No.18/16 Spartan Women Travel to No. 23/23 Gophers for Regular-Season Road Finale

Sunday, February 22

Minneapolis, Minn.

6 PM

Michigan State University

No. 23/23 Minnesota

Photo by: MSU Athletic Communications

No.18/16 Spartan Women Travel to No. 23/23 Gophers for Regular-Season Road Finale

2/21/2026 10:15:00 AM | Women's Basketball

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The Spartans have to regular-season games remaining

EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 18/16 Michigan State women's basketball will play its final regular-season road game at No. 23/23 Minnesota on Sunday, Feb. 22. Tipoff time is set for 6 p.m. ET. Kelsi Kasper and Sydney Parrish will be on the call for FS1.

• The Spartans returned to the win column with a dominating 104-68 victory over Northwestern on Feb. 18 on Senior Day. MSU improved to 21-6 overall and 10-6 in Big Ten action.

• Minnesota has won nine-straight games after a 74-61 win over No. 10 Ohio State on Feb. 18. The Golden Gophers improved to 21-6 overall and 12-4 in Big Ten play.

• Of the six Spartan seniors celebrated against Northwestern, five were in action Wednesday to combine for 63 of MSU's 104 points, as Grace VanSlooten led the way with a team-high 22 points, followed by 15 points by Jalyn Brown, 14 from Marah Dykstra and six each from Emma Shumate and Abbey Kimball. Theyrn Hallock has been out with an injury.

• With Kennedy Blair's 10 assists, she now has 147 helpers this season, cracking into MSU's Top 10 single-season assists list, moving up to No. 9, passing Nia Clouden with 145 helpers in 2021-22 and former teammate DeeDee Hagemann with 146 in 2022-23.

SCOUTING MINNESOTA
Minnesota has won nine-straight games after a 74-61 win over No. 10 Ohio State on Feb. 18. The Gophers last loss came against Washington on the road on Jan. 18. Minnesota has picked up wins against Iowa and Penn State during the run. UM is 21-6 overall and 12-4 in Big Ten games.

The Gophers have five players averaging in double figures led by Tori McKinney who leads the team in scoring with 13.0 ppg. Grace Ghrocholski is second with 12.9 ppg.

Minnesota is fourth in scoring margin (+19.41) and second in field goal percentage defense (.375). The Gophers are seventh in steals with 8.63 spg.

Minnesota head coach Dawn Plitzuweit is in her third season, leading the Golden Gophers with a record of 66-33 record. Overall, she has had stops at South Dakota, Grand Valley State, Northern Kentucky and West Virginia. She has an overall record of 431-174.

SERIES HISTORY VS. THE GOPHERS
Michigan State holds the overall series lead over Minnesota 49-25. The Spartans have won six of the last eight meetings. MSU is looking for their first win in Minneapolis since 2020. MSU holds a strong 27-9 record at home, while the series is tied in Minneapolis 17-17. On neutral territory, MSU leads 3-1.

Last season on March 1, 2025, five Spartans hit the double-figure mark as the No. 23/22 Michigan State defeated Minnesota, 73-58, on Senior Day at the Breslin Center. Three of the four Spartan seniors reached double figures in scoring, while five total scored at least 10 points. Once again, Michigan State was led by 15 points and eight rebounds from Grace VanSlooten. Julia Ayrault, who tied the school record for career games played with 136, scored 13 points with nine boards. Jaddan Simmons and Nyla Hampton scored 11 and 10, respectively. Inés Sotelo came up big for MSU with 13 points.

NORTHERN CONNECTIONS
Minnesota head coach Dawn Plitzuweit has Michigan connections. She is a 1995 graduate of Michigan Tech. Spartan associate head coach Kim Cameron graduated from Michigan Tech in 2005. She also went on to coach at her alma mater. Assistant coach Maria Kasza graduated from MTU in 2009.

