I expected a matchup with CMU and didn't pay much attention to MSU, any thougts on how we match up?
• Like the Irish, they love to run. They embrace the transition game, although in the second half the pace may not be as swift.
• Like the Irish, they have two bigs, Jenna Allen, 6’4”, leading scorer (though not in average) and rebounder, and Sidney Cooks, 6’4”, who may not start but plays around 20 minutes a game and had an outstanding game against Central Michigan.
• Like the Irish, Michigan State spreads the wealth. They had 5 players score in double figures in their game against CMU.
• Unlike the Irish, at least according to Muffet McGraw, they play a pesky defense, especially Taryn McCutcheon and Colley Shay, with each averaging almost 2 steals per game. Shay may be their best player and was their "go-to" player on the last drive of the game to beat CMU.
• Unlike the Irish, they have a freshman, Nia Clouden, who plays about 30 minutes a game and scores over 12 per game.
• Unlike the Irish, they have no high school All Americans. Their last one was Taya Reimer.
[Edit: Oops, I missed Sidney Cooks McD AA. Thanks, SBSwarm]
or at least that's the opinion I have of MSU's guards from brief glimpses of their games. CMU got a lot of open shots against their D, too.
Then the Irish will open the can and apply the whup-ass.
Suzy Merchant is a pretty good coach who has coached against Notre Dame plenty of times. She knows how to prepare her team for what ND does, so the Spartans will have a good game plan; but she does not have the players to beat any of the #1 seeds. MSU's best player will be the sixth best player in the game.
MSU fans were in the minority for their game
MSU basically played 6 players with two others totalling 15 minutes.