Thursday, March 28, 2024

Women's basketball prepares for Big Ten tournament with Thursday matchup against Michigan

<p>Sophomore forward Aerial Powers attempts a point over Michigan guard Shannon Smith and forward Cyesha Goree Feb 5, 2015, during the game against Michigan at Breslin Center. The Spartans were defeated by the Wolverines, 72-59. Kennedy Thatch/The State News</p>

Sophomore forward Aerial Powers attempts a point over Michigan guard Shannon Smith and forward Cyesha Goree Feb 5, 2015, during the game against Michigan at Breslin Center. The Spartans were defeated by the Wolverines, 72-59. Kennedy Thatch/The State News

Photo by Kennedy Thatch | The State News

The good news for MSU women’s basketball is that they’re riding an undefeated streak (4-0) against Michigan in the Big Ten tournament since its creation back in 1995.

The bad news is that they’re riding a winless streak (0-2) against their arch rivals this season, which began in Ann Arbor Jan. 4, when they fell by nine points. The other came a month later at Breslin Center en route to the 13 point defeat.

It’ll be a change in scenery once the Spartans take the floor to square off with the Wolverines at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, for the second round of the bracket.

Dealing with a depleting roster, forced to use as few as seven players in one game, injuries and dismissals have all played a crucial role in the downfall of the 2014-15 MSU women’s basketball team.

It was at this time last year when the Spartans came into the tournament locked in as the No. 2 seed before falling to eventual champion, Nebraska at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

This will be the second consecutive year in which MSU and UM do battle in the tournament to determine who goes home early and who moves on. MSU saw themselves advancing to the semifinals over the maize and blue during last year’s run after hobbling away from a 61-58 victory.

Head coach Suzy Merchant will be relying heavily on arguably, two of the top players in the conference, in sophomore’s Tori Jankoska and Aerial Powers to provide the Spartans that offensive and defensive firepower for a full 40-minutes. Both of whom were given All-Big Ten honors by the media and coaches on Monday.

Powers, who fell behind only Ohio State’s Kelsey Mitchell in points per game (21.9), while sitting at No. 7 nationally in rebounds per game (12.1), was named to the first-team all-conference for the second straight year, becoming the first Spartan to do so since 1998-00 by Maxann Reese.

As the No. 15 ranked player in blocks per game in the Big Ten (1.1), Powers also was named to the all-defensive first team.

Jankoska, the 5-foot-8 guard, helped the Spartans garner a 6-0 record whenever she finished first in scoring, giving her all-Big Ten second team honors. Senior Becca Mills also earned the honors of representing MSU in the conference Sportsmanship Award.

Finishing the season on a high note with three straight victories, including a 60-50 thrashing of then No. 20 ranked Rutgers on Senior Day, was deemed to be a necessary cause if MSU wanted to carry any momentum heading into the tournament as the No. 9 seed.

The winner will move on to face first-year Big Ten participant and No. 4 ranked Maryland in the quarterfinals. MSU almost came away with the upset in East Lansing a couple weeks ago over the Terrapins if it weren’t for costly missed free throws.

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