Video: MSU’s Robyn Fralick reflects on win over Iowa
Hear from coach Robyn Fralick following the Spartans’ Big Ten win over Iowa on Dec. 15, 2024.
EAST LANSING — Nyla Hampton has had her share of big moments during a college career that has included stops at Bowling Green and Ball State.
The Michigan State women’s basketball graduate student guard added another Sunday afternoon while playing in her first Big Ten game.
And Hampton’s big finish helped the Spartans add to the best start in program history.
Hampton sparked a fourth-quarter charge that helped the No. 19-ranked Spartans to a 68-66 victory over No. 24-ranked Iowa on Sunday afternoon at Breslin Center in their Big Ten opener.
Hampton had eight points during a 14-0 run that helped the Spartans (10-0, 1-0) overcome a nine-point deficit and take the lead for good. She finished with a season-high 13 points — all which came in the final quarter.
“It’s all about trying to figure out what the best shot for the team is each time down,” Hampton said. “Sometimes that’s me, sometimes that’s me hitting the one more and sometimes that’s me hitting our posts. It’s just doing that. You can’t put too much pressure on yourself.
“You just have to do your best to do what’s right for the team in that moment.”
Hampton did just that. She had only taken two shots from the field through the opening three quarters before making 5-of-6 from the field and knocking down 3-of-4 from the free-throw line in the final quarter while also adding four rebounds.
“One of my favorite things about Nyla is she’s very poised,” MSU coach Robyn Fralick said. “She knows what we want so she does a very good job of being able to get us into things we need to get into and she’s a really good basketball player. She has a feel for when to attack, when to pass, when to score and what we need and we’re talking about the offensive end. She was a two-time MAC defensive player of the year and top-10 in the country in steals too.”
The Spartans managed to hang on in the final minutes despite a pair of empty trips at the free-throw line in the final minute. MSU then got a defensive stop in the closing seconds while clinging to a 67-66 lead with Julia Ayrault getting a block on the possession that ended with the defensive rebound in Hampton’s hand. Hampton split a pair of free throws in the final second to close out the scoring.
Ayrault had 19 points to lead the Spartans, who held Iowa more than seven minutes without a field goal during the final quarter. Grace VanSlooten added 14 points and seven rebounds.
Hannah Stuelke led Iowa (9-2, 0-1) with 18 points and eight rebounds.
Iowa extended its lead to nine when Kylie Feuerbach hit back-to-back 3s to open the fourth quarter. But Hampton and the defense set the tone from there for the Spartans as they went on a surge.
“I definitely can’t say enough about Nyla,” Ayrault said. “She’s a captain for a reason. She’s a leader. She acts the act, walks the walks, talks the talk and all the things. She did a really great job of just staying super composed.
“She had me pretty fired up. I’m really happy for her. She’s just that type of player. She’s for the team and she wants everybody to do well. Today’s a testament to her and the work that she’s put in and how solid and consistent she is every single day. It really pays off and it shows and I’m happy and proud of her and glad to be her teammate.”
Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on X @brian_calloway
