Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series: Michigan State Makes Case as Conference Favorite
After enduring their fair share of ups and downs in the regular season, coach Tom Izzo and the Spartans played their best basketball when it mattered most.
Michigan State reached the Sweet 16 as a No. 7 seed last year, and with most of the roster returning, plus a highly-ranked freshman class, the Spartans rival Purdue as the Big Ten favorite entering the 2023-24 season.
In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, we'll break down what each team lost and gained this offseason, then provide analysis on the team's outlook for the upcoming 2023-24 season.
Let's take a look at the Spartans.
(rankings per On3 Industry Average)
What they lost
- Pro/no eligibility: F Joey Hauser
- Transfer portal: G Pierre Brooks (Butler)
- By the numbers: Hauser is the only starter gone from last year's team. The 6-foot-9 forward was second on the team in points (14.4), first in rebounding (7.0) and first in 3-point shooting (46.1 percent on 167 attempts). Brooks averaged 3.6 points and was seventh in minutes per game.
What they gained
- Transfer portal: None
- Freshmen: C Xavier Booker (No. 14), SF Coen Carr (No. 32), PG Jeremy Fears (No. 41), SG Gehrig Normand (No. 83)
Roster
- Tyson Walker, 6-foot-1 senior guard
- A.J. Hoggard, 6-foot-4 senior guard
- Malik Hall, 6-foot-8 senior forward
- Mady Sissoko, 6-foot-9 senior center
- Jaden Akins, 6-foot-4 junior guard
- Jaxon Kohler, 6-foot-9 sophomore forward
- Carson Cooper, 6-foot-11 sophomore center
- Tre Holloman, 6-foot-2 sophomore guard
- Xavier Booker, 6-foot-11 freshman center
- Coen Carr, 6-foot-7 freshman forward
- Jeremy Fears, 6-foot-1 freshman guard
- Gehrig Normand, 6-foot-6 freshman guard
- Scholarships available: 1
Michigan State Spartans guard Tyson Walker (2) and guard A.J. Hoggard (11) celebrate their 69-60 win over the Marquette Golden Eagles during the second round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament at Nationwide Arena.
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Biggest concerns
Michigan State hit its stride at the perfect time last season, like so many Tom Izzo teams have done in the past. That's what's most important for any team, but to nitpick one of the Big Ten favorites, why didn't it happen sooner?
Michigan State lost five of seven games in the heart of its Big Ten slate last year, and at one point, making the NCAA Tournament was in question. I'll chalk up some of this to injuries, as Jaden Akins was banged up early in the season, and Malik Hall missed a chunk of Big Ten play. Michigan State was also outmatched down low in plenty of Big Ten games, as Mady Sissoko was tasked with going up against studs like Zach Edey, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Hunter Dickinson, Kris Murray and Cliff Omoruyi in 10 games during a roughly six-week span.
The Big Ten's forwards and centers don't look as dominant entering the 2023-24 season, which should help the Spartans, as long as their bigs make steady improvements. Michigan State's biggest loss is Joey Hauser, a 6-foot-9 forward with deadly 3-point range at 46.1 percent. Hall will likely step into his role in the starting lineup, and while he isn't quite the 3-point shooter Hauser was, he's had plenty of standout performances across his four-year career under Izzo. If Michigan State can stay healthy, there aren't many concerns with this squad.
Reasons for optimism
Michigan State has three of the best guards in the conference in Tyson Walker, A.J. Hoggard and Jaden Akins. Each has at least two years of experience playing for Izzo, and the trio provides a bit of everything. Walker has proven to be a clutch, late-game shotmaker from 3-point range, Hoggard is a menacing defender and can really get to the basket, and Akins shot 42.2 percent from beyond the arc last year.
The only concerning flaw between the three Spartans is Hoggard's turnover issues, as he ranked third in the Big Ten in turnovers last year (88). Few teams will be able to match this trio. Losing Hauser could take some time to adjust, but Hall and uber-athletic freshman Coen Carr are capable of filling that void on the wing. Mentioned above, Michigan State struggled against some of the Big Ten's top forwards and centers last year, but Sissoko showed progress as the season went on.
Kohler proved to be a talented offensive player, but he'll have to improve on the defensive end. Michigan State also brings in the conference's top-ranked freshman center in Xavier Booker, who can run the floor and shoot from 3-point range already. With Booker, Fears, Carr and Normand, the Big Ten's top-ranked freshman class, Michigan State should have vastly improved depth this season. And, oh yeah, Izzo is still the best coach in the Big Ten.
The bottom line
Michigan State and Purdue are on a tier of their own, well above the rest of the Big Ten entering the season. Purdue won the Big Ten regular season title by three games, defeated Michigan State twice and won the Big Ten Tournament, so the Boilermakers have a strong case to enter the season as the Big Ten favorite, despite their NCAA Tournament failure and the Spartans' Sweet 16 run.
Purdue definitely has the advantage down low with reigning National Player of the Year Zach Edey, but Michigan's State's guard trio puts them in a better position for a deeper NCAA Tournament run again.
The college basketball experts at Fanduel think that the Spartans are a legitimate Final Four team. They have the Spartans listed as plus-400 to reach the Big Dance, which is in Phoenix this year. Only Kansas (plus-350) has a lower odds. Purdue and Duke are also listed at plus-400.
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