EAST LANSING, Mich. (Interstat) — In a dominant season-opening display, the Michigan State Spartans overwhelmed the visiting Mercyhurst Lakers in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Tuesday night at Breslin Events Center, cruising to a lopsided victory.

The final score reflected a contest controlled from the opening tip by the Spartans, who lived up to their status as heavy favorites. Interstat’s ELO system had given Michigan State a 99.80 percent probability to win, and the on-court performance left no doubt.

Michigan State’s offense was a relentless force, particularly in the first quarter where they established a commanding lead. The Spartans poured in 36 points in the opening period while holding the Lakers to just six, effectively deciding the game’s outcome in the first ten minutes. The onslaught continued throughout the half, with Michigan State adding 30 points in the second quarter to take a 66 to 18 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The second half offered more of the same, as the Spartans maintained their intense pace. They scored 32 points in the third quarter and another 27 in the fourth to cap off the night. Mercyhurst, facing a formidable and deep Michigan State roster, scored 10 points in the third quarter and 11 in the fourth.

The statistical disparity between the two teams was stark. Michigan State’s aggressive defense was a key catalyst, generating a massive 62 points off turnovers while Mercyhurst failed to score any. The Spartans also owned the interior, outscoring the Lakers 70 to 10 in the paint, highlighting their significant advantage in size and athleticism.

The victory was a collective effort for Michigan State, with a deep and talented roster sharing the scoring load. Theryn Hallock, a 5-foot-10 guard from Grand Rapids, Michigan, led all scorers with 19 points in just 21 minutes of action.

Close behind was Grace VanSlooten, a 6-foot-3 forward from Toledo, Ohio, who contributed 18 points, four rebounds and four assists in her 18 minutes on the floor. The Spartans’ offensive engine, however, was Kennedy Blair. The 5-foot-9 guard from Dearborn, Michigan, orchestrated the offense with a remarkable 12 assists to go along with 14 points and five rebounds in 19 minutes.

Michigan State’s depth was on full display with four other players scoring in double figures. Rashunda Jones, a 5-foot-8 guard from South Bend, Indiana, and Amy Terrian, a 5-foot-8 guard from Pewaukee, Wisconsin, each tallied 15 points. Jalyn Brown, a 6-foot-1 guard from Baltimore, Maryland, nearly recorded a double-double with 13 points and eight rebounds, while Emma Shumate, a 6-foot-1 guard from Dresden, Ohio, added 14 points and six rebounds. Defensively, Isaline Alexander, a 6-foot-3 forward from Keswick, Canada, anchored the paint with three blocked shots.

For the Mercyhurst Lakers, Lena Walz led the way with nine points in 31 minutes of play.

The announced attendance at the Breslin Events Center was 2,804.

With the win, Michigan State begins its season with a record of one win and zero losses. The Spartans will look to build on this performance when they host Eastern Michigan on Sunday, November 9. Their non-conference schedule also includes home games against Youngstown State, Western Michigan, Eastern Illinois, and Oakland, followed by a neutral-site game against Temple in The Bahamas and road contests at Wisconsin and DePaul.

The Mercyhurst Lakers start their season zero and one. They face a quick turnaround, traveling to face Dayton on Thursday, November 6. Their upcoming schedule includes home games against Cornell and Youngstown State, and challenging road trips to Iowa State, West Virginia, and Syracuse.