24 25 MSU WBB Combined (PDF) - Michigan State University Athletics
The Michigan State Spartans (6-0) are a really deep team. Their team stats are as impressive as any that I've seen. Although they lost their #2, #3 & #5 scorers from last year's 22-9 team, they play eleven players in a regular rotation. Ten average between 16.6 to 5.5 points per game and the Spartans collectively average 96+ ppg. Cal has six players that average 4.7 or more points. MSU is defeating their opposition by 50.5 ppg. Cal is winning by 27.
To be fair, they have not played an opponent with a winning record except Detroit Mercy (3-1). The Spartans have played five teams within their home state plus Yale. Five have been home games and they played a game at Western Michigan. The latter was their closest game, 79-42 (37-point margin), without their leading scorer, Grace Van Slooten. The Bears have beaten two NCAA Tournament teams in Gonzaga and Auburn.
Michigan State has three double-digit scorers this season. Van Slooten is their leading scorer and rebounder. Cal defeated Oregon twice last season, and the Bears know how to defend this player. Julia Ayrault is perhaps their best all-around player, earning 1st team all-Big Ten honors last season. She is their second-best offensive threat and rebounder. She missed their last game due to injury. Their 3rd best performer is Theryn Hallock who earned the Big Ten "sixth man award." Nobody has played more than 21.2 minutes per game to date. Their best three- point shooter is a freshman, Juliann Woodard. She is a dead-eye bomber, connecting on 70% of her attempts. She only plays 7.7 minutes but puts up 9.7 points per contest. Their seventh scorer is former ASU guard, Jaddan Simmons, who contributes 6.7 ppg and leads the team in assists w/ 20.
2024-25 Women's Basketball Roster - Michigan State University Athletics
The way I see this game is that the starting lineups could be competitive, but that the second five matchup likely might not be. All freshmen played the entire fourth quarter vs Detroit Mercy and tallied 20 points. To stay close, Charmin Smith will have to play her seven veterans lots of minutes.
Two MSU stats knocked my eyes out. Their ball-handling is incredible. They distribute 23.2 assists per game while only averaging 13.5 turnovers. Their defense forces 28 TOs which is scary for a team such as Cal.
I'm predicting a Spartan victory tomorrow, 77-72. If their all-conference player, Ayrault, sits out for a second straight game, the outcome should be really close. For the Bears to prevail, they will have to perform in a manner similar to the Gonzaga upset. I'll go with 74-72 in favor of Cal. The Bears are a much stronger opponent than anyone the Spartans have faced in 2024-25 and they do not play that well away from home.
GO BEARS!
The Michigan State Spartans (6-0) are a really deep team. Their team stats are as impressive as any that I've seen. Although they lost their #2, #3 & #5 scorers from last year's 22-9 team, they play eleven players in a regular rotation. Ten average between 16.6 to 5.5 points per game and the Spartans collectively average 96+ ppg. Cal has six players that average 4.7 or more points. MSU is defeating their opposition by 50.5 ppg. Cal is winning by 27.
To be fair, they have not played an opponent with a winning record except Detroit Mercy (3-1). The Spartans have played five teams within their home state plus Yale. Five have been home games and they played a game at Western Michigan. The latter was their closest game, 79-42 (37-point margin), without their leading scorer, Grace Van Slooten. The Bears have beaten two NCAA Tournament teams in Gonzaga and Auburn.
Michigan State has three double-digit scorers this season. Van Slooten is their leading scorer and rebounder. Cal defeated Oregon twice last season, and the Bears know how to defend this player. Julia Ayrault is perhaps their best all-around player, earning 1st team all-Big Ten honors last season. She is their second-best offensive threat and rebounder. She missed their last game due to injury. Their 3rd best performer is Theryn Hallock who earned the Big Ten "sixth man award." Nobody has played more than 21.2 minutes per game to date. Their best three- point shooter is a freshman, Juliann Woodard. She is a dead-eye bomber, connecting on 70% of her attempts. She only plays 7.7 minutes but puts up 9.7 points per contest. Their seventh scorer is former ASU guard, Jaddan Simmons, who contributes 6.7 ppg and leads the team in assists w/ 20.
2024-25 Women's Basketball Roster - Michigan State University Athletics
The way I see this game is that the starting lineups could be competitive, but that the second five matchup likely might not be. All freshmen played the entire fourth quarter vs Detroit Mercy and tallied 20 points. To stay close, Charmin Smith will have to play her seven veterans lots of minutes.
Two MSU stats knocked my eyes out. Their ball-handling is incredible. They distribute 23.2 assists per game while only averaging 13.5 turnovers. Their defense forces 28 TOs which is scary for a team such as Cal.
I'm predicting a Spartan victory tomorrow, 77-72. If their all-conference player, Ayrault, sits out for a second straight game, the outcome should be really close. For the Bears to prevail, they will have to perform in a manner similar to the Gonzaga upset. I'll go with 74-72 in favor of Cal. The Bears are a much stronger opponent than anyone the Spartans have faced in 2024-25 and they do not play that well away from home.
GO BEARS!