NCAA Basketball: Way-too-early top-25 power rankings for 2024-25 season

25. Michigan State Spartans

2023-24 season record: 20-15 (10-10 Big Ten)

Compared to preseason projections, Michigan State wasn’t up to the task, being unranked for most of the past season. Still, a Tom Izzo-coached group was never going to miss the NCAA Tournament. And even though they’re losing their top two scorers, there’s still a good amount of talent to work with.

This depends, of course, on what starters AJ Hoggard and Jaden Akins decide to do. Both are double-digit scoring guards who have a covid year available. If they’re back, the Spartans will have one of the most experienced backcourts in the country. If they’re not, they’ll need Tre Holloman and Jeremy Fears to step up.

Michigan State also has a top-20 incoming recruiting class to shore up the depth, including top-40 prospects, Kur Teng and Jase Richardson. The big key will be the frontcourt, as both Mady Sissoko and Malik Hall are gone. They still have former five-star forward Xavier Booker, who could be a national breakout candidate to watch. Coach Izzo always finds a way to have them in the mix and there’s no reason to believe why that can’t happen again.