After four years of playing at Breslin Center, senior forward Julie Pagel isn't necessarily ready to say goodbye.
"It's sobering; you spend four years somewhere, and it feels like you only spent a day," Pagel said. "Ask any senior in any sport and they will tell you four years goes by in a flash, and I'm no different."
Tonight is Senior Night for the No. 22 MSU women's basketball team, but there is still a game to be played against No. 6 Penn State.
Pagel has had her share of ups and downs in her career, but in her final year, MSU (19-6 overall, 9-5 Big Ten) is having its most successful season.
The Spartans have 19 wins with two games and at least the Big Ten Tournament left to play. The 19 wins tie the 2001-02 team Pagel played on, where the team had to win three games in the Women's National Invitational Tournament to get to that total.
After only a 10-win season in her freshman year, Pagel has played a key role in turning around the women's program. She has left her mark on the program, helping the Spartans to the NCAA Tournament last year and probably again this year.
"It wasn't easy, and I may not have had a promising start, but I have to be proud of what I've been able to contribute to the program," Pagel said.
"The experience that I've had here, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world," she said. "It's made me exactly who I wanted to be and I can thank Michigan State for that."
Senior guard Theresa Pusateri also is leaving the MSU program, after two years of playing for head coach Joanne P. McCallie. Pusateri also played on the softball and field hockey teams, and joined the basketball team last season after the field hockey season was done.
Pusateri said the basketball team is like one big family and that she is thankful for having the opportunity to play with the team over the last two seasons.
"Thousands of girls want to be Division I athletes and I got the chance to do it in (three) sports ," Pusateri said. "I am going to miss playing in front of crowds of 8,000-plus people."
Pagel and Pusateri will have one last chance to play in front of a big home crowd and in a very significant game. The Spartans play the Lady Lions (21-4, 13-1) in a game of great importance.
The Spartans are in a four-way tie for third place and, despite the importance of the game, the team is focused on ending the home season and Pagel's career in a positive way.
"Julie has been a great player for us," sophomore guard Lindsay Bowen said. "We just want to send her out on a great note."
Thursday night fever
The Spartans are 5-1 on Thursday nights this season, with their only loss coming at home to No. 4 Purdue.
MSU, however, doesn't want to play on Sunday or Tuesday. The Spartans are 4-5 on those days while they are 15-1 on the other days of the week. Still, the team might have to play Sunday at the Big Ten Tournament and/or the NCAA Tournament - if selected to play in the Big Dance.
Deuces wild
The Spartans dropped two spots from No. 20 to No. 22 in the latest Associated Press poll. It's the first time in five weeks MSU has not been in the top 20.
