Sunday, November 9
East Lansing, Mich.
2 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Eastern Michigan
No. 23 Spartans Host In-State Foe Eastern Michigan Sunday
11/8/2025 12:09:00 PM | Women's Basketball
This game is the annual Hoops for Troops game.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball continues its six-game homestand on Sunday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. against Eastern Michigan. The third season of the Robyn Fralick era began with a record-breaking 125-39 win over Mercyhurst on Nov. 4. Jordan Cyprian and Will Szczesny will be on the call for B1G+.
• Eastern Michigan started this season 1-1. The Eagles lost to Louisiana Monroe, 80-71, in the MAC-SBC Challenge on Monday on the road and defeated Canisius, 70-39, on Friday.
• Michigan State broke a school record for points in the 125-39 win over Mercyhurst on Tuesday, topping the previous record of 116 points, which also came in a season-opener, in a 116-50 win over Niagara on Nov. 14, 2008 to open the 2008-09 season.
• The Spartans return a pair of all conference honorees. Grace VanSlooten was named to the second team by both the coaches and the media. Theryn Hallock was named honorable mention by both the coaches and the media.
• Michigan State only had three turnovers Tuesday night, also setting a school record for fewest turnovers, bettering the previous record of five done three previous times.
SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern Michigan opened the season with a 80-71 loss to Louisiana Monroe on Nov. 3 to open the season at the MAC-SBC Challenge. The Eagles rebounded with a 70-39 win over Canisius on Nov. 7 on the road.
Sisi Eeko leads the team in scoring averaging 17.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game after two contests. Believe Tshibangu is second with 14.0 points and 9.0 rebounds rebounding has been a strong point for the Eagles out-rebounding their opponents 74-65 in two games.
Sahar Nusseibeh is in her second season with Eastern Michigan. In her first season with the Eagles, the team went 2-27. For her career, she is 34-88.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE EAGLES
Michigan State leads the overall series with Eastern Michigan 20-3. The Spartans have won the last six meeting between the teams. In East Lansing, MSU holds a record of 14-1. In Ypsilanti, the Spartans are on top 5-1. On neutral territory, the series is tied, 1-1.
Last season, MSU once again flexed its defensive muscles, forcing 29 turnovers en route to a 95-49 win against Eastern Michigan on Nov. 11, 2024 at Breslin Center.
The Spartan's defense stymied the opposition for the third-consecutive game, as the Spartans have held their opponents under 50 points in all three games (42 by Oakland, 45 by Yale, 49 by Eastern Michigan).
HOLDING ON TO THE BALL
The Spartans only had three turnovers Tuesday night against Mercyhurst, also setting a school record for fewest turnovers, bettering the previous record of five done three previous times, first done in a 56-55 win at Northwestern on Jan. 22, 1989, then again in a 76-69 win vs. Standford on March 29, 2005 and most recently in a 68-66 win over Toledo on March 18, 2018.
ADDING UP THE ACCOLADES
Senior forward Grace VanSlooten was named to the 2025-26 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's College Player of the Year Watch List Presented by AXIA Time.
She was one of 50 players named to the watch list that honors the best players in the nation.
VanSlooten is one of 13 Big Ten players named to the watch list, including her team USA teammate Hannah Stuelke from Iowa. VanSlooten was also named to the Preseason All-Big Ten team earlier this month as well the Cheryl Miller Award Watch List.
DOUBLE THE FUN
Redshirt-sophomore guard Kennedy Blaire made the most of her first Spart start. She captured her first double-double with 14 points and 12 assists against Mercyhurst on Nov. 4.
SEASON OPENERS
Michigan State has won its 12th-straight season-opener and three in a row under head coach Robyn Fralick. MSU's last season-opening loss was on Nov. 11, 2013 at #6/7 Notre Dame. The Spartans have won 16-consecutive home openers, as their last loss in the first home game of the season was on Nov. 19, 2009 vs. #5/6 Notre Dame.
VANSLOOTEN EARNS PRESEASON HONOR
Michigan State women's basketball senior forward Grace VanSlooten was named 2025-26 Preseason All-Big Ten by both the coaches and media. In her first season with the Spartans, VanSlooten earned second-team All-Big Ten honors. She was first on the team in scoring, averaging 15.5 points per game. She scored a career-high 480 points her junior season. She was tied for 15th in the Big Ten in rebounding, averaging 7.3 rebounds per game. In a win against, Vanderbilt at the Acrisure Classic on Nov. 27, she scored her 1,000th career point.
BY THE NUMBERS vs. MERCYHURST
With 49 field goals Tuesday night, MSU just missed the school record for field goals made of 50, in a 108-71 home win over Georgetown on Nov. 24, 1990.
