Michigan State Women’s Basketball gets friendly competition with scout team

EAST LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Behind every solid program is a good scout team.

Behind a scout team are players that care.

“They come in every day genuinely happy to be here.,” said MSU Redshirt Junior Guard Julia Ayrault. “That really helps us because they help us get better every day and be a special type of person to have enough care about other people, to come in every day and give their all to help them get better. So they’re awesome.”

Wednesday’s practice before the Spartans’ game against Nebraska (and every practice) include the scout team, made up of Michigan State students.

Of course they want to be there.

So much so, they have to make it through tryouts.

“It’s a big deal for me, I really enjoy it,” Said MSU Freshman Rory Durr, a former Lansing Catholic basketball player. “When my high school career ended, I was pretty bummed about not getting to play in college and then this opportunity, it’s a little bit more than pickup. We get to run real plays, you know get to be here in this great gym, and get to play real ball.”

They all take it seriously; each player steps into the shoes of the Spartan’s upcoming opponent.

“We look for skilled players and players that have good memories, because you have to learn seven or eight plays in a 20-minute span right before practice and then you get thrown out there and you’re expected to execute the plays,” said Graduate Assistant and scout team coach Shaun McKinney. “And then not only know the plays, but then you have to have the footwork down and be able to replicate how the girl moves.

It’s a challenge to say the least for the scout team.

“They can really hoop,” said Durr. “They can really shoot it and their fundamentals are really good, like ball handling and everything. So yeah, they’re definitely D1 players for sure.”

“They usually get us back by blocking our shots and stuff,” said Ayrault, “but they’ve been great. It changes a lot of us and I know like we appreciate them and we might not say it every day. But we do.”

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