MSU graduate guard Julia Ayrault (40) attempts to shoot the ball past the Oregon defense at the Breslin Center on Jan. 30, 2025.
After defeating Harvard 64-50 in the first round of the 2025 NCAA tournament, the Michigan State University women’s basketball team is moving on to the second round to face the two-seeded NC State Wolfpack.
While the Spartans secured a double-digit win, the first-round game remained close until the second half. MSU struggled offensively early on but found its rhythm through strong defensive play.
Facing a 27-6 NC State team that earned a No. 2 seed, the Spartans will need to be at their best. The Wolfpack looked dominant in their 75-55 first-round win over Vermont.
NC State features four double-digit scorers, led by senior guard Aziaha James at 17.8 points per game. Sophomore guard Zoe Brooks adds 14.4. On the boards, the Wolfpack are anchored by senior guard Madison Hayes, who averages 7.2 rebounds, as one of five players grabbing at least 4.5 per game.
MSU has three players averaging double-digit scoring, led by junior forward Grace VanSlooten at 15.5 points per game. Graduate forward Julia Ayrault adds 14.6 points and a team-high 7.5 rebounds per game, providing experience and consistency on both ends.
In the No. 2 vs. No. 7 second round matchup there are three things that the Spartans will have to hone in on to upset the Wolfpack.
Stay true to their identity
The Spartans have established themselves as a defensive-oriented team this season and proved it to be even more true in the postseasons in their first round win.
MSU averages 12.4 steals per game — ninth in Division I — and forces 22 turnovers per contest, ranking 13th nationally. Their +6.6 turnover margin has been a major factor in many of their biggest wins this season.
MSU’s defensive identity centers around a full-court trap that pressures ball handlers immediately off the inbound. At the heart of it is freshman center Inés Sotelo, who uses her 6-foot-3 frame to apply consistent pressure.
Graduate guard Nyla Hampton, senior forward Jocelyn Tate and graduate guard Jaddan Simmons also help lead MSU’s on-ball pressure. Tate leads the team with 2.3 steals per game, closely followed by Hampton at 2.0.
The Spartans also protect the rim well with their frontcourt duo of Ayrault and VanSlooten, both averaging over a block per game. Their interior presence will be key against a Wolfpack team that scored 32 points in the paint in their opening-round win.
MSU plays a physical, high-pressure defense focused on disrupting passing lanes and creating turnovers. To stay competitive with NC State, the Spartans will need to stick with the aggressive style that has brought them success all season.
Clean the glass
One thing NC State does well is rebound the basketball. Whether from the guards or their 6'6 freshman forward Tilda Trygger, the Wolfpack excel at limiting opponents' possessions.
This was evident in their first-round win against Vermont, where the Wolfpack won the offensive rebound battle 18-9, creating numerous second-chance points to stay in the game.
The Spartans, however, are strong in this category, averaging 37.4 rebounds per game, including 12.6 on the offensive end. While MSU excels on the glass, head coach Robyn Fralick’s squad will have little room for error, as the Wolfpack emphasize crashing the boards to create additional scoring opportunities.
The catalysts will be VanSlooten and Ayrault, who both average over seven rebounds per game. As mentioned, the forward duo excels at protecting the inside, but beyond that, they must focus on grabbing every missed shot.
Play at a controlled pace
In many of their close games or losses, one common factor for the Spartans was a lack of control on offense.
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This was one reason it took until the second half for Michigan State to break away from 10-seeded Harvard in the first round. In the first two quarters, the Spartans weren’t fully in control of the tempo and relied heavily on momentum runs and fastbreak scores to gain an edge.
The lack of control on offense led to 23 turnovers for MSU, which is uncharacteristic for a team that averaged 15.4 per game. NC State is not a team to make this mistake, as in their first-round game, the Wolfpack forced 13 turnovers and capitalized on each, using the fastbreak to their advantage.
Junior guard Theryn Hallock will be key to this goal as the primary ball handler for Michigan State. The speedy guard had only three turnovers against Harvard but often plays at a faster pace than her teammates. For the Spartans to avoid falling behind against NC State, the pace must be controlled at all times on offense.
The Spartans will face NC State on March 24 at 12 p.m. at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, North Carolina, home of the second-seeded Wolfpack.
