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• When: 8 p.m. today
• Where: Welsh-Ryan Arena
• Radio: WVFN 730-AM
• Records: MSU is 13-7, 4-5 Big Ten; Northwestern is 12-8, 3-6
• Coaches: MSU - Suzy Merchant is 58-32 in her third season at MSU and 259-152 overall in 15 seasons. Northwestern - Jim McKeown is 19-31 in his second season at Northwestern and 528-205 overall in 24 seasons.
• Series: MSU leads the series 32-22 and has won 11 straight meetings, including a 74-54 win on January 22, 2009 in Evanston.
• Last game: MSU won Sunday at Minnesota, 66-57. Northwestern lost Sunday at Iowa, 78-69.
Projected Lineups:
MSU
Pos. Name PPG
G (20) Brittney Thomas (5-10) 7.1
G (1) Jasmine Thomas (5-7) 6.3
F (30) Lykendra Johnson (6-1) 9.4
F (22) Aisha Jefferson (6-1) 7.6
C (41) Allyssa DeHaan (6-9) 11.8
Northwestern
Pos. Name PPG
G (32) K. Cartwright (5-11) 7.5
G (3) Beth Marshall (5-5) 7.0
F (25) Brittany Orban (6-0) 10.4
F (4) Kendall Hackney (6-2) 7.9
C (22) Amy Jaeschke (6-5) 16.2
• MSU update: The Spartans have won two straight after hitting rock-bottom with losses to Wisconsin and Penn State. The spurt moved MSU from ninth place in the Big Ten to a tie for sixth place with Indiana. Having struggled in close games all season long, the Spartans overcame a 10-point, second half deficit to beat Minnesota Sunday. Coach Suzy Merchant tweaked the starting lineup, inserting freshman guard Jasmine Thomas for her first career start. A third-straight Big Ten win today would give MSU a .500 record in conference play for the first time since Jan. 3.
• Northwestern update: The Wildcats have dropped six of their last seven games and are looking to build on a 13-4 record at home this season. Amy Jaeschke paces the offense with 16.2 points per game.
• Prediction: A third straight win further boosts MSU's confidence just past the halfway point of conference play, while a loss means searching for answers once again. Northwestern has a slight advantage on the boards, but the Spartans hit their outside shots in a close one.
• Make it: MSU 68, Northwestern 64
- Dan Kilbridge