BLAIR LENDING A HELPING HAND
With Kennedy Blair's 10 assists vs. Northwestern, she now has 147 helpers on the season, cracking into MSU's Top 10 single-season assists list, moving up to No. 9, passing Nia Clouden with 145 helpers in 2021-22 and former teammate DeeDee Hagemann with 146 in 2022-23. Blair needs just one more assist to tie for the No. 8 spot, matching Deb Traxinger with 148 assists in 1979-80.

Blair now has 169 assists for her career, still over 100 away from cracking into MSU's Career Top 20 Assists List, as Carlotta Taylor (1986-90) holds the No. 20 mark with 283 helpers.

STEPPING UP TO THE MOMENTS
Against Northwestern, freshman guard Sara Sambolić tallied 13 points for her most in a B1G game and second-most of the season, as well as just the second time in double-figures, joining her season-high 14 points vs. Indiana State (12/21/25). This was her second start of the season.

DID YOU KNOW?
Michigan State netted 13 3-pointers Wednesday against Northwestern, the Spartans' most in a Big Ten game this season. It was MSU's eighth game with double-digit 3-pointers, but first in the last 10 game. It was just the second B1G game with double-digit triples, joining the 10 from the game at Oregon (1/11/26).

TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK
The Spartans only had five turnovers against Northwestern, their fewest in a Big Ten game this season, bettering the previous low of six vs. Illinois (1/4/26). It was also the third-fewest miscues of the season, behind three in the season-opener vs. Mercyhurst (11/4/25) and four vs. Western Michigan (11/16/25). Overall, it was the Spartans' sixth game with single-digit turnovers this season.

ROBYN'S NEST
The Breslin Center has become home right away for head coach Robyn Fralick. She boasts a 37-7 record at home in three seasons at Michigan State. In her first season in 2023-24, the Spartans went 13-2 with their only losses coming to Nebraska and Ohio State. In 2024-25, MSU was also 13-2 with losses to Oregon and Michigan. So far this season, the Spartans are 11-3 at the Breslin Center.

BY THE NUMBERS vs. NORTHWESTERN
MSU topped the 100-point mark in a Big Ten game since March 1, 2018 in a 111-109 4OT marathon loss to Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis . . . the Spartans' last regular-season B1G game in topping the century mark was March 27, 2016 with a 107-105 3OT win over No. 5 Ohio State at home in the Breslin Center. MSU's last regulation B1G game in the 100s was Feb. 21, 2016 with a 114-106 win over Minnesota, also on the Spartans' home court.
Five Spartans netted double-figure points, led by senior forward Grace VanSlooten's team-best 22 points, followed by 17 points from redshirt-junior guard Kennedy Blair, 15 points by senior forward Jalyn Brown, 14 points from senior forward Marah Dykstra and 13 points from freshman guard Sara Sambolić.

GETTING IN THE STARTING LINEUP
After using the same starting lineup for seven games, Michigan State used a different starting lineup against Clemson on Nov. 30. After an injury to Theryn Hallock, MSU went with the lineup for senior forward Grace VanSlooten, senior forward Marah Dykstra, senior guard Emma Shumate, junior guard Rashunda Jones and redshirt-sophomore guard Kennedy Blair. MSU is 2-1 with that lineup. MSU rolled out its third lineup against Indiana State with Blair, Jones, Van Slooten, Inés Sotelo and Sara Sambolić, which is now 1-0. The Spartans changed it up for a fourth time against No. 15 Ole Miss and Rutgers with VanSlooten, Jones, Blair, Sotelo and Isaline Alexander making the starting five.

Yet another lineup was debuted against Indiana in Blair, Jones, VanSlooten, Sotelo and Jalyn Brown with that group improving to 8-5 after a loss to No. 7 Michigan on Feb. 15. Against NU, MSU used the lineup of Blair, Brown, Van Slooten, Sotelo and Sambolić. Overall, MSU has had six different starting lineups. VanSlooten and Blair the only Spartans to start all 27 games.

