigan State University
101
vs
44
Detroit Mercy
Woodard and VanSlooten Lead Spartans to Dominate Victory over Detroit Mercy
11/20/2024 10:04:00 PM | Women's Basketball
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Four Michigan State women's basketball players reached double figures, as the Spartans cruised to a 101-44 victory of Detroit Mercy Wednesday night at the Breslin Center.
MSU has opened 6-0 for the second time in three seasons and the first under head coach Robyn Fralick. The Titans suffered their first loss of the season falling to 2-1.
Despite playing just 14 minutes, freshman forward Juliann Woodard led the Spartans in scoring with 17 points off the bench. She went 7-for-8 from the field, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. Junior forward Grace VanSlooten scored 16 points, adding seven boards and five assists. Graduate guard Jaddan Simmons, who earned her second start of the season, had a MSU career-high with 15 points and three steals. Junior guard Theryn Hallock added 11 points and tied a career high with four steals, while redshirt-freshman Kennedy Blair added 10 points.
The Titans were led by 13 points of the bench by Kailey Starks.
The Spartans have now scored 100 points or more three times this season. It was also the second time this season the MSU has had 22 steals in a game, also doing so against Oakland on Nov. 5.
Michigan State used a 10-0 run to jump out to an early 16-6 lead with just over five minutes remaining in the first quarter after a VanSlooten bucket. The Spartans forced six turnovers in a 4:25 span. Simmons converted a four-point play to extend the run to 21-0 and put MSU on top, 27-6. This first-half ended with Michigan State on top 32-8. VanSlooten scored 14 in the period to lead all scorers.
In the second quarter, the Titans scored the first eight points of the period to try to battle back in the game, trimming the deficit to 32-16. A Jocelyn Tate layup at the 7:18 mark got the Spartans on the board. The Spartans responded with a 7-0 run of its to re-establish control. The Spartans led at the half 58-24 behind 14 from VanSlooten and 12 from Simmons.
Michigan State scored the first nine points of the third period to break the 60-point mark. The MSU defense remained difficult to deal with, causing seven steals in the third quarter alone.
A 3-pointer from Juliann Woodard gave the Spartans the palindromic 93-39 lead with under six minutes remaining in the game. After a steal by freshman guard Sinai Dougals, fellow freshman Helen Holley scored her first collegiate basket. The Spartans out-scored the Titans, 20-8 in the final 10 minutes with all 20 points being scored by a freshman.
Michigan State will now prepare to head to California for the Thanksgiving break. The Spartans will play in the Acrisure Classic Nov. 26-27 in Palm Springs. MSU will start the tournament against Cal at 2 p.m. ET.
Michigan State Women's Basketball Post-Game Notes
• Wednesday night's 101 points marked Michigan State's third 100-point scoring outing of the season through the first six games . . . it marks the second-straight season with at least three games with 100+ points, but doing so in one less game after reaching the century mark for the third time in game seven last season.
• MSU hung 95+ points on the scoreboard for the fifth-straight home game as part of the fifth time out of the six total games so far this season . . . the five times scoring 95 points or more in six games is the most in program history.
• The Spartans have started the season 6-0 for the first time under head coach Robyn Fralick, along with the second time in the last three years, as part of the third time in the last five seasons, joining the 2022-23 and 2020-21 seasons.
• Michigan State has won 18 of its last 20 home games at the Breslin Center, after starting this season 5-0 at home following posting a 13-2 ledger last season at home . . . overall, MSU has won 29 of its last 37 home games dating back to the 2022-23 season.
• The Spartan defense held Detroit Mercy to 44 points, tying for the second-fewest points allowed behind 42 points done twice, most recently last time out vs. Western Michigan (11/17/24) and matching holding Oakland to 42 points in the season-opener on Nov. 5 . . . Michigan State's defense has limited the opposition under 50 points for the fifth game through six contests this season.
