EAST LANSING, MI. – No. 22 Michigan State women’s basketball held its final game of the season-opening six-game home stand. The Spartans took care of business against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies, 102-41.
MSU head coach Robyn Fralick said she enjoyed the atmosphere inside the Breslin Center and will miss it while the Spartans are away from East Lansing until they face Rutgers on Dec. 28.
The first quarter against Oakland started out with good back and forth action. Both sides were trading buckets for the first six and a half minutes.
After taking what looked like a pretty bad fall in MSU’s last outing, senior forward Grace VanSlooten was able to play in this game. She had a slow start during her first minutes but was able to get back to her old self and produced 14 points and five rebounds.
VanSlooten said she’s doing ok and still feels a little sore. It appears like she had hyperextension and nothing worse. She felt like her confidence was still with her and keeping the trust, she has in herself led to another impressive performance.
The Green and White were up 11-8 with 3:33 remaining in the quarter but were able to expand their lead from there.
Fralick gave high praise to redshirt sophomore guard Kennedy Blair for being the one who got MSU’s offensive rhythm going.
“When we had a slow start, missing some layups, some free throws, she (Blair) got us going,” Fralick said. “She had some really good cutting, off the ball, and finishing through contact.”
Blair was able to continue her stellar performance for the rest of the game. She was also efficient with facilitating the ball to her teammates, notching three assists in the second quarter. She ended the game with 25 points and five assists.
Oakland had cut its deficit down to 14 with four minutes left in the half, until Blair drove through the lane and kicked the ball out to senior forward Marah Dykstra, who drained a three to put the Spartans up 17.
Blair could feel her confidence growing as the game went on and gave credit to her teammates and coaches for contributing to her excellent performance.
“All of my coaches have encouraged me over the last couple of games because I haven’t shot the ball great,” Blair said. “I just got good screens, and a lot of my baskets were on cutting, so my teammates found me when I was open.”
After Dykstra’s three-pointer, Michigan State outscored the Golden Grizzlies 18-4 to end the quarter and headed into halftime with a 31-point lead.
Once the second half began, it was more of the same play MSU has shown all season. The offense continued to improve in the third quarter, and the defense showed what it had in previous games by suffocating the opposing team’s offense, while creating turnovers at the same time. The Spartans caused the Grizzlies to commit 33 turnovers throughout the game. In the third quarter alone, Oakland was held to shooting 26.3% from the field, and only made five shots
Fralick talked about what’s gone into her team’s defense being so consistent.
“Our pressure can usually wear people out,” Fralick said. “I think our versatility; I like that we have people that can guard different spots… I think Mara (Dykstra), who came to us this year, her defensive versatility is helpful.”
As the third quarter was coming to a close, Blair found the ball in her hands again as time was expiring. She threw up a three-pointer at the top of the key, and watched it beat the buzzer, ending the quarter with the Spartans ahead 84-35.
“I think that it was just a, you know, needed to get the shot off, so it was just instinct,” Blair said, when reflecting on the shot to end the third.
The final quarter included more of the same production from various MSU players. Freshman guard Amy Terrian and senior guard Abbey Kimball both saw minutes in the fourth and drained a couple of threes. It was clear that the Green and White had taken their foot off the gas, but the defense was still aggressive and only gave up six points in the period.
Fralick is excited for the opportunity that’s up next for Michigan State, as it will head to the Bahamas over Thanksgiving for the Baha Mar Hoops Tournament.
“This is going to challenge us in a variety of ways,” Fralick said. “On the road, high competition, travel, it’s going to test our competitive maturity.”
The Spartans are set to take on the Temple Owls on Friday, Nov. 28 at 6:30 p.m. After that they will either take on Clemson or Western Carolina, depending on the results of both games.
