Re: 2015/16 Hoops Thread

[NigelUno]

I like the one that ranks us higher.

[Guest]

SI has us 8th.

http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2015/04/08/virginia-north-carolina-kentucky-top-25-2015-2016

[Guest]

Roster breakdown from TOC.

Pretty similar to what was posted here earlier in the thread.

Next Year

The rotation for next year will be really interesting for two reasons. First, who is going to bring the ball up the floor when Tum Tum isn't in the game? There are several options, between Eron Harris, Denzel Valentine, Bryn Forbes and to a lesser extent, Alvin Ellis. We know Valentine will be getting 30-35 minutes a game, but if one of the relative unknowns in the wing group can show some additional point skill, that could boost their minutes immediately.

A quick note on Eron Harris: one of the top comparisons for his final year at West Virginia is actually Bryn Forbes' last year at Cleveland State in 2013-14 (per KenPom). Now, that might not mean a whole lot given the reports that Eron has been running the point for the scout team. But his assist rates haven't been sky-high and that's concerning. Just something to watch.

The second reason why the rotation will be interesting is the fate of Deyonta Davis. Davis has flashed the ability to shoot jumpers, but historically Izzo hasn't given the green light to freshman. In that case, how much does Deyonta share the court with Matt Costello or Gavin Schilling? The tension to me seems to be between minutes for Marvin Clark and Javon Bess at the four vs. Schilling at the five. Clark and Bess could play the three as well, but those lineups would require Valentine at the two, and that seems excessively large. Possible, certainly.

Alvin Ellis has been tabbed as a potential transfer risk, but I'm not so sure. After this year, the logjam at the wing will clear considerably. I think it depends a bit on how recruiting goes.

http://www.theonlycolors.com/2015/4/8/8368169/michigan-state-spartans-basketball-updated-projected-roster-and

[Turtleneck]

A roster update from The Only Colors...

Regardless of how the minutes end up being doled out, that's a deep, versatile team. It's got three terrific three-point shooters in Valentine, Harris and Forbes (and potentially Matt McQuaid and Clark, too). It's got wing length and defense with Ellis and Bess. It's got potentially a bit of a stretch four in Davis, with two true bigs in Costello and Schilling. And it's got heart and some other things I can't put my finger on with Tum Tum. Oh, and hopefully more Kobe SWollenman.

I like the way that team looks on paper right now. There aren't many matchups that would be problematic. And this is assuming no Caleb Swanigan, who would make this team a probable national contender right away

.

http://www.theonlycolors.com/2015/4/8/8368169/michigan-state-spartans-basketball-updated-projected-roster-and

Edit: I really need to look at the other posts in the thread. Especially the last post.

[WhiteBoyHatcher]

Alright, let's go.

I really want to see Valentine some at the point. That's his chance at the NBA imo. But I'm hearing Harris may play quite a bit of PG. If I had to guess or starting 5:

PG: Tum
SG: Harris
SF: Zel
PF: Davis
F/C: Schilling

Rotation like this:

PG:Tum/Harris/Zel
SG: Harris/AEIII/McQuaid/??
SF: Zel/Bess/Clark
PF: Davis/Clark
F/C: Schilling/Costello

Am I missing anything here? Will Ahrens play? Goins? (We aren't getting Swanigan IMO)

Man we really need Schilling to take a huge leap this offseason. I would include Costello in that but it appears he's bound for surgery and that's going to kill his offseason and Sr Production, unfortunately.

Wow, I honestly didn't realize Bryn was coming back. I thought he was a grad transfer, 1 to play 1 a la Brandon Wood. Shows you how much I pay attention.

Can I change my prediction?

[Turtleneck]

Alright, let's go.

