EAST LANSING — Robyn Fralick’s thoughts flashed back to her childhood as she found herself on the sidelines leading the Michigan State women’s basketball team for the first time in front of a crowd at the Breslin Center.
With her two children in attendance, Fralick instantly thought back to the days when she was in their shoes and watching the Spartans play from the same stands while growing up in Okemos.
“You just don’t know where life is going to take you,” Fralick said. “I never thought when I was 10 years old that I would be coaching on the sidelines of the Breslin. (It was neat) just to kind of see the cycle of life.”
While those thoughts were on her mind, Fralick also thought about the business side and getting her new team ready for the start of the new season.
And the first-year MSU coach saw plenty she liked Thursday night in the Spartans’ 99-46 exhibition victory over Davenport.
One of the things most satisfying to Fralick was the way MSU adapted to her style of play by applying plenty of pressure and wreaking havoc with its defense. The Spartans allowed just 10 points and forced 20 turnovers in the opening half.
“It’s a system and a style that I’ve coached and I’m really comfortable in,” Fralick said of the pressure defense her team showcased. “I think one of the biggest strengths of our team is our speed. I think we’ve got really good team speed across the board and so we’ve got to find ways to use that.”
The style of play is one Moira Joiner has embraced because it matches her strengths. She has always considered herself more of a defensive player and has created offense from her ability to get stops. Joiner led the Spartans with 18 points and added a team-best four steals Thursday.
“It comes pretty easy to me because that’s how I grew up playing,” Joiner said.
Joiner was one of five players in double figures for MSU in its lone public tune-up before opening the season against Oakland on Nov. 8. Abbey Kimball added 16 points and Gabby Elliott added 11 points off the bench, while Theryn Hallock and Lauren Ross each scored 10 points.
Contact Brian Calloway at [email protected]. Follow him on X @brian_calloway.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan State women’s basketball rolls past Davenport in exhibition
