EAST LANSING– No. 18 Michigan State women’s basketball is looking to get back on track Wednesday night, as they host Northwestern at the Breslin Center. The Spartans have lost four of five and are coming off back-to-back blowout losses.  

Their most recent effort saw them fall to rival Michigan in Ann Arbor on Sunday, 86-65. MSU is 20-6 and 9-6 in the Big Ten but is looking for positive momentum. The stretch only gets harder after the Spartans lost junior guard Rashunda Jones and sophomore forward Juliann Woodard to injuries Sunday.  

This Northwestern game is a must-win for the Spartans, especially with it being senior night. The Spartans have one more home game, but have elected to honor their seniors after this game instead. 

MSU will honor six seniors after the game. Both team captains, forward Grace VanSlooten and guard Abbey Kimball, will be part of the festivities. VanSlooten has made an immediate impact ever since transferring from Oregon and has been the Spartans’ leading scorer each of the last two years, averaging over 15 ppg as a Spartan. VanSlooten was named Second-Team All-Big Ten last season and will surely receive more honors this year. Kimball, the other team captain, has had a small role this year but continues to lead the team. Kimball is always seen on the sidelines motivating her teammates and being there, even with the limited role. She has been unfazed and has been a determined leader all season. Kimball is one of the longest tenured players on the Spartans and was voted a captain for a reason. 

Guards Theryn Hallock and Emma Shumate will also be honored after the game. Hallock has not played since December due to an injury, and could come back next year, but will still be honored as a senior. Hallock’s blazing speed has helped her be a threat on both sides of the ball, which led to her winning the Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year Award as a sophomore. Hallock was also named to Second Team All-Big Ten as a junior and has seen the program go through a massive change with the hiring of head coach Robyn Fralick. Shumate, like VanSlooten, is in her second year with the program after transferring from Ohio State. Shumate has mainly come off the bench for the Spartans and has provided momentum with her outside shot. Shumate has shot 43% from deep in a Spartan jersey and has settled into her role nicely. 

The final two seniors being honored are guard Jayln Brown and forward Marah Dykstra. Both players arrived in East Lansing over the offseason and have found their roles in Fralick’s system. Brown, a transfer from Arizona State, started off providing key plays from the bench but was thrust into the starting lineup with the injury to Hallock. Brown has averaged about 11 ppg since becoming a starter and has been an efficient shooter all season, shooting 53% from the field and 37% from three. Brown has stepped up when needed, with the injury bug plaguing the Spartans and will likely see her role increase even more with Jones being out. Dykstra, a transfer from Montana State, has also been a bonus for the Spartans this year. Dykstra’s impact does not show up in the stat sheet, but her impact has been felt all year. She understands what is asked of her and fills her role. 

For Northwestern, it has been tough sledding all season. The Wildcats are 8-17 on the season and are 16th in the Big Ten at just 2-12. The Wildcats have lost seven straight, coming off an 81-71 loss at Penn State Sunday. If there was ever a time for MSU to regain positive momentum, this game is the perfect opportunity against a struggling team. 

Despite the struggles overall, senior forward Grace Sullivan has excelled for Northwestern. Sullivan is averaging 21.9 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game.  Her 21.9 ppg is third in the entire conference.  Sullivan has been the best player on the team all season and has had a standout season despite the team’s record.  Sullivan is second in rebounding behind sophomore forward Tayla Thomas, who is averaging 7.5 rebounds per game.  Senior guard Carolina Lau has also been a spark for the Wildcats, leading the Big Ten in assists averaging 8.4 per game. 

Sullivan is also one of the best defensive players on the team, as she leads the team in steals per game at 1.2.  Northwestern forces an average of 13 turnovers per game and will need to force turnovers against an MSU squad that had over 20 in their most recent outing. 

Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. ET at the Breslin Center on Wednesday night.  The game will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.