EAST LANSING — Grace VanSlooten was back on the Breslin Center court contributing for the Michigan State women’s basketball team Sunday, Nov. 23, as it moved to 6-0 with its victory over Oakland.
And being able to play meant a lot for the Spartan senior forward after fearing she could potentially miss some time after exiting in the final quarter of a win over Eastern Illinois on Thursday, Nov. 20.
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VanSlooten felt pain in her knee after going down on the court in the paint in that Thursday win and having to be helped back to the locker room.
“(For) any basketball player I think that’s their biggest fear is anything serious with your knee,” VanSlooten said. “Definitely scared, but obviously lucky with the results.”
VanSlooten said following Sunday’s win over Oakland that she hyperextended her knee but was doing OK and just feeling a little sore. She was excited about playing and contributing 14 points, five rebounds and two steals in 20 minutes as MSU moved to 6-0 ahead of its trip to the Bahamas where it will face Temple on Friday, Nov. 28.
“It felt great,” VanSlooten said. “I’m definitely grateful. I’m grateful for being healthy and being healthy enough to go out and play. Never take a game for granted.”
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MSU coach Robyn Fralick was also glad VanSlooten avoided a serious injury.
“Very grateful that she’s back out playing and we’ll be excited to use this time to keep helping her,” Fralick said.
“I know we’re going to just keep working to get her full, full speed ahead.”
VanSlooten is the Spartans’ leading scorer through six games and has been named to watch lists for the Naismith Trophy and Cheryl Miller Award. The preseason All-Big Ten selection is averaging 16.7 points and 5.0 rebounds and shooting 58.1% from the field.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: MSU’s Grace VanSlooten grateful to be back on court after injury scare
