Michigan State Women Eye Strong NCAA Tournament Seed
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Robyn Fralick has been the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans women's basketball program for three seasons and has helped the team improve each year.
In her first season as head coach, Fralick led the Spartans to a 22-9 record behind the strong play of junior Julia Ayrault. That season, Michigan State earned a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament. The Spartans fell to the North Carolina Tar Heels in the first round, but the game remained competitive until the final moments, ending in a 59-56 loss.
In Fralick’s second season, Michigan State added former Oregon Ducks forward Grace VanSlooten, a former McDonald’s All-American. VanSlooten led the Spartans with 15.5 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per game.
With Ayrault returning and Theryn Hallock taking a step forward, Michigan State earned a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans defeated the Harvard Crimson in the first round before falling to the No. 2 seed NC State Wolfpack, who won the game 83-49.
Now in Fralick’s third season, Michigan State sits at 22-8 and is projected to earn a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. That would mark the highest seed the Spartans have achieved during the Fralick era.
Fralick strengthened the roster this season through the transfer portal by adding Rashunda Jones and Jalyn Brown. VanSlooten also continued to play a key role, while sophomore Kennedy Blair emerged as one of the team’s most important players.
After Hallock suffered a season-ending injury, Blair stepped up in a major way. Blair is second on the team in scoring with 14.4 points per game while leading the Spartans in rebounds with 7.1, assists with 5.4, and steals with 2.3.
Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament
Michigan State finished the regular season as the No. 7 seed in the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament and received a first-round bye.
The Spartans faced the Illinois Fighting Illini in their first game. After defeating Illinois earlier in the season, Michigan State narrowly fell 71-69 in a tightly contested matchup.
Michigan State started the game strong with a 6-0 run in the opening minutes. However, Illinois responded by outscoring the Spartans in both the first and second quarters and entered halftime with a 36-29 lead.
The Spartans attempted to rally in the second half, but a late turnover in the closing seconds ultimately sealed the loss.
Blair delivered an outstanding individual performance, finishing with 30 points while shooting 11-of-18 from the field and 7-of-9 from the free-throw line. She also added six rebounds and five assists. However, Blair committed a game-high seven turnovers, which proved costly in such a close game.
NCAA Tournament Outlook
Despite the loss in the Big Ten Tournament, Michigan State is still projected by ESPN to earn a No. 5 seed in Region 3 of the NCAA Tournament.
In this projection, the Spartans would face the No. 12 seed Murray State Racers in the first round. If Michigan State advances, the Spartans would likely face the Oklahoma Sooners, which finished the season 24-7 and were the No. 5 seed in the Southeastern Conference tournament.
Through three seasons, Fralick has steadily elevated Michigan State and positioned the program as a consistent NCAA Tournament contender. Each year has brought improvement in both the team’s record and postseason seeding.
With experienced players such as VanSlooten and Blair leading the roster, the Spartans have the talent to make a deeper run in this year’s tournament. If Michigan State can limit turnovers and maintain its defensive intensity, the Spartans could take another important step forward under Fralick’s leadership.
Luke Joseph is a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in journalism. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of sports and commitment to storytelling, he serves as a general sports reporter On SI, covering the NFL and college athletics with insight and expertise.