Considering that Michigan State hasn’t missed an NCAA Tournament in nearly thirty years it’s more than fair to say that Tom Izzo has built a national power in East Lansing. He won that national title way back in 2000, has taken the Spartans to several Final Fours, and keeps bringing high level talent into a program that just stays as a contender in the Big Ten.
Fresh off a Big Ten championship and an Elite Eight appearance, the Spartans were overshadowed by rival Michigan last season, though Izzo and company didn’t have a bad year by any means. Michigan State finished 27-8, tying for 2nd place behind the Wolverines in the conference while bowing out in the Sweet Sixteen.
The beat goes in for the Spartans
In the grand scheme of things, last year was successful for the Spartans and next year can be even better. While seniors Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler aren’t around any longer, Michigan State brings back five of their top seven scorers from last season, including their best player and a pair of intriguing rising sophomores. Izzo and his staff has also done wonders on the recruiting trail and didn’t come up empty in the transfer portal either.
Michigan State’s roster is built to compete both this season and in the near future with an established lineup and plenty of younger players ready to contribute both now and down the line. After that close Sweet Sixteen loss to UConn, you just know the Spartans are motivated and eager to make the program’s first Final Four run since 2019.
Projected Starters
Guard – Jeremy Fears Jr. (Junior)
The aforementioned best player from last year, Fears’ return for his senior season was a major offseason victory for the folks in East Lansing. His junior was outstanding with 15.2 points and 9.4 assists per game, taking a major step forward as an upperclassman. He was named a Second Team All-American and actually led the entire country in assists. Imagine that kind of talent back as a senior, especially if Fears can be even better scoring the ball himself.
Guard – Jordan Scott (Sophomore)
Another teased returning piece, Scott was a Top 60 recruit who seemed to find his footing at times last season in his freshman year. His numbers were decent at 5.8 points and 3.1 rebounds a night, though his role and potential for production are expected to skyrocket in a starting role. His combination of length and shooting ability make him an important piece for this squad.
Forward – Coen Carr (Senior)
A returning starter from last season, Carr did fantastic work in his first season in the Spartans’ starting lineup. The former Top 30 recruit averaged 12.0 points and 5.4 rebounds a game while continuing to show versatility on offense. You already have to worry about his athleticism and his ability to affect games in transition, but a fourth season in this system will make him even more valuable.
Forward – Cameron Ward (Sophomore)
The other notable rising sophomore, Ward was also a Top 60 recruit brought to town by Izzo and company last season. He played decently off the bench in that first year, putting up 5.1 points and 4.2 rebounds in just over 15 minutes a game. With his toughness, his physicality, and speed for his build, Ward is expected to take a major step forward and should become a key cog in this frontcourt.
Center – Anton Bonke (Senior)
The Spartans did not ignore the portal, landing Bonke as the only significant transfer addition. He spent a season apiece at Eastern Arizona College, Providence, and Charlotte, but is coming off a great season with the 49ers, putting up 10.6 points and 8.3 rebounds a game as their starting center. At 7-2, he can impose his will with that size and strength and is an important piece around the rim for the Spartans.
Key Reserves
Forward – Julius Avent (Freshman)
While Avent is the lowest-rated of the Spartan’s four major freshman additions, he’s still a very intriguing athlete who could earn some run here in the near future. He’s a 6-7 wing with a significant wingspan that really helps him as a rebounder. We’ll see how his game develops on the defensive end, though there will be several names ahead of him in the frontcourt depth.
Guard – Kur Teng (Junior)
Another former top prospect, Teng is a 6-4 guard from New Hampshire who found a more notable role last season in his second year at Michigan State. He averaged 7.3 points and 2.0 rebounds, with nearly every aspect of his game taking a clear step forward. It might seem easy to lose him in the depth on this roster, but he made 38% of his 3-pointers and absolutely still has a role off the bench in his junior year.
Guard – Carlos Medlock Jr. (Freshman)
A name to watch both this season and in the future for Michigan State basketball, Medlock joins the fold as a 4-star point guard and could be the next big thing in this backcourt. He’s athletic, he’s tough, he can make plays with and without the basketball, while also having a great feel for running the offense and making outside shots. His big role won’t come this year, but he provides important depth at the point.
