Michigan State Spartans Basketball Details
After a 5th place Big Ten Conference finish in 2016-17, coach Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans slid into the NCAA Tournament as a #9 seed, making it past a first-round opponent in the University of Miami (FL), but ultimately showing the weaknesses of the team when it lost 90-70 to Kansas in the second round. The Spartans finished the season with a 20-15 overall record and a 10-8 conference record. Home games in East Lansing, Michigan’s Breslin Student Events Center were great to the Spartans, as the team finished with a home record of 14-2. Unfortunately, the team was only able to win six games outside of its own stadium all season long.
The Spartans lose a couple of players for the 2017-18 season, but bring back the impact guys. Senior Alvin Ellis departed after a senior season where he averaged 6.4 points and fellow senior Eron Harris graduated after a season where he averaged 10.7 points per game. The good news for Michigan State is that the team will bring back most its core as well as some freshmen who should contribute right away. Forward Nick Ward returns for his sophomore season. Last year, Ward averaged 13.9 points and 6.5 rebounds for the Spartans. Guard Miles Bridges also returns after a stellar freshman year that saw him average nearly 17 points and eight rebounds per contest. Guards Joshua Langford and Cassius Winston also return, and incoming freshman Jaren Jackson, a 6’10” five-star recruit, should be a force in the post for Izzo’s squad. Four-star recruit Xavier Tillman should also get some good playing time in the front court for Michigan State.