#17/18 Ohio State Opens Big Ten Play at Michigan State Sunday on the Big Ten Network – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Sunday, Dec. 30, 2007 – 12 p.m. ET
Breslin Center – East Lansing, Mich.
#17/18Ohio State (9-2, 0-0 Big Ten) at Michigan State (8-5, 0-1 Big Ten)
Radio/Internet – WOSU 820-AM/www.wosu.org
P-by-P: Marty Bannister; Analyst: Toni Roesch
Television – Big Ten Network
Dan Gutkowsky (P-by-P) and Vera Jones (analyst)
COLUMBUS, Ohio — No. 17/18 Ohio State (9-2, 0-0) takes its four-game win streak to East Lansing, Mich., where the Buckeyes will take on Michigan State (8-5, 0-1) at noon Sunday. The game will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.
ABOUT THE BUCKEYES
Ohio State has won 32 of its last 34 Big Ten regular-season games and 96 of its last 110 games overall.
Freshman center Jantel Lavender has five double-doubles on the season and has scored in double-figures in each game. She averages a team-best 17.4 points and 10.0 rebounds — both of which rank in the Top 5 in the Big Ten.
Senior guard Marscilla Packer leads the Big Ten in 3-point shooting with 33 makes (3.0 per game). She averages 15.4 points and is coming off a 23-point game with five three’s in the win over Nebraska.
Junior guard Ashlee Trebilcock is averaging 11.3 points during OSU’s four-game win streak after averaging six points over the first seven contests.
Ohio State’s starting backcourt of Shavelle Little, Ashlee Trebilcock and Marscilla Packer rank 1-2-3 in the Big Ten in assist/turnover ratio — all of whom are +2.0 or above.
The Buckeyes are 31-6 in the month of December in the Jim Foster era.
BUCKEYES OFF TO ANOTHER GREAT START UNDER FOSTER
Ohio State has enjoyed tremendous success in the Foster era, most notably early in the season. Here is a breakdown of how the Buckeyes have started under Foster:
2002-03: 11-2
2003-04: 9-2
2004-05: 11-1
2005-06: 9-1
2006-07: 7-0 (24-1)
2007-08: 9-2
THE SERIES
Series Record OSU leads, 44-20
Last meeting 2/18/07, MSU, 62-59 in Columbus
Ohio State owns a 44-20 advantage in the all-time series. However, it was the Spartans who handed Ohio State its only loss in Big Ten play last season, 62-59, in Columbus. Head coach Jim Foster is 8-5 against Michigan State since coming to Columbus in 2002. Ohio State has won five of the last seven and three of four.
ABOUT MSU
The Spartans, picked second in this year’s Big Ten preseason media poll, are 8-5 but have lost three of their last five. However, all five of MSU’s losses have come against solid competition: at #8 LSU, #9 Oklahoma, #23 Old Dominion, Minnesota and Hartford who is just outside the AP Top 25.
Sophomore 6-9 center Allyssa DeHaan is the straw stirring Michigan State’s drink this season. She leads the team with 16.0 points and 7.7 rebounds and leads the nation with 5.3 blocks per game — 62 total. She shoots 55 percent from the field and is even more consistent at the line with an 89 percent clip. Freshman forward Kalisha Keane is second with 13.6 ppg, followed by Courtney Davidson (8.5 ppg) and Lauren Aitch (7.6). The Spartans also are solid defensively, holding teams to 55 points while holding their opponents to a Big Ten worst 33 percent shooting from field.
MSU is coached by Suzy Merchant who is in her first season after spending the last nine at Eastern Michigan. There she was the winningest coach in school history. During her tenure with the Eagles, Merchant guided Eastern Michigan to a record of 147-91 (.618), including three 20-win seasons, three postseason appearances and two Mid-American Conference West Division titles. Merchant also coached for three years at Saginaw Valley State.
LAST TIME AGAINST THE SPARTANS
Up by as many as 11 points in the second half, Ohio State could not hold off a steady Michigan State rally and watched its 30-game Big Ten win streak, 27-game home string and 17-game overall run come to an end with a 62-59 defeat. Ohio State’s Marscilla Packer had a pair of opportunities to tie the game in the waning seconds, but her 3-point attempts went awry. The Buckeyes made just 2-of-19 3-point tries and shot 40 percent from the floor. Jessica Davenport led Ohio State with 16 points and 11 rebounds, the 45th double-double of her career, but she could not offset MSU center Allyssa DeHaan and her 25 points. DeHaan gave Michigan State its first lead, 56-55, of the second half on a turn-around in the lane with 47 seconds left.
BUCKEYES IN THE BIG TEN
Several Buckeyes rank among the Big Ten’s best in several areas. Freshman Jantel Lavender leads the way, ranking second in the conference in rebounding with 10.0 per game while ranking fourth in scoring (17.4 ppg) and eighth in FG percentage (.531). Marscilla Packer is right up there as well, leading the Big Ten with 33 3FG’s (3.0 per game) while ranking third in assist/turnover ratio (+2.00), fourth in 3FG percentage (.429) and sixth in scoring (15.6). Sophomore Shavelle Little is first in assist/turnover ratio (+2.25) and third in steals (2.6). As a team, the Buckeyes rank among the Top 3 in 15 of the 19 categories released by the Big Ten. Ohio State leads the conference in scoring (74.7 ppg), scoring margin (+19.5), FG percentage (.469), assists (17.8), steals (9.45) and assist/turnover ratio (+1.04). They are second in fewest points allowed (55.2), 3FG percentage (.383), 3FG’s made (6.2), rebounding margin (+8.0) and turnover margin (+2.45).
For the complete release and stats, click the PDF above
