The University of Louisville women’s basketball team is heading north to compete in its second Big Ten/ACC Challenge, facing No. 19/20 Michigan State on Thursday at the Breslin Events Center in East Lansing, Mich.
The contest will air on ESPN2, with Pam Ward (play-by-play) and Rebecca Lobo (analyst) on the call. The radio broadcast will be available on WKRD 790 AM in Louisville, with Matt Andrews (play-by-play) and Adrienne Johnson (analyst) calling the action.
The Cardinals faced Iowa at home in last year’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge, beating the Hawkeyes 86-52 on Dec. 4 in the KFC Yum! Center.
Louisville (1-4) is coming off a 1-2 performance at the Gulf Coast Showcase over the Thanksgiving break in Estero, Fla. The Cardinals defeated Marist 65-53 in the tournament’s opening game and then fell to Purdue (62-60) on Nov. 28 and Dayton (79-66) on Nov. 29.
Mariya Moore paced the Cardinals with 23 points on 6-of-12 shooting against the Flyers, and Myisha Hines-Allen came off the bench to add 20 points and eight rebounds. Taja Cole finished with a season-best 11 points. Collectively, Louisville had a 38-34 edge on the glass and held Dayton to just 6-of-19 from long range.
Hines-Allen was named to the Gulf Coast Showcase all-Tournament Team after averaging 18.0 points and 7.3 rebounds at the event.
Through five games this season, Moore is averaging a team-best 15.2 points, Briahanna Jackson is scoring 15.0 points per game, and Hines-Allen is averaging 13.6 points and 7.4 rebounds.
Michigan State (4-1) is coming off a 1-1 showing in the Junkanoo Jam, beating Cincinnati 103-63 on Nov. 27 and then falling to then-No. 5 Baylor 84-76 the following day.
In the win over the Bearcats, Tori Jankoska had a game-high 30 points on 11-of-14 shooting, and Aerial Powers added 20 off the bench. The Spartans shot 58.5 percent from the field, knocking down 11 3-ointers. In the loss to the Bears, Jankoska poured in 23 points on 7-of-18 shooting. Branndais Agee and Powers each contributed 16 for the Spartans, who connected on 39.4 percent of their shots. Defensively, the Spartans forced 22 Baylor turnovers and converted that into 30 points.
Jankoska is leading Michigan State in scoring at 22.2 points per game, and Powers is second on the team with 16.0 points. Jasmine Hines has a team-high 7.6 rebounding average, and Morgan Green boasts a team-best 27 assists.
Michigan State, which returned three starters from last year’s team that went 16-15 overall, including a 7-11 Big Ten mark, was picked to finish third in the Big Ten preseason coaches’ poll. Powers was selected to the coaches and media preseason all-conference teams, and Jankoska earned media preseason all-conference accolades.
The Spartans are under the direction of ninth-year coach Suzy Merchant, who has directed the program to a 183-88 record.
SERIES HISTORY – Louisville vs. Michigan State
The all-times series is tied at one game apiece, with Louisville winning the most recent matchup in 2012. The Cardinals earned a 67-55 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 17, 2012, in College Park, Md.
Becky Burke had a game-high 14 points, and Shawnta’ Dyer added 13 off the bench on 6-of-10 shooting. As a team, Louisville scored 20 points off the 14 Michigan State turnovers and went 15-of-19 from the charity stripe. Current Spartan Jasmine Hines had eight points and five rebounds in the loss.
GAME FACTS – Louisville at Michigan State
Date: Thursday, Dec. 3
Time: 7:01 p.m. ET
Site: Breslin Events Center (14,797), East Lansing, Mich.
TV: ESPN2 will broadcast the game, with Pam Ward (play-by-play) and Rebecca Lobo (analyst) calling the action.
Radio: WKRD 790 AM will broadcast the game, with Matt Andrews (play-by-play) and Adrienne Johnson (analyst) calling the action.
Series History: The series is tied 1-1 (Louisville: 0-1 in East Lansing, 1-0 neutral). Louisville defeated Michigan State 67-55 on March 17, 2012, in College Park, Md.
Next UofL Game: Saturday, Dec. 5 vs. Valparaiso, KFC Yum! Center/Crum Court, Louisville, Ky., 4 p.m. ET (CardsTV)
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