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Michigan State Basketball: 2017-18 preview for the Spartans

By Tristan Freeman

TULSA, OK - MARCH 19: The Michigan State Spartans mascot performs prior to the game against the Kansas Jayhawks during the second round of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at BOK Center on March 19, 2017 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images)
TULSA, OK - MARCH 19: The Michigan State Spartans mascot performs prior to the game against the Kansas Jayhawks during the second round of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at BOK Center on March 19, 2017 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images) /
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TULSA, OK – MARCH 19: The Michigan State Spartans mascot performs prior to the game against the Kansas Jayhawks during the second round of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at BOK Center on March 19, 2017 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images)
TULSA, OK – MARCH 19: The Michigan State Spartans mascot performs prior to the game against the Kansas Jayhawks during the second round of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at BOK Center on March 19, 2017 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images) /

Michigan State basketball received the best news of the offseason with the unexpected return of Miles Bridges. Can they now make a national title run?

Michigan State under Tom Izzo has become the face of consistency in college basketball. We have seen the Spartans reach the NCAA Tournament every season since 1997-98 and several times it has resulted in deep runs.

Last year, however, may have been the closest the Spartans have been to missing the Big Dance. There were several issues Coach Izzo had to work through including injuries and learning curves for his freshmen.

The team finished 20-15 (10-8), and the 15 losses were the second-most in Izzo’s career at Michigan State. The good news was that the bubble was rather weak and the team had enough good wins to enter as a No. 8 seed. After winning their first-round game, they were dispatched by top-seeded Kansas in round two.

Only Alvin Ellis and former West Virginia transfer Eron Harris graduated this offseason and that leaves Michigan State with one of the best-returning rosters in the country.

This upcoming season team was supposed to be good, but not great. That all changed with the announcement that Bridges was coming back for his sophomore year. Add in a one-and-done prospect, another top-100 freshman, and about 80% of scoring production returning, Michigan State will be fighting for a whole lot more than the Big Ten title.

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