MSU Women Fall to Oklahoma in Second Round of NCAA Tournament
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Michigan State women's basketball has improved in each of its first three years under Robyn Fralick, but it hasn't reached that next phase yet.
The Spartans will see their season end in the second round of the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season. Fifth-seeded MSU led for a while against (4) Oklahoma, but the Sooners' home-court advantage and superior rebounding pushed OU to a 77-71 victory on Sunday night.
Given how this game went, that late-season skid where Michigan State went 3-6 during its nine games before Selection Sunday really stings. There was a time that the Spartans were projected to be either a 3- or a 4-seed, but those results cost MSU a chance at hosting the first two rounds in East Lansing.
Michigan State looked like the better team for some time in this one, despite the road atmosphere. It would have been easy to see MSU pulling this one out if the game had been on a neutral court or in East Lansing. Alas, the Spartans cost themselves that chance, and will settle for a final record of 23-9, which is still the program's best win total since the 2015-16 season.
Game Recap
This game had numerous swings in every direction. There were nine lead changes during the first half alone, and entering the fourth quarter, no team had ever enjoyed a lead greater than five points. It was what you would expect, in a good way, from a game featuring two teams seeded right next to one another.
Halfcourt offense almost felt like a myth, too. Michigan State ranks 11th in points per game, and OU is fourth. Both teams kept pushing the pace, for better or worse. Lots of shots got put up less than 10 seconds into shot clocks, but the fast pace also led to some mistakes being made by both sides. Both teams committed more than 20 turnovers each.
Rashunda Jones, who started nearly the entire season, actually came off the bench on Sunday and balled out in the first half to propel MSU to a five-point advantage at halftime. She had 16 points to lead all scorers through 20 minutes.
This game, much like the Spartans' first-round victory over 12th-seeded Colorado State, was going to have to come down to the fourth quarter. Oklahoma looked stronger during the third quarter, outscoring Michigan State 20-12 during the period to go up by three entering the final quarter.
OU tried to pull away, extending the lead out to eight at one point in the fourth quarter and causing Fralick to use a timeout. Emma Shumate stepped up not long after and drilled a three to get the Spartans back into it.
That frenetic pace from earlier started to catch up to both teams, though, who both seemed a little tired. A game full of 10-second possessions suddenly became played nearly entirely in the halfcourt, a completely different style from earlier, but with the Sooners still up by one or two possessions and with time dwindling. Michigan State had some chances to cut into Oklahoma's lead, but more turnovers ended up costing the Spartans any real chance at a late comeback in the end.
A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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