Michigan State Women Avoid Upset in NCAA Tournament Opener

Spartans shake off rust to beat Colorado State 65-62 in first round

Mar. 21, 2026 at 1:50am

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The Michigan State women's basketball team overcame a slow start and a double-digit seed to beat Colorado State 65-62 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night in Norman, Oklahoma. The No. 5 seed Spartans, playing their first game in more than two weeks, struggled early but made key plays down the stretch to hold off the No. 12 seed Rams.

Why it matters

Michigan State avoided becoming the first 12 seed to upset a 5 seed since 2023, and just the second Big Ten 5 seed to lose to a 12 in the tournament. The win keeps the Spartans' perfect record against teams seeded 10th or worse in the NCAA Tournament intact.

The details

Michigan State started the game just 1-for-15 from 3-point range but got big performances from redshirt sophomore guard Kennedy Blair (18 points, 3 blocks) and senior forward Grace VanSlooten (18 points, 10 rebounds) to pull out the victory. Colorado State, playing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade, led 29-27 at halftime and pulled within 3 points late but couldn't complete the upset.

  • Michigan State was playing its first game since March 5.
  • The game was played on Friday, March 21, 2026 in Norman, Oklahoma.

The players

Kennedy Blair

A redshirt sophomore guard for Michigan State who led the team with 18 points and 3 blocks.

Grace VanSlooten

A senior forward for Michigan State who had 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Brooke Carlson

A sophomore guard for Colorado State who led all scorers with 26 points.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

The Spartans will play the winner of Friday night's game between No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 13 Idaho in the second round on Sunday. The tip-off time was still TBD as of Friday night.

The takeaway

This game highlighted Michigan State's ability to grind out a win despite a slow start, avoiding an upset by a double-digit seed and keeping their perfect record against lower-seeded teams in the NCAA Tournament intact.