I really want to see Valentine some at the point. That's his chance at the NBA imo. But I'm hearing Harris may play quite a bit of PG. If I had to guess or starting 5:

PG: Tum
SG: Harris
SF: Zel
PF: Davis
F/C: Schilling

Rotation like this:

PG:Tum/Harris/Zel
SG: Harris/AEIII/McQuaid/??
SF: Zel/Bess/Clark
PF: Davis/Clark
F/C: Schilling/Costello

Am I missing anything here? Will Ahrens play? Goins? (We aren't getting Swanigan IMO)

Man we really need Schilling to take a huge leap this offseason. I would include Costello in that but it appears he's bound for surgery and that's going to kill his offseason and Sr Production, unfortunately.

Wow, I honestly didn't realize Bryn was coming back. I thought he was a grad transfer, 1 to play 1 a la Brandon Wood. Shows you how much I pay attention.

Can I change my prediction?

Yes, but it does not change what is now in your permanent file at the Swill HR office.

[Guest]

Plenty of Draymonds to go around.

The Only Colors ‏@TheOnlyColors 48m48 minutes ago

The Only Colors retweeted State News Sports
I thought Denzel was the shorter version of Day-Day. Expectations for Bess: raised.

The Only Colors added: State News Sports @thesnews_sports
Izzo on Javon Bess: "He has freakish intelligence. He's a smaller version of Day Day (Draymond Green)."

[CORNER BLITZ]

Bump

[Guest]

Izzo has talked of playing more full court, not a press just picking people up early. With that and what's almost sure to be a reduced shot clock we could run out a platoon system next year.

Starters - Valentine PG - Forbes SG - Bess SF - Davis PF - Costello C
2nd Team Tum Tum PG - Harris SG - Clark SF -Schilling PF - Swanigan C

That would still leave you with Ellis & Wollenman on the bench as experienced players.

And Goins redshirted this year so he would be available, but realistically in this situation unless they're incredible players BOTH Ahrens and McQuaid should redshirt.

Looking at that you can see why Ellis would consider transferring, IF he did and you added the 6'9" Williams from Missouri then the depth becomes just silly.

[Guest]

Article on Swanigan and the time to watch him today....

"He's physically ready for the game, he's strong, he's very skilled and he knows how to play, he loves basketball, he always works," Snow said. "That work ethic combined with a natural ability and the fact that he improves every year, it's logical to think that he's going to make a big impact."

Snow, who has seen Swanigan play upwards of 20 times, compared the Fort Wayne Homestead senior to former Ohio State star Jared Sullinger at the same age. Sullinger played two years for the Buckeyes and is now in his third season in the NBA.

Swanigan, Snow said, isn't quite as good as Sullinger at the same age but is in the same mold.

While Swanigan isn't overly athletic, Snow said he makes up with it with a diverse skill set.

"Certainly he's a better passer than people think, he handles the ball better than people give him credit for," Snow said. "He's just a very skilled player, he's just not super athletic."

Swanigan will compete on Saturday at the Nike Hoops Summit, a showcase event for the top high school basketball players in the country. The game tips off at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2015/04/analyst_caleb_swanigan_will_ha.html

[Other Teams Pursuing That]

Z-bo 2.0?

[Guest]

Z-bo 2.0?

It's a comparison I've seen thrown out more than once.

This summer the boys will be driving him hard to get in shape. This winter all Spartans profit.

[InTenSity]

Z-bo 2.0?

Nix? I'd be ecstatic to have him back.

[Guest]

[Guest]

[Death Roe]

Denzel looks cross-eyed.

[Guest]

One of the "commitment" players....I still think Ellis is the other.

EAST LANSING -- The topic of Gavin Schilling came up at last week's season-ending press conference, and Michigan State coach Tom Izzo immediately remarked that his honesty on the subject will get him in trouble.

But Izzo then gave an honest assessment of what Schilling has to do better in the offseason.

"Gavin has to fall in love with the game," Izzo said. "I think sometimes we assume that every player that plays football, basketball, hockey, baseball, is committed. There's a commitment, and there's a commitment, and to be great, there's got to be a commitment that's as consistent as breathing, and it's got to be every day."