MSU had a 16-0 run and a 24-0 run as part of a 40-3 run over the first and second quarters.
MSU had a 62-0 advantage in points off turnovers, a 50-0 advantage in fast-break points, out-scored MU, 70-10 in points in the paint, a 31-5 second-chance points advantage and 55-14 in bench scoring.
BRINGING HOME THE GOLD
Three players earned gold medals for their home countries this summer. Grace VanSlooten won the FIBA Women's Americup for Team USA. Marah Dykstra won gold for Canada in the FIBA 3x3 Junior Pan American Games. Inés Sotelo and Spain won a gold medal in the 2025 FIBA Eurobasket.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick has announced senior forward Grace VanSlooten and senior guard Abbey Kimball as team captains, as voted on by the players on the 2025-26 women's basketball team. This is the first time that either has been named a captain for Michigan State. VanSlooten is in her second season with MSU after transferring from Oregon. Kimball is in her fourth season as a Spartan.
REACHING THE CENTURY MARK
After scoring 107 points in last year's season-opener vs. Oakland in a 107-42 Victory for MSU on Nov. 5, 2024, the Spartans have scored 100+ points in back-to-back season-openers for the first time in school history. The closest MSU had been to reaching the century back in consecutive lid-lifters to a season was in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 season-openers when the Spartans scored 100 in a 100-58 win over Robert Morris in on Nov. 11, 2017, and then 99 the next year in a 99-69 win over Bowling Green on Nov. 6, 2018.
LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE
For the fifth-straight season, the Big Ten Conference will play an 18-game schedule. MSU also played an 18-game schedule in both 2018-19 and 2019-20. The conference additionally had 18-game schedules in both 2015-16 and 2014-15.
The Spartans will face a maximum of 12 opponents that competed in the NCAA Tournament last season, as MSU will possibly play Ole Miss in the Cherokee Invitational. From the Big Ten portion of the schedule, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington reached the NCAA Tournament, including the Bruins advancing to the Final Four.
NEW DIGS
The Spartans welcome four transfers to the 2025-26 season. Rashonda Jones is a junior guard, who comes to Michigan State after two years at Purdue. Marah Dykstra is a senior forward who spent three season at Montana State in the Big Sky Conference. Jalyn Brown is the second-straight player to come to MSU from Arizona State. The guard played two seasons at ASU. Last season, senior Jaddan Simmons spent one season with MSU. Finally, Sara Sambolić is a junior guard from Slovenia who transferred from the University of Ljubljana.
• Eastern Michigan started this season 1-1. The Eagles lost to Louisiana Monroe, 80-71, in the MAC-SBC Challenge on Monday on the road and defeated Canisius, 70-39, on Friday.
• Michigan State broke a school record for points in the 125-39 win over Mercyhurst on Tuesday, topping the previous record of 116 points, which also came in a season-opener, in a 116-50 win over Niagara on Nov. 14, 2008 to open the 2008-09 season.
• The Spartans return a pair of all conference honorees. Grace VanSlooten was named to the second team by both the coaches and the media. Theryn Hallock was named honorable mention by both the coaches and the media.
• Michigan State only had three turnovers Tuesday night, also setting a school record for fewest turnovers, bettering the previous record of five done three previous times.
SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern Michigan opened the season with a 80-71 loss to Louisiana Monroe on Nov. 3 to open the season at the MAC-SBC Challenge. The Eagles rebounded with a 70-39 win over Canisius on Nov. 7 on the road.
Sisi Eeko leads the team in scoring averaging 17.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game after two contests. Believe Tshibangu is second with 14.0 points and 9.0 rebounds rebounding has been a strong point for the Eagles out-rebounding their opponents 74-65 in two games.
Sahar Nusseibeh is in her second season with Eastern Michigan. In her first season with the Eagles, the team went 2-27. For her career, she is 34-88.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE EAGLES
Michigan State leads the overall series with Eastern Michigan 20-3. The Spartans have won the last six meeting between the teams. In East Lansing, MSU holds a record of 14-1. In Ypsilanti, the Spartans are on top 5-1. On neutral territory, the series is tied, 1-1.
Last season, MSU once again flexed its defensive muscles, forcing 29 turnovers en route to a 95-49 win against Eastern Michigan on Nov. 11, 2024 at Breslin Center.
The Spartan's defense stymied the opposition for the third-consecutive game, as the Spartans have held their opponents under 50 points in all three games (42 by Oakland, 45 by Yale, 49 by Eastern Michigan).
