RALEIGH, N.C. — Grace VanSlooten was instrumental in leading Michigan State to a 64-50 victory over Harvard in the women’s NCAA Tournament on Saturday, contributing significantly with her 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Jocelyn Tate also played a key role, scoring 13 points as the seventh-seeded Spartans (22-9) moved forward to the tournament’s second round for the first time since 2019. Additionally, Theryn Hallock provided support by adding 10 points to the tally.
Michigan State coach Robyn Fralick emphasized the team’s resilience, noting, “Real confidence comes from toughness, not whether or not the ball goes in. I thought we had that.”
The Spartans are set to face second-seeded N.C. State (27-6), a team that recently secured a 75-55 victory against Vermont, in their upcoming second-round match on Monday.
Harmoni Turner emerged as the standout for 10th-seeded Harvard (24-5) with 24 points. Despite prevailing over two Big Ten teams in November, Harvard was unable to notch another win against a powerful conference opponent this time.
Reflecting on the outcome, Harvard coach Carrie Moore stated, “This game does not define our season. This game does not define who we are,” highlighting the team’s journey to the Ivy League Tournament title and subsequent entry into the NCAA Tournament.
Michigan State quickly gained the upper hand by scoring the first 11 points of the game. While Harvard narrowed the gap to 26-25 in the third quarter, consecutive three-point shots from Ines Soltelo and Tate pushed the Spartans ahead again to a 37-25 lead.
“We dodged a bullet early and then settled in,” remarked Fralick, acknowledging the Spartans’ recovery.
**Takeaways**
Harvard had difficulty in offensive support despite Turner’s efforts, who was boasting an average of 31.3 points in March games. Saniyah Glenn-Bello failed to score, fouling out with over six minutes still remaining. Lydia Chatira and Gabby Anderson collectively managed only two points.
Michigan State presented a sharp contrast from the previous year, when they were eliminated by North Carolina in a tight 59-56 first-round game.
**Key moment**
VanSlooten’s three-point play early in the fourth quarter proved crucial, extending the Spartans’ lead to 49-35 and further burdening Harvard with a foul.
**Key stat**
Collecting 15 fast-break points significantly compensated for Michigan State’s rebounding challenges, even as Harvard grabbed 22 offensive rebounds.
**For the fun of it**
VanSlooten, who transferred from Oregon, was playing in her first NCAA Tournament game. She expressed her enthusiasm, “Just had a lot of fun. I’ve never been to the NCAA Tournament, so I was really excited coming into this game.” Her performance marked her sixth double-double of the season.
**Defense delivers**
Michigan State effectively rotated three defenders—Jaddan Simmons, Jocelyn Tate, and Nyla Hampton—to contain Turner. Despite taking 22 shots, Turner only succeeded in 2 of her 10 attempts from beyond the arc, falling short of her usual average of 2.5 made three-pointers per game.
Fralick commented, “We are fortunate we went in the game knowing Jaddan, Jocelyn, and Nyla could guard her.” Harvard struggled to adjust to the Spartan’s strategic defense.
“That defense tonight looked a little bit different than what we’ve seen consistently throughout the season,” said Moore.
**Up next**
Moving forward, Michigan State’s next challenge lies in a match in an environment where N.C. State has maintained a perfect 17-0 record this season.