2023–24 Michigan State Spartans women's basketball team explained

Mode:	Women's basketball
Year:	2023–24
Team:	Michigan State Spartans
Conference:	Big Ten Conference
Short Conf:	Big Ten
Record:	22–9
Conf Record:	12–6
Head Coach:	Robyn Fralick
Hc Year:	1st
Assoc Coach:	Kim Cameron
Asst Coach1:	Maria Kasza
Asst Coach2:	Marwan Miller
Stadium:	Breslin Center
Champion:	Cherokee Invitational champions
Tourney:	NCAA tournament
Tourney Result:	First Round

The 2023–24 Michigan State Spartans women's basketball team represented Michigan State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Spartans, were led by first-year head coach Robyn Fralick and played their home games at Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan.

They finished the regular season 22–7, 12–6 in Big Ten play to finish in fourth place, marking the first time since 2016 that the team had double digit conference wins and won at least 22 games.^[1] As a result, they earned a double bye in the Big Ten tournament.^[2] They lost to Nebraska in the quarterfinals of the tournament.^[3]

They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 9 seed in Regional 1.^[4]

Previous season

The Spartans finished the 2022–23 season 16–14, 7–10 in Big Ten play to finish in ninth place. They defeated Nebraska in the second round of the Big Ten tournament before losing to Indiana. The Spartans were invited to the National Invitation Tournament, but declined the invitation due in part to the Michigan State shooting on campus.^[5]

On January 28, 2023, head coach Suzy Merchant was involved in an automobile crash which led to her being hospitalized.^[6] Assistant coach Dean Lockwood took over as the acting head coach for the remainder of the season.^[7] Merchant stepped down as head coach of the Spartans after the conclusion of the season.^[8] On March 31, the school named Bowling Green head coach Robyn Fralick the team's new head coach.^[9]

Schedule and results

|-!colspan=10 style=""| Exhibition|-!colspan=10 style=""| Regular season|-!colspan=9 style=""| Big Ten tournament|-!colspan=6 style=|

Rankings

See also: 2023–24 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings. *AP does not release post-NCAA Tournament rankings.

Awards and honors

Postseason awards

Julia Ayrault

• All-Big Ten First Team (unanimous)^[10]

Deedee Haemann

• All-Big Ten Second Team^[11]

Theryn Hallock

• Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year^[12]

Moira Joiner

• All-Big Ten Second Team

Notes and References

1. Web site: Michigan State women's basketball uses bye weeks to prepare for Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis . 2024-03-06 . The State News . en-us.
2. Web site: 2024-03-06 . Michigan State women’s basketball the No. 4 seed in the Big Ten Tournament . 2024-03-06 . Yahoo Sports . en-US.
3. Web site: Nebraska 73-61 Michigan State (Mar 8, 2024) Game Recap . 2024-03-18 . ESPN . en.
4. Web site: Michigan State, Michigan women earn No. 9 seeds in NCAA Tournament . 2024-03-18 . The Detroit News . en-US.
5. News: Michigan State women decline WNIT invitation, citing adversity-filled season. Tony Paul. The Detroit News. March 13, 2023.
6. Web site: MSU women's basketball coach Merchant hospitalized after 'minor' crash . 21 November 2023 . The Detroit News . en-US.
7. News: Dean Lockwood uses balanced approach to guide Michigan State women's basketball through adversity. Brian Calloway. Lansing State Journal.
8. News: Suzy Merchant steps down as Michigan State women's hoops coach. March 13, 2023. M.A. Voepel. ESPN.com.
9. Web site: Wenzel . Matt . 2023-03-31 . Michigan State hires new women’s basketball coach from Bowling Green . 21 November 2023 . mlive . en.
10. Web site: Lounsberry . Matthew . 2024-03-05 . MSU Women's Basketball Lands 3 All-Big Ten Honorees, 'Sixth Player of the Year' . 2024-03-06 . Sports Illustrated Michigan State Spartans News, Analysis and More . en.
11. Web site: Lounsberry . Matthew . 2024-03-05 . MSU Women's Basketball Lands 3 All-Big Ten Honorees, 'Sixth Player of the Year' . 2024-03-06 . Sports Illustrated Michigan State Spartans News, Analysis and More . en.
12. Web site: Three MSU women's basketball players named to All-Big Ten teams, one awarded Sixth Player of the Year . 2024-03-06 . The State News . en-us.