MSU Beats Oregon, Extends Winning Streak
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After moving up nine spots in the AP poll, Michigan State women’s basketball earned its 16th win of the season and fifth victory in Big Ten play with a win over Oregon on Sunday. The victory also extended the Spartans’ winning streak to eight games.
Junior guard Rashunda Jones was spectacular against the Ducks, posting a season-high 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field and 2-of-4 from three-point range. Jones has quietly been one of the Spartans’ most consistent contributors this season, averaging career highs of 12.9 points, 3.9 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.6 steals per game.
Senior forward Grace VanSlooten also delivered another strong performance, recording her fourth double-double of the season. Against her former team, VanSlooten finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Michigan State received additional contributions across the lineup. Kennedy Blair scored 11 points while adding six rebounds and a team-high four assists. Jalyn Brown chipped in 10 points, while Emma Shumate added 10 points, knocking down three three-pointers.
Game Recap
Michigan State struggled to find its rhythm early against Oregon. Junior guard Sofia Bell opened the game by knocking down four consecutive three-pointers, giving the Ducks a 12–2 lead and forcing an MSU timeout at the 6:27 mark of the first quarter.
The Spartans went more than two minutes without scoring before a VanSlooten free throw ended the drought. After going nearly five minutes without a field goal, Blair hit a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 21–9. Michigan State followed with a 6–0 run to pull within single digits before a Mia Jacobs basket sent Oregon into the quarter break with a 31–20 lead.
In the second quarter, the Spartans began to settle in. Trailing by as many as 16 points at the 8:26 mark, Michigan State responded with a dominant 24–7 run to seize a 44–43 lead heading into halftime.
Oregon briefly regained the lead early in the third quarter, going ahead 50–46, but the Spartans answered with a 10–0 run. VanSlooten and Jones each scored seven points in the period, helping MSU build its largest lead of the game to that point at 67–62 by the end of the third quarter.
The Ducks once again came out strong in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 67. The final 10 minutes featured multiple lead changes as both teams traded baskets. Michigan State ultimately pulled away late, closing the game on a decisive 6–0 run in the final three minutes to secure the victory.
Despite a slow start, Michigan State showed resilience, depth, and composure down the stretch to earn another important Big Ten win. With Rashunda Jones continuing to emerge as a go-to scorer and veterans like Grace VanSlooten anchoring the frontcourt, the Spartans appear to be hitting their stride at the right time as conference play intensifies.
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