EAST LANSING- No. 12 Michigan State women’s basketball has another big matchup ahead of them, as they host No. 22 Maryland at the Breslin Center Wednesday night. The Spartans are coming off a difficult 91-88 overtime loss against rival Michigan. The Spartans were mere inches from pulling out the win, but sophomore center Ines Sotelo’s half-court heave spun out on its way down.
The Spartans are currently 19-3 overall and 8-3 in conference play this season. The Spartans sit 5th in the Big Ten and look to push their way up. The Spartans are looking to put the Michigan loss behind them and get back to their winning ways.
Senior forward Grace VanSlooten has been the primary scorer for MSU, averaging just over 15 points per game. Sophomore guard Kennedy Blair is averaging 13.7 as well and has been excellent in all facets of the game this season. Blair is the leading rebounder with 7.1 per game despite her size and is also 4th in the Big Ten, averaging 5.4 assists per game. Blair is also averaging over two steals per game, along with three other Spartans. Blair had 21 points against Michigan but also seven turnovers and is looking to cut down on the turnovers to help lead her team against Maryland.
Another standout for the Spartans has been junior guard Rashunda Jones. The Purdue transfer is averaging 12.6 points per game and 3.8 assists per game. Jones is also averaging over 2.5 steals per game and has been a problem for opponents all year. The three-headed monster of Blair, VanSlooten, and Jones have led the team all season, and will have to continue their excellent play to keep winning against difficult competition.
For Maryland, it’s been a strange season. The Terrapins are ranked and sit at 17-6 this season but are 5-6 in Big Ten Play and have lost four straight. Maryland’s last game was a 68-61 home loss to Oregon on Saturday. Maryland’s tough sledding has come at the hands of three ranked teams but now it must travel to take on a very dangerous MSU team.
Junior guard Oluchi Okananwa is the Terps’ leading scorer, averaging 17 points per game. Senior guard Kaylene Smikle is averaging 13.1, and senior guard Yarden Garzon is right behind her at 12.9. Okananwa is top ten in the conference in both ppg and steals per game, as she is averaging two steals. Another key contributor to the team has been redshirt junior Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu, who leads the team in both rebounds and blocks per game. Ozzy-Momodu is averaging seven boards per game, which includes three offensive rebounds a game, keeping possessions alive for the Terrapins.
The Terrapins have excelled defensively this season, holding opponents to just 61.3 points per game. Opponents are shooting just 37% from the field against Maryland, so the Spartans will have their work cut out for them. The Terrapins also outrebound opponents by an average of 10 per game, and force almost 20 turnovers per game. The Spartans will have to bring their A-game to prevail against this tough Maryland defense that also averages almost 10 steals per game.
The game will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 6:30 p.m. The game will be streamed on Big Ten Plus. Brian Rivers and Josh Lee will also be on the call, and the game can be listened to locally on 88.9 FM or at https://impact89fm.org/.
