Lansing Sun

Michigan State University's women's basketball team is set to begin the 2024-25 season with an exhibition match against Wayne State. The game will take place on Monday, October 28, at 6:30 p.m., and will be broadcasted on B1G+ with commentary by Joe DesVergnes and Derrick Mitchell.

The match holds personal significance for graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault, who will play against her sister Annabel, a sophomore for Wayne State. Their father, Andy Ayrault, serves as an assistant coach for the Warriors in his second season. The family has deep ties to Wayne State, as both parents played basketball there.

Wayne State concluded last season with a record of 16-12 and features returning players Shea Tripp and Gabi Lutchka. Both earned all-conference honors last year, with Tripp leading in scoring at 13.4 points per game.

Michigan State returns key players including All-Big Ten selections Julia Ayrault and Theryn Hallock. Ayrault was the team's top scorer last season with an average of 15.4 points per game. The Spartans' schedule includes seven nationally televised games and features several ranked opponents.

Head Coach Robyn Fralick has named Julia Ayrault and newcomer Nyla Hampton as team captains for the upcoming season. Despite losing two top scorers from last year, Michigan State's offense remains strong with returning talent like Hallock contributing significantly off the bench.

The Big Ten Conference continues its tradition of an 18-game schedule this season while adding new teams Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington to the roster. Nine of MSU's regular-season opponents participated in the NCAA Tournament last year.