Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan State Spartans

Date: Sunday, March 1st

Time: 2:00 pm EST

Location: State Farm Center, Champaign, IL

2019-20 Record: 7-21 (1-16, 13th in standings)

Head Coach: Carolyn Kieger, first season

How To Watch: BTN+ ($$$)
Radio: TuneIn to stream Spartan Sports Radio

Current Season:

The Nittany Lions come to East Lansing on a 13-game losing streak. Their last win came in Happy Valley, and was a 86-73 win over our very own lady Spartans on January 9th. In that game, MSU was led by a career-high 19 points from sophomore forward Kayla Belles. On the season, Penn State is averaging 66.2 points per game, while giving up 75.

Kamaria McDaniel leads the Nittany Lions in scoring and is second in the Big Ten, averaging 19.5 points per game. She is one of only three players in the Big Ten averaging over 19.0 points per game along with Rutgers’ Arella Guirantes (20.1) and Northwestern’s Lindsey Pulliam (19.2). McDaniel is also clocking in the minutes, standing tied for eighth in the league in minutes played with 34.0 minutes per game.

Penn State leads the overall series 30-18, but the Spartans have won the last two in East Lansing. MSU is tied 10-10 at the Breslin Center, while the Lady Lions lead in University Park, 18-6. The teams are 2-2 on neutral territory.

This is the second time in four seasons that the Spartans have faced Penn State on senior day. MSU stopped PSU on Tori Jankoska’s senior day on February 22, 2017, 73-64. In this year’s Senior Day at Michigan State, we will say goodbye to four departing seniors, Shay Colley, Victoria Gaines, Nia Hollie and Taryn McCutcheon.

A few other interesting notes to keep in mind heading into this match-up are that guard Taryn McCutcheon is one of only five players in Spartan history with at least 900 points and 400 assists, and one of just two with over 900 points and over 500 assists. Tori Jankoska is the all-time points leader with 2,212 points, while current MSU assistant coach Kristin Haynie holds the all-time assist crown with 574 helpers. McCutcheon has 1,174 points and 568 assists. If she can average 3.5 assists in the match-up against Penn State and in the first game of the Big Ten Tournament then she will claim the all-time assists record for Michigan State.

As for the underclassmen, forward Julia Ayrault has 24 blocks as a freshman, which put her one shy of Kelli Roehrig who had 25 during the 2001-02 season. Taiyier Parks is also closing in out Roehrig, as she has 19 blocks as a rookie.

Guard Moira Joiner has had a solid rookie campaign for the Spartans. She has made 36 three-pointers this season, tying Spartan great Kalisha Keane for fifth among MSU freshman. Keane had 36 as a freshman during the 2007-08 season. Joiner is shooting 38.7 percent from beyond the arc, which currently stands second all-time among MSU freshmen. Lindsay Bowen holds the record, shooting 46.4 percent during the 2002-03 season.

It is also 4-H Day at the Breslin Center as the second land grant university visits the original for the final conference game of the women’s season for each team.

Go Green!