After at times looking poised to make a significant step forward this year, Schilling finished his sophomore season averaging 5.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.

He started nearly the entire year, from the seventh game on. But particularly toward the end of the season, his role was diminished compared to that of junior Matt Costello, as he averaged less than three points per game in the final month of the season and only once played more than 20 minutes.

Tom Izzo wants Michigan State forward Gavin Schilling to 'fall in love with the game'

[Guest]

Some nice analysis on minutes this year and next from TOC....

On March 1, the Michigan State basketball team's record stood at 19-10. The team had pulled itself up off the bubble , but their resume was hardly awe-inspiring: Only two wins over (current) KenPom top 50 teams as compared to four losses to teams ranked worse than #50--three of them at home, including the infamous Texas Southern loss--plus two home overtime wins vs. such teams.

Over the next month, MSU would proceed to go 8-2 against ten teams all ranked 53rd or better in the final KenPom rankings, including four teams ranked in the top 25. One of the two losses was a neutral court overtime loss to a team that would go on to defeat a 38-0 juggernaut and then come within 5 minutes of winning the national championship.

Not bad.

Needless to say, on top of resolidifying Tom Izzo's month-of-March wizard credentials, this run, along with Friday night's Caleb Swanigan commitment, has created a serious level of optimism for next season and beyond. The team loses two senior starters but adds two potential instant impact freshmen and a potential all-conference-level scorer through transfer and, overall, will have as much depth as any Izzo-era Spartan team. We know what Tom Izzo does with depth.

So, with an eye on next season, let's look at what the rotation looked like during the 10-game run to close this season. Data (click to make bigger):

http://www.theonlycolors.com/2015/4/13/8396091/izzos-march

[steveschneider]

I predict next year a 2 seed, a trip to the final 4 and a show down with Duke in the Final 4 and we win the Natty over Kentucky.

It is going to be awesome!

[Guest]

We move to #4 in the CBS projection:

4. MICHIGAN STATE

Notable players definitely gone: Travis Trice, Branden Dawson
Others expected to leave: None
Notable players expected to return: Denzel Valentine, Marvin Clark, Matt Costello, Gavin Schilling, Alvin Ellis, Bryn Forbes, Lourawls Nairn
Others expected to join the roster: Caleb Swanigan, Eron Harris, Deyonta Davis, Matthew McQuaid, Kyle Ahrens

Why the Spartans are ranked here: The loss of Travis Trice and Branden Dawson will hurt. But the addition of Eron Harris, a West Virginia transfer, should be a big boost, and a late -- not to mention surprising -- commitment from five-star prospect Caleb Swannigan gives Michigan State a possible star in the frontcourt who should contribute immediately.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/25147601/kentucky-now-no-1-in-ridiculously-early-preseason-top-25-and-one

[Other Teams Pursuing That]

I predict next year a 2 seed, a trip to the final 4 and a show down with Duke in the Final 4 and we win the Natty over Kentucky.

It is going to be awesome!

Turtleneck says we can't say natty here.

[Guest]

I predict next year a 2 seed, a trip to the final 4 and a show down with Duke in the Final 4 and we win the Natty over Kentucky.

It is going to be awesome!

Turtleneck says we can't say natty here.

Fuck Turtleneck. I agree though, the more we say "natty" the less likely we are to win a National Championship.

[Turtleneck]

Turtleneck says we can't say natty here.

Fuck Turtleneck. I agree though, the more we say "natty" the less likely we are to win a National Championship.

He is an asshole.

[Guest]

More solid analysis from TOC, we need to up our game here with a premium hire.

There are some surprises here.

Matt Costello is valued highly by BPM, and I can see why. First, he was the most efficient offensive player for MSU, tallying a 119.5 offensive rating. Second, he generated a high number of offensive rebounds, while not turning the ball over very often. These are all good signs, pointing to a player who is playing within himself and making teammates better. Defensively, BPM likes a high block rate (as shown by Dickerson above) and Costello also rebounded the ball well defensively. Overall, there's a lot to like, and Costello is pretty much the perfect veteran big man to mentor the freshmen coming in, while picking his own spots.

