Bracketology: Joe Lunardi's 2024 projection a dream scenario for Tom Izzo, Michigan State
Spring optimism has been overshadowed of late in East Lansing, as Michigan State's football program endures some difficult transfer portal developments.
However, optimism is abound for Tom Izzo's basketball program, as the Spartans are expected to be a preseason Top 10 team and compete for both Big Ten and national championships in the 2023-24 season. Michigan State is the No. 3 team in the country in ESPN's 'Way-Too-Early' Top 25 rankings, and that's reflected in Bracketologist Joe Lunardi's early projection for the 2024 NCAA Tournament field.
While it isn't Lunardi's job to promote the Spartans in any way, the NCAA Tournament expert laid out a dream scenario for MSU with his latest update to next seasons tournament field. In addition to projecting Michigan State to win the Big Ten regular season and/or tournament title, Lunardi lists the Spartans as one of the four No. 1 seeds in next season's field.
Oh, by the way, Lunardi placed MSU in the Midwest region, where Detroit will be the host city. Talk about a perfect scenario for the Green and White.
Now, here in early May, these projections don't mean anything at all. However, it does paint a picture of how special of a basketball season we could be in store for in East Lansing.
Much of this rests on guards Jaden Akins and A.J. Hoggard eventually withdrawing from the 2023 NBA Draft before the June 1 deadline for underclassmen. That is, however, an expected outcome at this point. Should Akins and Hoggard both return, the only major contributor from last season that will no longer be on the roster is power forward Joey Hauser.
Hauser's 14.4 points per game and 48.4% shooting percentage from 3-point range will be sorely missed, but the Spartans will look to make up for the grad senior's lost production by adding the nation's No. 3-ranked 2023 recruiting class. Five-star power forward Xavier Booker, five-star point guard and four-star small forward Coen Carr could each make their way into the rotation for MSU this season as true freshman, as could four-star small forward Gehrig Normand if he shows an ability to stretch the floor with his outside shooting.
Michigan State gets a huge boost from the return of senior guard Tyson Walker, the Spartans' leading scorer and go-to guy down the stretch in close games. If senior Malik Hall can stay healthy in 2023-24, he'll add defensive versatility and a very solid fourth or fifth scoring option for MSU as well.
Throw in a second year of development for rising sophomore big men Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler, who played behind rising senior center Mady Sissoko a year ago, and this could arguably be the deepest team of Tom Izzo's tenure at Michigan State.
'Way-Too-Early' rankings and projections are called that for a reason, but there's plenty of reason to be excited for Spartan basketball come November.
