MSU Women's Basketball Looks to Earn Another Upset Victory

MSU Women’s Basketball Looks to Earn Another Upset Victory

Posted by author February 26, 2025 Basketball

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The No. 23 Michigan State Spartans have another opportunity to add a ranked win to their resume on Wednesday when they take on No. 12 Ohio State in Columbus.

The Spartans and Buckeyes are ranked in the top three scoring offenses in the conference. Expect the matchup between Big Ten foes to be a high-scoring affair, as both teams average 80 points per game.

On the defensive end, forward Jocelyn Tate is one of the best defenders in the Big Ten and leads the Spartans in steals, with 2.4 per game, which ranks third in the conference. Tate will have the primary defensive assignment of Buckeyes forward Cotie McMahon, Ohio State’s leading scorer, averaging nearly 17 points per game.

However, the Buckeyes do a great job of not making mistakes with the ball and limiting turnovers. So the Spartans must prepare for executing their offense in the halfcourt as there won’t be as many opportunities to get easy offense in transition.

The Michigan State duo of forward Grace VanSlooten and guard Julia Ayrault have led the way for the Spartans, combining for over 30 points per game together.

Ohio State is unbeaten against Michigan State since the start of the 2021-2022 season. Last season, Michigan State hosted the Buckeyes at the Breslin Center, looking to end the losing streak. However, the Buckeyes took care of business on the road, winning by 15 points.

Michigan State has battled through a gauntlet of a schedule, losing to its rival Michigan and then its last two losses, both of which were against ranked teams, including former No. 1-ranked UCLA, which needed a game-winning shot in the final minute to fend off the Spartans.

Even with the recent slide, Michigan State is still projected to qualify for March Madness, but a win against a top team could give the Spartans momentum heading into the Big Ten Tournament.

Last season, Michigan State qualified as a 9-seed before losing to North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Tip-off for this ranked matchup is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio on Wednesday.

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