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Michigan State women seek answer for Iowa State's do-everything star Ashley Joens

Michigan State coach Suzy Merchant, in studying her team’s first-round women’s NCAA Tournament opponent, Iowa State, has seen a team she believes is underrated as a No. 7 seed.

And that's probably not coachspeak.

The Spartans (15-8), a No. 10 seed, will face the Cyclones (16-10), led by one of the nation’s most prolific scorers, Ashley Joens, on Monday night in San Antonio. MSU is led by junior guard Nia Clouden, who is averaging 18.8 points, 4.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game and trying to become the first player in the program since Kris Emerson in 1985-86 to lead the team in those categories.