Lansing Sun

Michigan State University's women's basketball team is preparing for its first away game of the season against Western Michigan University. The match is scheduled for Sunday, November 17, at University Arena, with Evan Stockton and Lexi Ayala set to cover the event on ESPN+.

The Spartans have had a strong start this season, securing four consecutive victories under head coach Robyn Fralick. This marks the second time in two seasons that MSU has achieved a 4-0 start under Fralick's leadership. Western Michigan enters the game with a record of one win and two losses, having recently faced defeats against Texas A&M and SMU after an opening victory over Arkansas State.

Key players for Michigan State include graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault and junior forward Grace VanSlooten, both nearing significant career milestones. Ayrault currently has 964 career points, while VanSlooten has accumulated 936 points across her tenure at MSU and Oregon.

Statistically, Michigan State ranks highly in national standings for assists per game and scoring margin. The team averages 24.3 assists per game and holds a fifth-place ranking in scoring margin at +52.3 points per game.

Western Michigan's performance this season sees De'Ahna Richardson leading the team's scoring efforts with an average of 10 points per game. Head coach Shane Clipfell leads WMU into his latest season following previous experience as an assistant coach at MSU.

Historically, Michigan State holds an advantage over Western Michigan with a series lead of 17-8. The Spartans have claimed victory in their last ten encounters with WMU.

In terms of individual performances from recent games, freshman guard Juliann Woodard notably scored 16 points during the fourth quarter against Eastern Kentucky University on November 14.

MSU also looks ahead to participating in upcoming tournaments over Thanksgiving and before the holiday break in Palm Springs, California, and West Palm Beach respectively.