EAST LANSING, Mich. – No. 21/22 Michigan State women’s basketball returns home to take on Penn State on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Breslin Center. The Spartans have won three-straight games, including back-to-back road contests. The game will be streamed on B1G+ with Jack Stager and Derrick Mitchell on the call.
• After a resounding 86-68 road victory over Illinois on Jan. 19, the Spartans have now won three in a row. Michigan State improves to 15-3 overall and 5-2 in Big Ten action.
• Penn State is coming off its biggest win of the season with its first win over an AP top-10 team since 2012, beating No. 9 Ohio State, 62-59, on Jan. 19. The Lady Lions improve to 10-9 overall and 1-7 in league games.
• Against Illinois on Jan. 19, Theryn Hallock netted a career-high 26 points, while Grace VanSlooten tallied 24 points off the bench, for the Spartans’ second game this season with two 20-point scorers, joining the Vanderbilt game (11/27/24), when VanSlooten had 25 points and Ayrault had 24 points.
• The Spartans defense has been tough all season. MSU is eighth in the nation and first in the Big Ten in turnovers per game (24.4). MSU is also eighth in the NCAA and second in the league in steals, averaging 13.3 spg.
SCOUTING PENN STATE
Penn State earned its first win over an AP top-10 team with a 62-59 win over then-No. 8 Ohio State on Jan. 19. With the win, the Lady Lions improved to 10-9 overall and 1-7 in Big Ten play, snapping a seven-game losing streak.
Gracie Merkle leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.7 points per game, while former Spartan Gabby Elliott is second with 12.3 ppg. Merkle is also eighth in the Big Ten in rebounding, averaging 8.8 rpg and is second in field goal percentage (.651). As a team, Penn State is fifth in field goal percentage (.463). The Lady Lions are also sixth in rebound margin (+7.2).
Penn State head coach Carolyn Kieger is in her sixth season as the helm of the Lady Lions with a 73-95 record. Overall, she is in her 11th season as a head coach with stop at Marquette. Her overall record is 172-159.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE PENN STATE
Penn State leads the overall series with Michigan State 31-25, but the series has tightened up over the years. The Spartans have won…
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