HOLDING ON TO THE BALL
The Spartans only had three turnovers Tuesday night against Mercyhurst, also setting a school record for fewest turnovers, bettering the previous record of five done three previous times, first done in a 56-55 win at Northwestern on Jan. 22, 1989, then again in a 76-69 win vs. Standford on March 29, 2005 and most recently in a 68-66 win over Toledo on March 18, 2018.
ADDING UP THE ACCOLADES
Senior forward Grace VanSlooten was named to the 2025-26 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's College Player of the Year Watch List Presented by AXIA Time.
She was one of 50 players named to the watch list that honors the best players in the nation.
VanSlooten is one of 13 Big Ten players named to the watch list, including her team USA teammate Hannah Stuelke from Iowa. VanSlooten was also named to the Preseason All-Big Ten team earlier this month as well the Cheryl Miller Award Watch List.
DOUBLE THE FUN
Redshirt-sophomore guard Kennedy Blaire made the most of her first Spart start. She captured her first double-double with 14 points and 12 assists against Mercyhurst on Nov. 4.
SEASON OPENERS
Michigan State has won its 12th-straight season-opener and three in a row under head coach Robyn Fralick. MSU's last season-opening loss was on Nov. 11, 2013 at #6/7 Notre Dame. The Spartans have won 16-consecutive home openers, as their last loss in the first home game of the season was on Nov. 19, 2009 vs. #5/6 Notre Dame.
VANSLOOTEN EARNS PRESEASON HONOR
Michigan State women's basketball senior forward Grace VanSlooten was named 2025-26 Preseason All-Big Ten by both the coaches and media. In her first season with the Spartans, VanSlooten earned second-team All-Big Ten honors. She was first on the team in scoring, averaging 15.5 points per game. She scored a career-high 480 points her junior season. She was tied for 15th in the Big Ten in rebounding, averaging 7.3 rebounds per game. In a win against, Vanderbilt at the Acrisure Classic on Nov. 27, she scored her 1,000th career point.
BY THE NUMBERS vs. MERCYHURST
With 49 field goals Tuesday night, MSU just missed the school record for field goals made of 50, in a 108-71 home win over Georgetown on Nov. 24, 1990.
MSU had a 16-0 run and a 24-0 run as part of a 40-3 run over the first and second quarters.
MSU had a 62-0 advantage in points off turnovers, a 50-0 advantage in fast-break points, out-scored MU, 70-10 in points in the paint, a 31-5 second-chance points advantage and 55-14 in bench scoring.
BRINGING HOME THE GOLD
Three players earned gold medals for their home countries this summer. Grace VanSlooten won the FIBA Women's Americup for Team USA. Marah Dykstra won gold for Canada in the FIBA 3x3 Junior Pan American Games. Inés Sotelo and Spain won a gold medal in the 2025 FIBA Eurobasket.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick has announced senior forward Grace VanSlooten and senior guard Abbey Kimball as team captains, as voted on by the players on the 2025-26 women's basketball team. This is the first time that either has been named a captain for Michigan State. VanSlooten is in her second season with MSU after transferring from Oregon. Kimball is in her fourth season as a Spartan.
REACHING THE CENTURY MARK
After scoring 107 points in last year's season-opener vs. Oakland in a 107-42 Victory for MSU on Nov. 5, 2024, the Spartans have scored 100+ points in back-to-back season-openers for the first time in school history. The closest MSU had been to reaching the century back in consecutive lid-lifters to a season was in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 season-openers when the Spartans scored 100 in a 100-58 win over Robert Morris in on Nov. 11, 2017, and then 99 the next year in a 99-69 win over Bowling Green on Nov. 6, 2018.
LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE
For the fifth-straight season, the Big Ten Conference will play an 18-game schedule. MSU also played an 18-game schedule in both 2018-19 and 2019-20. The conference additionally had 18-game schedules in both 2015-16 and 2014-15.
The Spartans will face a maximum of 12 opponents that competed in the NCAA Tournament last season, as MSU will possibly play Ole Miss in the Cherokee Invitational. From the Big Ten portion of the schedule, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington reached the NCAA Tournament, including the Bruins advancing to the Final Four.
NEW DIGS
The Spartans welcome four transfers to the 2025-26 season. Rashonda Jones is a junior guard, who comes to Michigan State after two years at Purdue. Marah Dykstra is a senior forward who spent three season at Montana State in the Big Sky Conference. Jalyn Brown is the second-straight player to come to MSU from Arizona State. The guard played two seasons at ASU. Last season, senior Jaddan Simmons spent one season with MSU. Finally, Sara Sambolić is a junior guard from Slovenia who transferred from the University of Ljubljana.
Players Mentioned
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