Michigan State Spartans Basketball: 2014-15 Box Plus-Minus

[Guest]

Joe Rexrode retweeted
Thomas Duffy ‏@TJDhoops 4h4 hours ago
Deyonta Davis (MSU) is soft-spoken, but his game SCREAMS. Threw down three or four straight dunks in the scrimmage.

[Guest]

EAST LANSING — Throughout much of last season, Michigan State's Final Four defeat included, it sometimes looked like the Spartans didn't have quite enough players.

Suddenly, even minus Branden Dawson and Travis Trice next year, MSU looks as if it might have too many.

There are worse problems to have in life.

There are, however, only 200 minutes to be had in a college basketball game, divided by five spots on the court. There's no adjustment for inflation when you land a second McDonald's All-American big man unexpectedly, as the Spartans did late last week with wide-bodied Fort Wayne, Ind., native Caleb Swanigan, who's able to sign his letter of intent anytime now. The spring signing period began Wednesday.

Future Spartans in showcase

Who: MSU incoming basketball players Caleb Swanigan, Deyonta Davis

What:Jordan Brand Classic All-American game

When: 8 p.m. Friday

Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.

TV: ESPN2

Couch: Swanigan addition bolsters, crowds MSU roster

[Turtleneck]

http://www.btpowerhouse.com/2015/4/16/8420281/state-of-the-spartans-looking-ahead-to-2016-tom-izzo-big-ten

[Guest]

Some additional background on Costello's knee.

On Wednesday, eight days after his surgery, he was walking without crutches for Michigan State's players draft. He said he hopes to be back on the basketball court in two weeks.

The team for right now isn't holding any organized workouts, Costello said, as Izzo is giving the team some time off.

He's still in pain, he admits. But his knee is now getting better instead of getting worse, as it was for the last month of the season.

"Feeling OK, it's a little sore," Costello said of his knee. "I just haven't been able to stretch it out correctly for two months and so now it's starting to work the muscles again, and it hurts, but it's getting better."

Collision in Big Ten tournament had Michigan State's Matt Costello hobbled in NCAA tournament

[Guest]

GreenandWhite.com ‏@LSJGreenWhite 9m9 minutes ago

MSU announces basketball trip to Italy in August. Will play three games against national teams from Italy, Russia and Georgia #pallacanestro

[Guest]

Joe Rexrode ‏@joerexrode 12m12 minutes ago

MSU basketball trip to Italy is official, Aug. 21 through Sept. 1, playing senior men's teams from Italy, Russia, Georgia.

[pulling69]

chiunque , ovunque e in qualsiasi momento

[Other Teams Pursuing That]

Joe Rexrode ‏@joerexrode 12m12 minutes ago

MSU basketball trip to Italy is official, Aug. 21 through Sept. 1, playing senior men's teams from Italy, Russia, Georgia.

Have we done this before? Or lately? Doesn't seem like it.

[InTenSity]

Joe Rexrode ‏@joerexrode 12m12 minutes ago

MSU basketball trip to Italy is official, Aug. 21 through Sept. 1, playing senior men's teams from Italy, Russia, Georgia.

Have we done this before? Or lately? Doesn't seem like it.

I think there is a limit on how often it can be done. From what I could find through the google machine, a team can do this once every 4 years. Maybe the last time it was done was the game in Germany, which would have been around 2011, I think. It is kind of hard to figure out if it is preseason, or anytime during the season that counts.

