Michigan State women's basketball entering new era under Robyn Fralick

East Lansing, Mich. – There will be a lot of questions that need to be answered when the 2023-24 version of Michigan State women’s basketball hits the floor for its season opener against Oakland University at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday night at Breslin Center.

With a new coach in Okemos, Mich., native and former Bowling Green mentor Robyn Fralick and eight returning players, there appears to be a lot of potential for success after a 16-14 finish in 2022-23, where the Spartans lost six games by five points or less.

The goal this season will be to not only improve on last season’s wins total but return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2020-21 season. Here’s what we learned from the program’s annual media day and after an exhibition blowout win over Davenport University in which five players scored in double figures. 

STYLE OF PLAY

If first-year head coach Robyn Fralick has her way, Michigan State women’s basketball is going to be really fun to watch this season. Of course—in that excitement—the Spartans want to produce as a many wins as possible.

With a core group of eight returning players which includes starters, graduate senior shooting guard Moira Joiner from Saginaw, the team’s top returning scorer at 10.1 points per game and junior point guard DeeDee Hagemann; a two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten point guard from Detroit, Michigan State will be looking for the right recipe for success.

With three returning starters from last season’s squad, which includes junior forward Isaline Alexander, the Spartans’ core group will include senior guard Gabby Elliott, graduate senior wings Julia Ayrault and Tory Ozment, and sophomore guards Theryn Hallock and Abbey Kimball.

The team will also welcome five newcomers, which includes two transfers and three freshmen.

Joiner should stretch the floor with her outside shooting, Hagemann will run the offense at the point, Elliott will provide a backcourt spark as both a shooter and someone who can get down hill, Alexander will be the top post player, while Ayrault and Ozment will provide versatility on the wings. Hallock and Kimball will be expected to continue their development and take their games to the next level after decent freshman seasons.

Fralick—or Coach Fray Fray as the team has affectionately nicknamed her—thinks this group is capable of playing a certain way this season to ensure success.

“Who are we? Every team looks a little different and every teams natural strengths look a little different and that’s something we’re still in process of figuring out but some things I believe we are at our best is (when) we’re disruptive, we’re fast, and we’re aggressive. (That) we attack whether that’s getting to the free throw line or putting pressure on the defense. There’s a lot of ways to win possessions throughout a game and that can be rebounding, that can be turnover margin, and that can be efficiency margin. So, that’s something we’re always evaluating but I think this team can be very disruptive, win the turnover battle and convert that into points. At our best we will be tough, together and connected.’’

HEAD OF THE SNAKE?

Michigan State will begin this season minus two of its top three leading scorers from last season in Kamaria McDaniel, who exhausted her eligibility, and Matilda Ekh, who transferred to Virginia Tech.

The Spartans will have their third, fourth and fifth-leading leading scorers back in Joiner, Elliott and Hagemann but their may be no player that’s more important to the team’s fortunes than Hagemann, a high-energy point guard who could be considered Michigan State’s so-called Head of the Snake.

Hagemann averaged 9.3 points and a team-leading 4.9 assists per game last season while running the Spartans’ offense, and may be considered the player opponents need to contain in order to stop Michigan State’s offense.

Despite that thought, Fralick stopped short of putting that kind of responsibility on Hagemann’s shoulders.

“I don’t know if we’ve gotten to those specifics yet. DeDe is really creative, fun, fast and a great decision maker basketball player in the way we play and the system within which we like to compete. I’ve just seen her do really really good things. So I’m excited (in) being able to use those things and that creativity to really help our team.’’

While Hagemann seemed to be a little more understanding of her role and what her play could mean for Michigan State, she too, is not all about a narrative that would over emphasize her importance to the team.

“I feel like as a point guard, I kinda am the head of the snake but I can’t do this alone,’’ said Hagemann, who averaged a team-leading 29.4 minutes per game last season. “I mean if it’s not my night or they try to shut me down I have teammates I can go to. I feel like our overall (team), off the bench (and the other) starters will be able to handle that.’’

LEADERSHIP ROLES

Joiner and Ayrault will serve as team captains, the first time Michigan State has had named captains since the 2019-20 season.

Their leadership will be important as Michigan State makes the transition to a new culture with Fralick and paramount to the team’s growth as the Spartans continue the program’s journey into a new era.

And both understand their roles.

“I’ve always kind of viewed myself as a leader, maybe as a background leader on this team, leading by example but this year, but I’m gonna be a little bit more vocal,’’ said Joiner, who averaged 10.1 points a game last season. “So the position I’m taking as a fifth year and a starter, is that I have to make sure that everybody’s doing their job.’’

Ayrault, who missed the entire 2021-22 season with a foot injury bounced back last season to contribute 3.6 points and 2.5 rebounds, while tying for the team lead in blocks with 19.

“Obviously it’s a really huge honor to be captain at a Big Ten university,’’ said Ayrault, who has 71 career blocks. “So, I definitely have to use my voice more, hold people accountable, hold myself accountable and make sure everybody’s on the same page about what the goals are and being consistent with that.’’