• MSU held Detroit Mercy to eight points in the first quarter and eight points the fourth frame, as the Spartans have now stymied the opposition to single-digits in at least one quarter of all six games, as part of in 10 quarters out of the 24 total quarters played . . . MSU has posted multiple quarters with single-figure scoring in four of the six games this season.
• Wednesday's win was the 21-straight Victory for MSU over Detroit Mercy overall and the 22nd in a row in games played in Michigan, and the Spartans now lead the all-time series 26-7, including 20-1 in East Lansing, winning 20-consecutive since losing the first-ever game in the series on Feb. 6, 1979 . . . the Titans' last win in the series was on Dec. 20, 1994 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, while the last win in Michigan was on Dec. 18, 1985 in Detroit.
• Detroit Mercy was Michigan State's second-straight in-state opponent and fourth in-state foe overall this season, after winning at Western Michigan, 79-42, last time out on (11/17/24), previously beating Oakland (107-42 on Nov. 5) and Eastern Michigan (95-49 on Nov. 11) out of the five games so far this season, with two more games ahead against teams from the Mitten State . . . the Spartans play in-state rival Michigan on Jan. 25 at Ann Arbor and Feb. 9 in East Lansing.
• Wednesday's MSU starting line-up of senior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate, junior forward Grace VanSlooten, junior guard Theryn Hallock, junior guard Emma Shumate and graduate guard Jaddan Simmons was MSU's first game with that starting five . . . it was also the Spartans' third different starting line-up this season.
• Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault missed Wednesday's game with an injury, halting her consecutive games starting streak at 33 in a row, after starting 28 games in 2023-24 and the first five games of this season.
• Four Spartans scored in double-figures Wednesday night, marking the fourth game this season with four scoring in double-digits.
• Freshman forward Julianna Woodard came off the bench to score a game-high 17 points, topping her season-high for the second-straight home game after netting 16 points in just 6:31 of playing time against Eastern Kentucky (11/14/24) . . . Woodard posted her 17 points in 13:52 of playing time Wednesday night, an average of 1.2 points per minute . . . she has 33 points in 20:23 of playing time in the last two home games, an average of 1.6 points per minute.
• Through the first six games of the season, Woodard now has scored 58 points in just over 46 minutes played, an average of 1.3 points per minute play.
• Woodard registered her second game in double-figures and has tallied five or more points in all six games, including eight or more points in three contests.
• Junior forward Grace VanSlooten tallied 16 points . . . VanSlooten has led the Spartans in scoring in four games . . . the junior forward has tallied double-figures in all five games played, missing the Eastern Michigan game due to illness.
• VanSlooten pulled down a game-high tying seven rebounds, matched by teammate and senior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate . . . it marks the fourth game that VanSlooten has led or shared the team lead on the glass.
• Graduate guard Jaddan Simmons netted a season-high 15 points, tallying double-figures for the first time this season . . . Wednesday was her second start of season, also opening the Eastern Michigan game (11/11/24).
• Junior guard Theryn Hallock added 11 points to register her fifth game in double-figures this season . . . the Spartan guard has netted double-figures in eight of her last 10 games played and 14 of the last 17 games dating back to last season . . . the junior has posted 10+ points in 22 of her last 31 games since Nov. 30, 2023, her first double-figure outing last season after scoring in single-digits the first six games of the season, and only scoring in single-digits in back-to-back games once during that span.
• Freshman guard Kennedy Blair rounded out the Spartan quartet scoring in double-figures, tallying 10 points for her fourth outing in double-digits this season.
• All 20 points scored by Michigan State in the fourth quarter was scored by freshmen off the bench, including forward Helen Holley netting her first career points with a lay-up . . . MSU's bench out-scored its counterparts from Detroit Mercy, 42-27.
• Senior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate pulled down a season-high seven rebounds . . . it also marked the first time this season that Tate has led or shared the lead on the glass for the Spartans and the eighth time in her career.
