Each week during the NCAA Women’s Basketball season, NCAA.com will name a Starting Five that highlights the top-5 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball players of the week. This week, it was Michigan State’s Nia Clouden that topped that list after she led the Spartans to their first win over No. 15 Notre Dame since 2004, scoring 28 points in the big win.
Here is what NCAA.com said about Clouden’s performance this week:
“Michigan State sophomore guard Nia Clouden was instrumental as the Spartans scored the program’s first win over Notre Dame in South Bend since 2004, and the first victory by a Big Ten school over the Fighting Irish since 2009.
Clouden scored a career-high 28 points in the Spartans’ 72-69 win over No. 15 Notre Dame on Nov. 14. She got off to a fast start, making her first four 3-pointers in the first quarter. She closed out the game strong as well, scoring six points in the final 10 minutes. For the game, she was 9-for-21 from the field and 4-for-9 from long range. She also added three steals, three rebounds and her first block of the season.
She currently leads the Spartans in scoring, averaging 19.3 points, scoring in double figures twice this season. She also leads the team in steals, averaging 3.3 per game.
After the win against Notre Dame, the Spartans moved up to No. 15 in the latest Associated Press top-25 poll this week. Michigan State, 3-0, will open a two-game homestand against Oakland on Tuesday, Nov. 19.”
