Lansing Sun

Michigan State University's women's basketball team, ranked 22nd in the nation, is set to embark on a series of away games this week. The Spartans will face Rutgers at Jersey Mike's Arena on Wednesday, January 12th at 7 p.m., followed by a match against Illinois on Sunday. The game will be available for streaming on B1G+ with commentary from Dom Savino and Dominique Patrick.

Michigan State recently improved their record to 13-3 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten after defeating Washington with an 80-68 victory. In that game, four Spartans scored in double figures. Meanwhile, Rutgers is experiencing a challenging period with a five-game losing streak and an overall record of 8-9, including a recent home loss to Nebraska.

The Spartans have shown strong performance at home, achieving their eleventh consecutive home win and maintaining an impressive track record at the Breslin Center over recent seasons. Grace VanSlooten has been notable for her consistent performance, now having achieved thirteen double-doubles in her collegiate career.

Rutgers' freshman Kiyomi McMiller stands out as she ranks second in league scoring with an average of 20.8 points per game. Head coach Coquese Washington leads Rutgers into this matchup during her third season with the team.

Historically, Michigan State holds an advantage over Rutgers with ten wins out of sixteen encounters. Last season saw Michigan State winning both meetings against Rutgers convincingly.

Julia Ayrault continues to make strides in her career stats, recently climbing up MSU's career scoring list and ranking third in career blocks for the university.

In national rankings, Michigan State stands strong within the top twenty teams according to the NET rankings and remains competitive among Big Ten schools such as UCLA and Ohio State.

As they prepare for upcoming challenges on the road, Michigan State aims to maintain their momentum while drawing strength from key players like Julia Ayrault and Grace VanSlooten who continue contributing significantly both offensively and defensively.