Lansing Sun

Michigan State University's women's basketball team faced a setback against their rivals, the University of Michigan, with a 71-61 loss at the Breslin Center on Sunday. This game marked National Girls and Women in Sports Day and was attended by a crowd of 11,043, the 18th largest in MSU's history.

The Spartans' defeat brings their record to 18-5 overall and 8-4 in Big Ten play. Meanwhile, Michigan has improved its standing with three consecutive victories, now holding a record of 17-7 overall and 8-5 in conference games.

Grace VanSlooten led Michigan State with a double-double performance, scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Julia Ayrault contributed ten points and six rebounds, while Nyla Hampton added eleven points off the bench along with four steals. On the opposing side, Syla Swords led Michigan with nineteen points.

The Spartans struggled offensively throughout the game. They scored only sixty-one points—their second-lowest output this season after managing fifty-nine against Oregon earlier. The Wolverines capitalized on free throws in the final quarter to secure their win.

This match concluded Michigan State's home series against Michigan for this season, resulting in both teams winning on each other's courts—a first since the 2021-22 season. Sunday's attendance was notable as it was among the highest recorded when facing Michigan since February 2020.

Despite this loss breaking their three-game winning streak against Michigan under head coach Robyn Fralick's tenure, MSU still maintains an edge historically over their rivals with seventy-six wins out of one hundred two encounters.

Looking ahead, MSU will host Wisconsin on Wednesday evening at Breslin Center as they aim to rebound from this defeat.