For the second year in a row, the MSU women's basketball team will host thousands of elementary school children before a game against the University of Detroit today at noon.
MSU is a partner with Career Connections and Michigan Works! to put on the event, called "When I Grow Up," for fourth and fifth graders from school districts in Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties.
"It's great for them to be able get out of school and to come and see the game and bring us energy," sophomore guard Lindsay Bowen said.
"It's really fun when they get into it and makes us get into it a little bit more. Last year there were 12,000 and all they did was scream all game."
The first program for schoolchildren started at a game against Kent State last season and set the MSU women's basketball single-game attendance record when 12,058 people packed Breslin Center to watch the game.
It was the first time MSU had more than 8,000 people at a women's game. The previous record was 7,733 in a game against Michigan in February of 2000.
"Last year, this game gave us a lot of momentum," senior forward Julie Pagel said. "This season, the kids are just coming back from Christmas break and they've been in school a week now and this just gives them an opportunity to come have some fun.
"Maybe they can help us bring back something that's been missing from this team the last few games, and that's a little bit of heart and toughness."
The event is set up to help kids set and achieve goals in life as well as emphasize the importance of education. There are videos, games and a keynote speaker to encourage the children.
Although it is not expected to draw as many fans as it did last season, the game is still expected to have a little more than half as many people as it did last season. The number still would rank in the top 10 all-time single-game attendance marks for the women's team.
As far as the game itself, No. 23 MSU (10-3 overall, 1-2 Big Ten) is looking to stop a two game losing streak. It's the first time since the end of last season, when the Spartans lost to Ohio State in the Big Ten tournament and Texas Christian in the first round of the NCAA tournament, that the team has lost two games in a row.
Right now the Spartans are trying to stay positive and get back on the winning track, Bowen said.
"It all comes down to just practicing hard, getting tougher and obtaining our goals," she said. "We're going to bounce back."
