EAST LANSING – Michigan State women’s basketball claimed its third-ever win against Maryland in a B1G 74-69 win.
“Brenda [Frese] is one of the best coaches in the country,” MSU head coach Robyn Fralick said. “She’s won a national championship. So I mean, the game is not me versus her but I have a ton of respect for what she’s done at Maryland for such a long time.”
Here are three takeaways from Tuesday’s game:
The Spartans need that fire they had against No. 3 Iowa
MSU had no hesitation when they matched up against Iowa. Five players recorded double-digit points, along with 39 rebounds as a team. The Spartans fell to the Hawkeyes 76-73, after Caitlin Clark’s game-winning buzzer-beater.
MSU came out hot in Hawkeye territory and quickly raked up points. It wasn’t the same story against the Terrapins, but the Spartans returned to their scoring ways in the last 20 minutes of play.
“We made some adjustments at halftime and our kids did a really good job of executing them and they really helped us get better shots,” Fralick said.
The need for threes
Before playing Maryland, MSU ranked third in the Big Ten and 14th nationally in three-point percentage. It took until the fourth quarter for the Spartans to heat up from behind the arc.
MSU shot 26.9% from beyond the arc. Graduate guard Moira Joiner led the Spartans with four threes to help keep the momentum going.
“She’s a winner,” Fralick said. “With her experience, how long she’s been here, and she’s chosen Michigan State every day for years.”
The team co-captains helped lead the Spartans to victory
Graduate guard Julia Ayrault had a double-double, with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Joiner had 18 points. Both of these players have been important pieces for this MSU team all season.
“Their maturity, their experience, their leadership showed through,” Fralick said. “I thought they had some of the most critical baskets of the game for us, just making some really tough shots.”
Up next, MSU will travel to Columbus to take on No. 17 Ohio State on Jan. 14 at 4:00 p.m. ET.
