East Lansing– Michigan State secured a win in their last tune-up game against Detroit Mercy and will head into the Acrisure Classic out west with a 6-0 record. The Spartans looked sharp in almost all facets of the game and are hoping to swing this momentum into some big tests next week.
Here are some of the takeaways and key moments from MSU’s 57-point home win.
Offense Running Through the Front Court
In a game where graduate guard Julia Ayrault did not appear due to a tweak in practice, the offense more than thrived through the strength of the interior production. In the first quarter alone, junior forward Grace VanSlooten dominated the paint with an efficient 6-7 from the field for 14 points.
“We felt like we really had a good advantage in the paint and I thought Grace did a great job of setting the tone early,” said MSU head coach Robyn Fralick. “Her focus and her work ethic are really good, so you match that with size and athleticism, and some cool things happen. And she loves being here, she loves being a Spartan.”
Senior forward Jocelyn Tate also made some noise with seven points and five boards. The pair combined for over 65% of MSU’s total points in the first quarter. They also helped the Spartans call the game early on, as MSU finished the first period on a 26-2 run.
VanSlooten and Tate finished with 16 and nine points respectively and tied as the team’s leading rebounders with seven apiece. For the game, the Spartans secured 52 points in the paint and outrebounded UDM by 14.
“It’s kinda always just been my playing style. I like to play fast, I like to get out in transition, so it’s really all I’m used to” VanSlooten. “My teammates do a great job at finding me in transition and really knowing where I want the ball when I want it.”
Defensive Dominance Continues
Another game, another defensive masterclass for MSU, and another win in the early season. The Spartans continue to cause havoc for opposing offenses with the press and continue to stay aggressive on the other end.
This resulted in 32 turnovers forced and a locked-up perimeter. UDM finished 5.9% from three, going 1-17, and going 27.7% from the field overall. Once again, the defense turned into offensive aggression in transition as MSU finished with 38 points on the break.
“We play alignment basketball, we play aggressive on both sides of the basketball. We play aggressive offensively, we play aggressive defensively,” Fralick said. “It’s a mentality, it’s the way we practice, it’s the way we train, it’s the way we teach. To do it right and to do it well you gotta do it over, and over, and over, and over again.”
While the MSU defense has made it look easy through the first six games, it will be interesting to see how they match up against their first power conference opponents in the Acrisure Classic.
“I think just going in with the same mentality, I mean I don’t think my mentality or any of my teammates changes for whoever we play,” VanSlooten said. “Just gonna keep working hard and playing our game, and hopefully comes out the same when we play different competition.”
Simmons and Co. Stepping Up
Into the starting lineup in the absence of Ayrault came graduate guard Jaddan Simmons. The transfer from Arizona State had her first real breakout performance in a Spartan uniform. In her elevated role, she made the most of it by getting into double figures in the first half by scoring 12 and going 2-3 from beyond the arc.
“She’s a good shooter, consistently in practice and to watch her confidently let it fly when she was open,” Fralick said. “defensively she’s really disruptive. She’s one of our better guard rebounders too and we feel we can put her on a lot of good matchups, once again she stuffed the stat sheet.”
The highlight of the game came in the first half, as she took a hard foul on a made triple, and cashed in on the four-point play. She finished with 15 points and three steals.
Simmons was also assisted by freshman forward Julian Woodard from beyond the arc. In 13 second-half minutes, Woodard came off the bench firing again by hitting three of four from outside and finishing as the team’s leading scorer with 17.
“I just think going into the game, being ready if my name’s called and that’s about it,” Woodard said. “I don’t know, I just gotta trust my hard work and not think too much, just let it fly.”
The Spartans will head to Palm Springs, Calif. for the Acrisure Classic over Thanksgiving week. With their first contest coming against the Cal Golden Bears on Tuesday, Nov. 26, with tip set for 2 p.m.