• Graduate guard Nyla Hampton tied a season-high with a game-best five steals, as she has swiped three or more steals in last two contests as part of the fourth time in the six games this season.
MSU has opened 6-0 for the second time in three seasons and the first under head coach Robyn Fralick. The Titans suffered their first loss of the season falling to 2-1.
Despite playing just 14 minutes, freshman forward Juliann Woodard led the Spartans in scoring with 17 points off the bench. She went 7-for-8 from the field, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. Junior forward Grace VanSlooten scored 16 points, adding seven boards and five assists. Graduate guard Jaddan Simmons, who earned her second start of the season, had a MSU career-high with 15 points and three steals. Junior guard Theryn Hallock added 11 points and tied a career high with four steals, while redshirt-freshman Kennedy Blair added 10 points.
The Titans were led by 13 points of the bench by Kailey Starks.
The Spartans have now scored 100 points or more three times this season. It was also the second time this season the MSU has had 22 steals in a game, also doing so against Oakland on Nov. 5.
Michigan State used a 10-0 run to jump out to an early 16-6 lead with just over five minutes remaining in the first quarter after a VanSlooten bucket. The Spartans forced six turnovers in a 4:25 span. Simmons converted a four-point play to extend the run to 21-0 and put MSU on top, 27-6. This first-half ended with Michigan State on top 32-8. VanSlooten scored 14 in the period to lead all scorers.
In the second quarter, the Titans scored the first eight points of the period to try to battle back in the game, trimming the deficit to 32-16. A Jocelyn Tate layup at the 7:18 mark got the Spartans on the board. The Spartans responded with a 7-0 run of its to re-establish control. The Spartans led at the half 58-24 behind 14 from VanSlooten and 12 from Simmons.
Michigan State scored the first nine points of the third period to break the 60-point mark. The MSU defense remained difficult to deal with, causing seven steals in the third quarter alone.
A 3-pointer from Juliann Woodard gave the Spartans the palindromic 93-39 lead with under six minutes remaining in the game. After a steal by freshman guard Sinai Dougals, fellow freshman Helen Holley scored her first collegiate basket. The Spartans out-scored the Titans, 20-8 in the final 10 minutes with all 20 points being scored by a freshman.
Michigan State will now prepare to head to California for the Thanksgiving break. The Spartans will play in the Acrisure Classic Nov. 26-27 in Palm Springs. MSU will start the tournament against Cal at 2 p.m. ET.
Michigan State Women's Basketball Post-Game Notes
• Wednesday night's 101 points marked Michigan State's third 100-point scoring outing of the season through the first six games . . . it marks the second-straight season with at least three games with 100+ points, but doing so in one less game after reaching the century mark for the third time in game seven last season.
• MSU hung 95+ points on the scoreboard for the fifth-straight home game as part of the fifth time out of the six total games so far this season . . . the five times scoring 95 points or more in six games is the most in program history.
• The Spartans have started the season 6-0 for the first time under head coach Robyn Fralick, along with the second time in the last three years, as part of the third time in the last five seasons, joining the 2022-23 and 2020-21 seasons.
• Michigan State has won 18 of its last 20 home games at the Breslin Center, after starting this season 5-0 at home following posting a 13-2 ledger last season at home . . . overall, MSU has won 29 of its last 37 home games dating back to the 2022-23 season.
• The Spartan defense held Detroit Mercy to 44 points, tying for the second-fewest points allowed behind 42 points done twice, most recently last time out vs. Western Michigan (11/17/24) and matching holding Oakland to 42 points in the season-opener on Nov. 5 . . . Michigan State's defense has limited the opposition under 50 points for the fifth game through six contests this season.
• MSU held Detroit Mercy to eight points in the first quarter and eight points the fourth frame, as the Spartans have now stymied the opposition to single-digits in at least one quarter of all six games, as part of in 10 quarters out of the 24 total quarters played . . . MSU has posted multiple quarters with single-figure scoring in four of the six games this season.