Forward – Kaleb Glenn (Junior)
After spending his first two seasons at Louisville and Florida Atlantic, Glenn transferred to Michigan State last season, but an injury kept him from making his debut. The Spartans will finally see him on the court, one year removed from averaging 12.6 points and 4.8 rebounds as a sophomore with the Owls in the AAC. There’s a lot of excitement about what this new wing brings to the lineup, though we’ll have to figure out just what role he’ll play on this very talented roster.
Center – Ethan Taylor (Freshman)
Taylor is a 7-footer out of Kansas who is another 4-star recruit in this impressive freshmen class. The clear frontcourt standout of the group, he’s a mobile athlete for his size and clearly can play a massive role in the paint. Taylor is still building his strength and physicality, though he’s probably seen as more of a project this season with the potential to play solid backup minutes.
Guard – Jasiah Jervis (Freshman)
The highest rated of these four freshmen, Jervis is a 4-star shooting guard from the Bronx who figures to step into a major role very quickly into his college career. He absolutely has pro potential thanks to his elite shot making ability and potential to affect the game on multiple levels. Jervis is an intelligent guard with a knack for great defense that could really surprise people in the Big Ten this season.
Forward – Jesse McCulloch (Sophomore)
He might just be a bench piece again this season, but it’s worth mentioning McCulloch and his presence on this roster. After redshirting his first year, he put up 2.4 points and 1.3 rebounds in a true bench role last season, albeit with decent potential shown at times. His contributions to the team might come more behind the scenes than on the court, but don’t ignore the possibility if he takes a real step forward and there are other issues with this team.
Schedule Outlook
Two early home games allow some lineup decisions to be made, but the Spartans are thrown into the fire pretty quickly. They’ll head to Chicago on November 10th, playing Duke as part of the yearly Champions Classic. Exactly one week later, the Spartans have an equally tough road matchup at Tennessee against a team that’s made three straight trips to the Elite Eight. On Thanksgiving, they’ll head over to Detroit and play Arkansas in a heavily-anticipated matchup.
Comparatively, December’s slate is slightly easier, albeit with that first taste of Big Ten action and a road trip at Maryland. Sandwiched around a slew of mid-major tune-ups at home, the Spartans have a December 19th matchup against Gonzaga down in Palm Springs, their last real chance to prove themselves before league play begins in earnest. Even without a holiday tournament there are significant speed bumps on this schedule.
Early road trips at Nebraska and the Los Angeles schools don’t exactly ease them into Big Ten play, though the challenges really heat up later. The Spartans avoid the road trip to Purdue, but have to head to Illinois on February 5th and Iowa a few weeks later. Nestled into a busy February is both matchups with bitter rival Michigan, with the Wolverines hoping to build on last season’s success. The regular season ends with a home date against Wisconsin on March 6th.
Season Outlook
The talent is there for Michigan State to have a Top 10 team this season, but we can’t ignore the questions that are still looming, though we’ll do our best to alleviate those concerns. Will we see Scott and Ward rise to the task in their second seasons with the Spartans? Can that impressive flurry of incoming freshmen contribute at a high level in their debuts?
There’s no question that Fears should be one of the best players in college basketball next season. After leading the nation in assists, he’ll be an even more developed leader and facilitator on a Spartans team that frankly has more offensive talent this season. A lot might be resting on younger pieces like Jervis, Medlock, and Scott in this backcourt, though the Spartans will certainly find a way with all of this raw talent.
The remaining big question is how Bonke will fare as the new starting center for this team. He showed capability while at Charlotte, but life in the Big Ten is a whole different animal. There are certainly options in the frontcourt, which is loaded with depth, but how much do we realistically expect out of newcomers like Taylor or Avent? Big things are expected from Carr once again, while the return of Glenn could be great news as the top option off the bench.
Every team has questions at this point in the offseason, but Michigan State has a lot more answers than the average crew. It’s a roster dripping with potential and raw talent and having a senior leader like Fears just nicely ties everything into a perfect bow. If he plays at a high level and this teams stays healthy and consistent, then there’s absolutely the possibility of their first deep Tournament run since before the pandemic.
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