The women’s basketball matchup Sunday between Grand Valley State University and Michigan State University might not have always been pretty, but for the young team from Allendale, it was certainly a big deal.

The Breslin Center in East Lansing did not fill every one of its 16,280 seats for the afternoon exhibition, which saw the No. 25 (Division I) Spartans topple the No. 20 (Division II) Lakers, 68-43, but more than 4,600 fans in attendance were electric enough that it could just as well have been a Big Ten Conference showdown; the atmosphere never felt as though it was just an exhibition.

“It’s a great opportunity to come here and play in such a big arena on such a big stage,” said sophomore guard Briauna Taylor. “It’s good for us to see what it’s like to be a Big 10 team and play against them.”

Several of us devoted Laker fans made the trek to the heart of Michigan. While our numbers did not hit 200 among the green and white contingent, many Spartan fans witnessed three local celebrities in blue and black. Sophomore guard Breanna Kellogg and freshman guard Tori Klewicki-McNutt both starred at Dewitt High School while freshman guard Dani Crandall prepped at Eaton Rapids High School, both schools within 30 miles of Lansing.

“The Capital City area has always been very good basketball-wise since the first time that I was at Michigan State,” said GVSU head coach Janel Burgess. “Tori and Bre and Dani are three special young ladies that have been coached by two coaches who have prepared them to walk into Division II athletics and succeed. I thought Dani did a very good job and had some great possessions.”

Crandall made her Laker debut in front of many cheering supporters, netting four points, two rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes.

“It was great having all the Eaton Rapids people here,” she said. “My friends and family all were able to support me for my first game. It was the closest to my home of the games we’ll play this year. I wasn’t really nervous, but it felt really good to get the first points in.”

Burgess has her own connections to the mid-Michigan area. She spent four years as associate head coach of the Spartans under then-head coach Joanne P. McCallie, now the current head coach at Duke University. Though it was not her first appearance at the Breslin Center since leaving in 2004, Burgess said every return to East Lansing is meaningful.

“I have such a big heart for Michigan State,” she said. “They gave me the opportunity to start this career at a very young age. They helped me grow when I was here.”

Though freshman forward Lindsay McCarty did not grow up in the Tri-County area, she did see a familiar face amidst the sea of green. McCarty, who helped lead Grand Rapids Catholic Central to the Michigan Class B State Championship last season, spent some of her 14 minutes on the floor guarding former-high school teammate Annalise Pickrel. McCarty did not attempt a shot, but she dished out an assist and stole a pass in the post intended for her best friend.

“We’re both really competitive, so on the court we had our game faces on,” McCarty said. “Before the game, we were really excited to play against each other. It feels good to always knock her around a little bit, but it was all in fun. On the bench, I almost yelled, ‘Good job, Anna!’ by accident, but I caught myself.”

Burgess said her team held strong in the face of an opposing crowd known for its toughness.

“I’m proud of how our kids handled the pressure and executed the game plan today,” she said.

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