Is Indiana Women’s Basketball Better Than Michigan State?

In this series, Hoosiers On SI examines where Indiana basketball stands against its Big Ten foes. Today, we look at how the Hoosiers stack up against the Spartans.

Michigan State Spartans guard Julia Ayrault (40) dribbles as Minnesota Golden Gophers center Sophie Hart (52) defends during the second half at Williams Arena. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – This story is part of a series that will continue through October. Is Indiana better than each of its Big Ten opponents?

Nine categories were chosen. There will be no ties in individual categories. Think of it like you would the Supreme Court.

The categories: Point guard play, free throw shooting, inside scoring, perimeter shooting, rebounding, perimeter defense, rim protection, how much proven Power Five talent is on the roster, and intangibles.

The daily series will cover both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, and it will alternate between the teams.

We turn our attention to the Michigan State women’s basketball team for today’s edition.

Coach Robyn Fralick had a successful first season in East Lansing as the Spartans were 22-9 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. It was Michigan State’s first 20-win season since 2019.

Enough pieces from that team return to give the Spartans confidence that they can maintain their momentum. However, enough pieces are gone – Michigan State lost two of its top three scorers – to wonder whether there might be a bit of a dropoff.

Here’s how the battle between the Hoosiers and Spartans shakes out.

• Point guard play – The 2024 point guard – DeeDee Hagemann – transferred to Memphis. Hagemann (12.3 ppg, 5.2 apg) was a dynamic presence in the Spartans backcourt. She was a terror for the Spartans when they played Indiana last season, with a 19-point, 10-assist effort in a thrilling 94-91 Indiana victory at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Replacing Hagemann is Ball State transfer Nyla Hampton (8.7 ppg, 4.8 apg), who isn’t a great 3-point shooter but a fine finisher at the rim. She converted 48.6% from the field. Also on board is Arizona State transfer Jaddan Simmons (9.5 ppg, 3.4 apg). Both are good defenders.

Chloe Moore-McNeil, however, has played in the Big Ten for a long time. She’s a great defender and scorer. Edge: Indiana.

Michigan State's Theryn Hallock, right, moves the ball as Minnesota's Maggie Czinano defends during the second quarter on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

• Free throw shooting – Leading returning scorer Julia Ayrault (15.4 ppg) is a solid free throw shooter at 75.7%. Guard Theryn Hallock (78.1%), Simmons (77.7%) and Hampton (73.1%) are additional plus-70 free throw shooters who played regularly. Indiana doesn’t have the same multitude of free throw shooting prowess based on 2024 production. Edge: Michigan State.

• Inside scoring – The Spartans have solid finishers. Added to the mix is former Oregon forward Grace VanSlooten (15 ppg), one of the better transfer portal additions in the Big Ten even though she only converted 36.6% of her shots. Ayrault (50.8 FG%) and Hallock (52.2%) are solid finishers.

Not to be forgotten is forward Isaline Alexander (8.7 ppg), who converted at a 68.8% clip from the field before she missed much of the season with a foot injury. Indiana can conjure inside scoring from Yarden Garzon and Sydney Parrish. Lilly Meiser and Karoline Striplin are also expected to produce, but the Spartans are slightly more proven in this department. Edge: Michigan State.

• Perimeter shooting – Can any team top Indiana’s trio of Garzon (42.2%), Moore-McNeil (40.9%) and Parrish (40%)? Michigan State won’t quite get there. Hallock (36.9%) and Ayrault (34.8%) are the plus-30 regulars. Ohio State transfer Emma Shumate (41.8%) and Abbey Kimball (36.4%) showed promise in limited action, but the Hoosiers prevail in this category once again. Edge: Indiana.

Oregon's Grace VanSlooten, center, goes up for a shot against Northern Arizona's Saniyah Neverson, left, and Olivia Moran during the first half at Matthew Knight Arena Monday, Nov 6, 2023 in Eugene. / Chris Pietsch/The Register Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

• Rebounding – Ayrault (7.4 rpg) does a little bit of everything for the Spartans and cleans the glass very well. VanSlooten (5.1 rpg) is 6-3 and will be a factor down low. The return of Alexander (4.3 rpg) and Jocelyn Tate (4.3 rpg) give Michigan State a bit more of a proven arsenal here than the Hoosiers. Edge: Michigan State.

• Perimeter defense – Michigan State rated in the lower half of the Big Ten in most defensive categories in 2024, but they could be annoying for opposing backcourts in 2024. Hampton (3.3 spg) led the Mid-American Conference in steals. Simmons (1.8 spg) was a ball hawk at Arizona State. Hallock (1.4 spg) is the most opportunistic returning guard.

Steals are fine, but Indiana was better at half-court defense, and the Hoosiers did a good job preventing teams from running their perimeter sets as the Hoosiers led the Big Ten by holding opponents to 15.1 3-point attempts per game. Most of that crew returns, and Indiana should remain stout. Edge: Indiana.

• Defense at the rim – Indiana will wait and see what it has defensively in Meister and Striplin. Michigan State doesn’t have a proven center, either. Ayrault, who is 6-2, was an impressive shot blocker with 2.1 per game. Redshirt freshman Mary Meng will likely get her turn here. Alexander, Tate and VanSlooten will play a role here as well. If Garzon can develop more as an interior defender, Indiana could be in good shape, but we don’t know if that will come to pass. Edge: Michigan State.

• Proven Power 5 ability on roster – The standard here is whether a player averaged 25 minutes or more at the Power Five level at their current or former school.

Michigan State is blessed in this department. Ayrault, Tate and Hallock (off the bench as the Big Ten’s Sixth Player of the Year) all just barely got over the 25-minute mark. Simmons and VanSlooten also cleared the bar at their respective previous schools. Indiana counters with Shay Ciezki, Garzon, Moore-McNeil and Parrish, but it’s not quite enough. Edge: Michigan State.

Michigan State's head coach Robyn Fralick communicates with players during the third quarter in the game against Northwestern on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

• Intangibles – There’s no real obvious intangibles that separate these teams, so we’ll keep this obvious. An expected Indiana starting five has only one new starter (Ciezki) to work into their way of doing things. Striplin could be included if she starts, but in a 10-person rotation, but they’re the only new Hoosiers. Michigan State is talented, but it has to work in four new players, including a new starting point guard and primary post player. It might work like a charm, but Indiana knows what it has. Edge: Indiana.

• Verdict – This one was a bit of a surprise when it came out 5-4 for Michigan State, but the Spartans’ additions largely came from other Power Five schools, and that gives them an edge by these criteria. Maybe the margin shouldn’t be surprising. Michigan State has been as competitive as any Big Ten team against Indiana in recent years, winning two of the last five matchups, with none of Indiana’s wins by more than single-digit margins.

Previous Is Indiana Better Than Women's Basketball Results

Oregon – Indiana 5-4.

Rutgers – Indiana 5-4.

Maryland – Maryland 7-2.

USC – USC 6-3.

Penn State - Indiana 8-1.

Minnesota - Indiana 6-3.

Michigan - Indiana 9-0.

UCLA - UCLA 8-1.

Ohio State - Ohio State 5-4.

Iowa - Indiana 5-4.

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