Senior guard Nia Clouden (24) dodges an Illinois guard during the first quarter of the game. The Spartans beat the Fighting Illini, 75-60, in their Big Ten opener on Dec. 9, 2021.
The Michigan State women's basketball team (7-6, 1-1 Big Ten) found themselves struggling to climb the mountain of a 20-point deficit that West Virginia (7-3) built ahead of them during day two of the West Palm (Fla.) Invitational.
This morning was senior guard Nia Clouden's eighth 20-plus point game after she recorded 22 points.
Yesterday, in a double overtime throwdown against Florida Gulf Coast (10-1), she became the third overall player in the Big Ten to record 50 points, breaking MSU's previous school record set in 2017 by Tori Jankoska.
Clouden is also now the ninth all-time scorer in MSU history with 1,564 points on her career.
Freshman guard DeeDee Hagemann has become the new face of the starting five since the team lost junior guard Alyza Winston before their Big Ten home opener against Illinois on Dec. 9. Hagemann recorded 13 points, five assists and four rebounds today.
Hagemann was backed by junior center Taiyier Parks, who scored eight points and five rebounds before fouling out with five personals.
Junior guard Moira Joiner has been out on both injury and illness for a majority of the season. She did not play yesterday or today after she had left the court early for nausea in the green and white's Dec. 9 match.
The Spartans are slated to take yet another brief break for the Christmas holidays. Play is scheduled to resume on Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. when the currently undefeated Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-0) arrive at the Breslin for a conference battle. Broadcast will be on Big Ten Plus.
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