EVERYONE IS NOTICING GRACE
Senior forward Grace VanSlooten was named to the 10 Mid-Season nominees for the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award. VanSlooten is one of four Big Ten players named to the watch list, including Maryland's Yarden Garzon, UCLA's Gabriela Jaquez and Michigan's Olivia Olson. She was also named to the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Late-Season Women's College Player of the Team on Feb. 17. She joined seven other Big Ten players, including UCLA's Lauren Betts, USC's Jazzy Davidson, Iowa's Ava Heiden, Maryland's Oluchi Okanawa, Washington's Sayvia Sellers and Michigan's Olivia Olson and Syla Swords.

PACKING THE HOUSE
The 11,635 fans that packed into the Breslin Center against Michigan on Feb. 1 were the most during the three seasons of the Robyn Fralick era. It was the most since Feb. 23, 2020 against Michigan. Overall, it was No. 15 all-time at MSU.

SHOOT-MATE STRIKES AGAIN
With the three 3-pointers on Wednesday, Shumate now has 56 triples on the season as part of 61 total field goals. Her 56 3-pointers this season continues her top single-single mark of her career, topping the 44 treys last season. Shumate now has 100 3-pointers during her two-year Spartan career and 140 total 3-pointers in her collegiate career after 40 during her two seasons at Ohio State.

GRACE IS A MODEL OF CONSISTENCY
Senior forward Grace VanSlooten tied her season-best of 22 points against Northwestern, matching her outing vs. Nebraska (1/15/26). VanSlooten now has netted double-figures in 13 of the last 14 games and 24 times out of the 27 games this season. She has netted 10+ points in 53 of 58 total games as a Spartan and in 108 out of 121 total games in her collegiate career, with 55 double-figure scoring outings during her two seasons at Oregon.

LOOKING AT THE NET
In the current women's basketball NET ranking, the Spartans stand No. 15. They are fifth among Big Ten schools behind No. 2 UCLA, No. 6 Michigan, No. 8 Minnesota, No. 13 Iowa and No. 14 Maryland. UConn stands No. 1.

BLUE BLOODS
Michigan State is one of eight schools in the country to have both its women's and men's teams ranked in the Associated Press top 25. The Spartans join Michigan as the only two teams in the Big Ten. Vanderbilt, UConn, Duke, Louisville, North Carolina, Texas Tech and Kentucky are the other seven schools with both teams ranked.

HAVE TO PLAY THE BEST TO BE THE BEST
Overall, No. 7/7 Michigan was the Spartans' eighth ranked match-up of the season. Michigan State is now 3-5 vs. ranked opponents, starting with a neutral court win over No. 15/15 Ole Miss, 66-49 (12/22/25 in Cherokee, North Carolina), a road win at No. 23/23 Washington, 82-67, and a home win over No. 24/RV Nebraska, 73-71 (1/15/26), with losses at No. 11/13 Iowa, 75-68 (1/18/25), home loss vs. No. 9/9 Michigan, 94-91 in OT (2/1/26), a home loss to No. 22/19 Maryland, 86-70 (1/4/26), then last Wednesday's 86-63 loss to No. 2/2 UCLA, and then loss to No. 7/7 Michigan on Feb. 15.

SPARTANS VS. THE NCAA
After 27 games, Michigan State stands eighth in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.45). The Spartans are 10th in the NCAA and third in the Big Ten in scoring offense (84.4 ppg). MSU is 11th in the country in field goal percentage, 48.3 percent and 12th in turnover margin (7.67). Redshirt-sophomore guard Kennedy Blair is 19th in the NCAA in assists (147). Emma Shumate is 19th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (42.4 percent).

STRONG BENCH
The Spartans' 59 points scored by their bench was more than Eastern Illinois' entire team scoring of 53 points on Nov. 20. Against DePaul on Dec. 14, the Spartan bench scored 44 of 90 points. MSU kept that trend up against Indiana State with 64 bench points. This season, the MSU bench has out-scored opponents 705-453. The Spartans are 16-1 this season when their bench out-scored their opponent.