• Wednesday's win was the 21-straight Victory for MSU over Detroit Mercy overall and the 22nd in a row in games played in Michigan, and the Spartans now lead the all-time series 26-7, including 20-1 in East Lansing, winning 20-consecutive since losing the first-ever game in the series on Feb. 6, 1979 . . . the Titans' last win in the series was on Dec. 20, 1994 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, while the last win in Michigan was on Dec. 18, 1985 in Detroit.
• Detroit Mercy was Michigan State's second-straight in-state opponent and fourth in-state foe overall this season, after winning at Western Michigan, 79-42, last time out on (11/17/24), previously beating Oakland (107-42 on Nov. 5) and Eastern Michigan (95-49 on Nov. 11) out of the five games so far this season, with two more games ahead against teams from the Mitten State . . . the Spartans play in-state rival Michigan on Jan. 25 at Ann Arbor and Feb. 9 in East Lansing.
• Wednesday's MSU starting line-up of senior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate, junior forward Grace VanSlooten, junior guard Theryn Hallock, junior guard Emma Shumate and graduate guard Jaddan Simmons was MSU's first game with that starting five . . . it was also the Spartans' third different starting line-up this season.
• Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault missed Wednesday's game with an injury, halting her consecutive games starting streak at 33 in a row, after starting 28 games in 2023-24 and the first five games of this season.
• Four Spartans scored in double-figures Wednesday night, marking the fourth game this season with four scoring in double-digits.
• Freshman forward Julianna Woodard came off the bench to score a game-high 17 points, topping her season-high for the second-straight home game after netting 16 points in just 6:31 of playing time against Eastern Kentucky (11/14/24) . . . Woodard posted her 17 points in 13:52 of playing time Wednesday night, an average of 1.2 points per minute . . . she has 33 points in 20:23 of playing time in the last two home games, an average of 1.6 points per minute.
• Through the first six games of the season, Woodard now has scored 58 points in just over 46 minutes played, an average of 1.3 points per minute play.
• Woodard registered her second game in double-figures and has tallied five or more points in all six games, including eight or more points in three contests.
• Junior forward Grace VanSlooten tallied 16 points . . . VanSlooten has led the Spartans in scoring in four games . . . the junior forward has tallied double-figures in all five games played, missing the Eastern Michigan game due to illness.
• VanSlooten pulled down a game-high tying seven rebounds, matched by teammate and senior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate . . . it marks the fourth game that VanSlooten has led or shared the team lead on the glass.
• Graduate guard Jaddan Simmons netted a season-high 15 points, tallying double-figures for the first time this season . . . Wednesday was her second start of season, also opening the Eastern Michigan game (11/11/24).
• Junior guard Theryn Hallock added 11 points to register her fifth game in double-figures this season . . . the Spartan guard has netted double-figures in eight of her last 10 games played and 14 of the last 17 games dating back to last season . . . the junior has posted 10+ points in 22 of her last 31 games since Nov. 30, 2023, her first double-figure outing last season after scoring in single-digits the first six games of the season, and only scoring in single-digits in back-to-back games once during that span.
• Freshman guard Kennedy Blair rounded out the Spartan quartet scoring in double-figures, tallying 10 points for her fourth outing in double-digits this season.
• All 20 points scored by Michigan State in the fourth quarter was scored by freshmen off the bench, including forward Helen Holley netting her first career points with a lay-up . . . MSU's bench out-scored its counterparts from Detroit Mercy, 42-27.
• Senior guard/forward Jocelyn Tate pulled down a season-high seven rebounds . . . it also marked the first time this season that Tate has led or shared the lead on the glass for the Spartans and the eighth time in her career.
• Graduate guard Nyla Hampton tied a season-high with a game-best five steals, as she has swiped three or more steals in last two contests as part of the fourth time in the six games this season.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
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