MSU Sr. F, Grace VanSlooten (14), pushes against a Michigan defender in the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, MI on Feb. 15, 2026.
The chances of February being a challenging month for No. 18 Michigan State women’s basketball were always there — 28 days and seven games, five of them against ranked opponents.
The Spartans entered the month at 19-2 with a tough stretch ahead, a run that offered both challenge and opportunity as they sat firmly in the Big Ten title race. Entering the third week of February, however, the story has shifted. MSU has gone 1-4 on the month, including back-to-back 20-point losses.
With three regular-season games remaining, a matchup against the eight-win Northwestern Wildcats carries added significance, offering a chance to regain momentum before the postseason and an opportunity to send the Spartans’ graduating seniors out with a win on Senior Day.
“One of the things that we always feel is a signature [of the team] is we’re going to fight, and we gotta find a way to get that back at a high level quickly,” MSU head coach Robyn Fralick said following the loss to Michigan on Sunday. “We want to finish the story strong.”
MSU’s most recent loss came Sunday against No. 6 Michigan in what turned into an unexpected 86-65 blowout, especially considering the first matchup ended in a 94-91 overtime win for Michigan. The loss was not just disappointing, it showcased a Spartan squad that did not look like itself, particularly in the second quarter when MSU committed 12 turnovers.
After a stretch of disappointing performances, this matchup against a struggling Northwestern team comes at an ideal time for the Spartans and amounts to a must win game for several reasons.
Northwestern enters the contest in the midst of a seven-game losing streak, having won just two conference games. The Wildcats have also struggled away from home, riding a nine-game road losing streak and claiming only one road win this season.
A win against Northwestern would not just help MSU regroup as they push for a strong finish and look to secure at least a four seed in the NCAA Tournament for home-court advantage, it would also give its seniors a win on Senior Day.
The Spartans’ roster includes seven seniors, though it remains unclear if all will depart after the season. Senior guard Theryn Hallock is one of two question marks, having been sidelined since December and appearing in just eight games this season. That situation could allow for an injury redshirt and an additional year of eligibility.
Redshirt senior Isaline Alexander is the other uncertainty, as she discussed earlier this season the possibility of appealing to the NCAA for another year of eligibility due to her injury history. She has played just 16 games over the past three seasons.
Aside from those two, five players will be honored on Senior Day: guard Jalyn Brown, forward Marah Dykstra, guard Abbey Kimball, guard Emma Shumate and forward Grace VanSlooten.
Kimball is the only four-year member of the group. Shumate and VanSlooten have spent the past two seasons in East Lansing after transferring in following Fralick’s first year, while Brown and Dykstra joined the program this offseason and have spent just one season with MSU.
The weekday Big Ten matchup is set to tip off at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Breslin Center, where the Spartans (20-6, 9-6 Big Ten) will look to knock off Northwestern (8-17, 2-12 Big Ten) and ignite a strong finish to the regular season.
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