SMITH SELECTED TO WBCA NGI
Michigan State assistant coach Bianca Smith was selected by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) to join the 2026 class of the WBCA Next Generation Institute. The WBCA Next Generation Institute is a high-level education program for experienced assistant coaches who aspire to become collegiate head coaches. Now in its fourth year, the curriculum of the WBCA Next Generation Institute focuses on the CEO attributes needed to lead a program and be a problem-solver in today's ever-changing landscape of higher education and the enterprise of intercollegiate athletics. She joins Latara King from Washington and Abby Sharp from Iowa as Big Ten coaches participating.

FUTURE IS BRIGHT
Lilly Williams became the first future Spartan since Sidney Cooks in 2017 to be named a McDonald's All-American. Williams plays at Howell high school for her senior season after winning National HomeSchool Christian National Championships.

JONES EARNING HER FLOWERS
Michigan State women's basketball junior guard Rashunda Jones was named to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List. She was one of 25 players named to the watch list that honors the top defensive players in Division I. Jones is one of four Big Ten players named to the watch list, along with UCLA's Lauren Betts, Ohio State's Kennedy Cambridge and USC's Jazzy Davidson.

NO NIGHTS OFF IN THE BIG TEN
The Big Ten continues to be one of the toughest conferences in the country with five teams in the top 15 in the rankings. In the AP poll, UCLA is No. 2, while Michigan is No. 6. Ohio State, Iowa and Maryland are No. 10 and No. 13 and No. 14, respectively. Michigan State stands No. 18 and Minnesota entered the polls at No. 23. Washington and Illinois are also receiving votes.

BIG TIME BIG TEN NUMBERS
The Spartans are third in the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging 84.4 ppg and fifth in scoring margin (+19.3). Michigan State is also third in turnover margin (+7.67). The Spartans stand third in assists per game, averaging 18.4 apg and third in steals per game with 11.7 spg.

Individually, Rashunda Jones is third in the league in steals per game, averaging 2.31 spg, while Kennedy Blair is fourth (2.30 spg). Kennedy Blair is also fourth in assists with 5.44 apg. Emma Shumate is sixth in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.424).

FRALICK REACHES A MILESTONE
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick reached a career milestone against Illinois on Jan. 4. With the win, she earned her 250th career win. She now holds a 257-101 record in 11 seasons as a head coach. She has won 65 games at MSU.

FINDING THE MAGIC NUMBER
Michigan State's 102 points against Oakland on Nov. 23 marked the Spartans' sixth time out of six games scoring 90+ points. MSU's 90 points against DePaul on Dec. 14 was the first time reaching 90 in the last four games, after the Spartans had scored 90 or more points in each of the first six games of the season. MSU is now 7-1 when scoring 90+ points with the only loss coming against Michigan on Feb. 1.

The Spartans' 115 points in the win against Indiana State on Dec. 21 was MSU's second-most of the season, behind the season-high 125 points in the season-opener vs. Mercyhurst (11/4/25). The Spartans reached 100 points in a 104-68 win over Northwestern on Feb. 18. It was Michigan State's fifth 100-point game, moving to 5-0.

BRINGING HOME THE HARDWARE
By winning the 2025 Cherokee Invitational crown, Michigan State not only defended its 2023 Cherokee Invitational championship, but also collected its second tournament title of the season after winning the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship of the Junkanoo Division in the Bahamas on Nov. 30. It is also MSU's fourth tournament title in the last three seasons after winning the 2023 Cherokee Invitational and the 2024 Acrisure Classic crown last season in Palm Springs, Calif.

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.

ROBYN FRALICK RADIO SHOW
Michigan State women's basketball head coach Robyn Fralick started her weekly radio call-in show, the Robyn Fralick Radio Show, on Nov. 18 at One North Kitchen and Bar. Coach Fralick joins host Dalton Shetler, the Spartans' play-by-play voice, from 12-1 p.m., for an in-depth look into the MSU women's basketball program.

Radio Show Dates
Tuesday, Feb. 24