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Michigan State
Nickname: Spartans
Conference: Big Ten
Location: East Lansing, Michigan
Website: https://msuspartans.com/index.aspx?path=mbball
Head coach: Tom Izzo, 24 years at Michigan State
2018-19 record: 32-7 (16-4, B1G)
Last time in NCAA Tournament: 2019, loss to Texas Tech in Final Four
Top three returning scorers: Cassius Winston, senior, guard, 18.8 ppg; Joshua Langford, senior, guard, 15.0 ppg; Xavier Tillman, junior, forward, 10.0 ppg
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Key loss: Nick Ward, center, 12.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, nicknamed Big Puddin’ which is just an amazing thing to be called
Exciting newcomer: Mark “Rocket” Watts Jr., true freshman from Detroit, played high school ball at SPIRE Academy (with LaMelo Ball) in Ohio, 247 Composite high 4-star player ranked No. 39 in the country, a bit undersized but puts the ball in the bucket with alarming alacrity
Date of game 1: Friday, Jan. 17, 6 p.m. FS1
Location: Breslin Center, East Lansing, Michigan
Date of game 2: Saturday, Feb. 1, 12 p.m. FOX
Location: Kohl Center, Madison, Wisconsin
Preview: Michigan State is always good. They make the Final Four roughly once every four years, produce NBA level talent regularly and have a Hall of Fame coach. This year, the expectations for the Spartans are even higher than normal. They are the preseason No. 1 team, in both the conference and the country, and have the favorite to be named National Player of the Year on their roster as well.
The 2019-20 @CBSSports preseason:
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) October 17, 2019
Player of the Year: Cassius Winston
Freshman of the Year: Cole Anthony, @GoHeels
Coach of the Year: Tom Izzo, @MSU_Basketball https://t.co/xGgFy3ztmn
The Spartans are deep and talented and depending on the outcome of their waiver request to get Marquette transfer Joey Hauser immediately eligible, don’t have any holes. Winston is a stud. Tillman is a load to handle in the post. Langford and Aaron Henry are wings that every team in the B1G envies. Rocket Watts should step right into the guard rotation and provide instant offense off the bench.
MSU has their typical early season hell schedule that features Duke, Kentucky and whoever they end up playing in the Maui Invitational after their game against Virginia Tech (featuring Kansas, UCLA, Dayton, BYU and Georgia). This year has all the ingredients for another Final Four run and this time they’ll hope to play one more game.
Prediction: The Badgers won’t get blown out at home, and hopefully not on the road, but the Spartans are just too good and should sweep the season series.