EAST LANSING– After Michigan State found their Big Ten Tournament run cut short by Iowa, the Spartans’ true focus has since shifted to the big dance. On selection Sunday, MSU saw its name called as a seven seed in the NCAA Tournament going up against 10 seed Harvard out of the Ivy League.
The results for both schools are their best in some time. While this is the Spartans highest seed line since 2016, this is HU’s first national tournament appearance since 2007 as they claimed their first ever Ivy League Tournament championship.
MSU appeared just happy to make an appearance in March Madness last year, but the program seems to be aiming a little higher this season. With a victory, the Spartans can secure their first NCAA Tournament win since 2019 and Robyn Fralick’s first postseason win as head coach. It will also most likely set up a matchup with two seeded N.C. State, where all the pressure falls on the Wolfpack.
Against a more guard centric Crimson squad, MSU’s greatest advantage may be found on the glass with junior forward Grace VanSlooten and freshman center Inés Sotelo. While their loss to the Hawkeyes in Indianapolis wrapped up almost two weeks ago, the duo underneath aims to stay hot.
VanSlooten and Sotelo both got into double figures scoring in their last time out with 12 and 11 points respectively, as VanSlooten also secured her fifth double-double of the campaign with 10 rebounds featuring five on offense.
The athletic and height advantage between MSU and HU’s bigs is distinct and can be exploited. Yet the two teams have a similarly scrappy backcourt, meaning physicality on the boards can be a major factor in the outcome.
MSU can also gain the upper hand in spreading the ball around to a plethora of scorers. The Spartans have three players averaging at least 13 points per game with VanSlooten, graduate guard Julia Ayrault, and junior guard Theryn Hallock. In addition, they rank tenth nationally in assists per game and top 25 in assist/turnover ratio.
While Hallock only came away with seven points on 3-13 shooting in the loss to UI and the Spartans committed 24 TO’s for 28 Hawkeye points, the performance could also be spun as a wakeup call.
On the biggest stage in college basketball, MSU needs their best players across the roster to take advantage of their opportunities in an unselfish system. MSU can get the Crimson defense spread out and command respect everywhere on the floor, but it may be easier said than done against a stout HU.
Scouting Harvard
In her third season at the helm, Michigan native and HU head coach Carrie Moore led the Crimson to 34th in the NET and a 24-4 finish. They also gained a set of impressive Big Ten wins, taking down Indiana in an overtime thriller and waxing Northwestern by 25.
All year, the Crimson have made their living with guard play offensively and suffocating defense on the other end. Senior guard Harmoni Turner is who makes the offense run at such a high mark and is the core of the program. The Ivy League player of the year averages 22.5 ppg, 5.4 rebounds per game, and is a two-way force with a team high 78 steals on the season.
Turner surpassed 2,000 career points during HU’s Ivy League tournament run and earned a season high of 44 against Princeton over the weekend. She has also surpassed 30 points in five games this season, showcasing her ability to take over a game which is especially dangerous in a tournament setting.
Supporting Turner for the Crimson are senior guard Elena Rodriguez and junior guard Saniyah Glenn-Bello. The pair average 11.9 and 6.7 ppg respectively, while hauling in about four rebounds per game each. Turner is the clear focal point for HU, but they have enough pieces outside of her that need to be checked.
On the other end of the floor, the Crimson are matched up with a high scoring Spartan attack but more than welcome the challenge. HU ranks sixth in the country in scoring defense, holding opponent game totals to an average of 52.5 ppg. This defensive effort combined with Turner’s offensive production also gives the Crimson a top 20 average margin of victory at 17 per game.
HU’s strength of schedule may not compare to a battle tested MSU’s, but they do have wins against the Ivy League’s two other NCAA tournament teams, Princeton and Columbia, while having power four experience from their non-conference schedule.
The Crimson, especially their backcourt lineup, are brimming with confidence and won’t back down from a fight. Meaning MSU’s best path to victory may come through interior pressure from both the frontcourt and slashers like Ayrault. If the Spartans can make paint scoring a major disparity, and get Turner rushed and frustrated through the press, MSU has to feel good about its chances.
Tip-off in Raleigh, N.C. between the Spartans and HU is set for Saturday at 4:30 p.m., with the broadcast available on ESPNEWS.
