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March Madness: Top takeaways from 2019 NCAA Tournament

By Brian Rauf

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: De'Andre Hunter #12 of the Virginia Cavaliers celebrates his three point basket basket late in the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: De'Andre Hunter #12 of the Virginia Cavaliers celebrates his three point basket basket late in the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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DES MOINES, IOWA – MARCH 23: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans talks with Cassius Winston #5 against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the first half in the second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena on March 23, 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
DES MOINES, IOWA – MARCH 23: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans talks with Cassius Winston #5 against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the first half in the second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena on March 23, 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

8) Michigan State should enter next season as the prohibitive favorite

The Spartans made the Final Four despite suffering a rash of injuries this year and should enter next season with even higher expectations.

Seniors Kenny Goins and Matt McQuaid are the only players that are definitely leaving the program this offseason, and both were only role players

Point guard and Big Ten Player of the Year Cassius Winston is expected to return, as are fellow stars Nick Ward and Joshua Langford, who missed most of this season due to injury. Not only would Michigan State have their Big 3 back, but freshmen Aaron Henry and Gabe Brown are also expected to take big leaps forward as sophomores.

Throw in the fact that the Spartans have a recruiting class headlined by two prospects ranked in the top 55 nationally (Rocket Watts, Malik Hall), and they have the kind of roster that sports very few holes.

Next. 30 best arena atmospsheres in college hoops. dark

Michigan State has all the makings of a surefire elite team next season. Expect them to be ranked in the top three in every major preseason poll, but I think they should be No. 1.

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