Foreign Tours
A Coach who desires to plan a foreign tour for his/her sport must first secure the permission of
the Director of Athletics, who presents the proposal to the Chancellor and the Board of
Supervisors. The certification for tour approval must be retained on file by the Department of
Athletics.
NCAA member institutions are limited to one international tour every four (4) years in each
sport. However, the basketball team may not take a foreign tour in the same academic year (or
the following summer) in which the team participates in a game in Hawaii, Alaska or Puerto
Rico, or the preseason National Invitation Tournament.
Foreign tour teams should consist only of those student-athletes eligible for participation in
intercollegiate play under University and NCAA eligibility requirements. Freshmen and
incoming junior college transfer student-athletes are eligible, provided the international
competition begins after the official starting practice date in the sport or after the first official day
of classes at the University, whichever comes first.
The following conditions for participating in foreign tours and competitions must be followed:
1. The tour must be scheduled during the summer vacation period, between the spring and fall
terms, or during any other vacation period published in the University's official catalog.
All travel to and from the foreign country must take place during such a vacation period.
2. A team is limited to a maximum of three (3) football games, ten (10) basketball games, or
five (5) contests or dates of competition in any other sport during, and as part, of the tour.

3. The team cannot compete during the tour against other American teams (i.e., colleges or
other U.S. teams) other than teams composed of U.S. armed forces personnel stationed at
U.S. military bases in foreign countries.
4. Not more than ten (10) days of practice are permitted prior to departure.
5. Any foreign football tour is considered the University's postseason play for that season,
with the season beginning with the start of the University's fall football practice.
NCAA Bylaw, Article 17 does allow an intercollegiate athletics team to play one or more of its
contests in one or more foreign countries on one trip during the prescribed playing season.
However, except for contests played in Canada and Mexico or on a certified foreign tour, the
University may not engage in such in-season foreign competition more than once every four
years in each sport.

This is taken from some LSU letter.

[Guest]

It's a good time to be a Spartan basketball fan.

There was the unexpected Final Four run, there is a returning roster packed with promise, and, two weeks ago, there was the surprising commitment of five-star big man Caleb Swanigan.

Yes, good days indeed.

On the other hand, it's not a bad time to be a Wolverine basketball fan, either.

OK, so there wasn't a Final Four run (or even a tournament appearance), and there isn't a Top 5 class arriving in the fall.

Yet while Caris Levert deciding not to go pro didn't carry the buzz of nabbing a McDonald's All American, the news was just as sweet for U-M coach John Beilein. After all, not too many senior-to-be potential lottery picks come back to school. Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky did, and look where the Badgers got to earlier this month.

But the Wolverines are not the Badgers. They are a team that took a one-year break from the NCAA tournament – due to injuries – but appears set to make another run next winter.

Which is good, because we've got a college basketball renaissance going on in our state right now – not that MSU ever fell off. You'd have to go back a long way to find a stretch where both schools trot out teams capable of making deep tourney runs the way MSU and U-M do these days.

Caris LeVert of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates against the Illinois Fighting Illini on March 14, 2014 in Indianapolis.

In the last three years, both schools have gotten to the Elite Eight twice and the Final Four once. The Wolverines arguably had the best team in the country three seasons ago and came up a few buckets short in the title game. The Spartans could say the same of its team a year ago, when injuries kept them from truly reaching their potential.

MSU, U-M hoops set for success next season

[Heat Miser]

It's a good time to be a Spartan basketball fan.

There was the unexpected Final Four run, there is a returning roster packed with promise, and, two weeks ago, there was the surprising commitment of five-star big man Caleb Swanigan.

Yes, good days indeed.

On the other hand, it's not a bad time to be a Wolverine basketball fan, either.

OK, so there wasn't a Final Four run (or even a tournament appearance), and there isn't a Top 5 class arriving in the fall.

Yet while Caris Levert deciding not to go pro didn't carry the buzz of nabbing a McDonald's All American, the news was just as sweet for U-M coach John Beilein. After all, not too many senior-to-be potential lottery picks come back to school. Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky did, and look where the Badgers got to earlier this month.

But the Wolverines are not the Badgers. They are a team that took a one-year break from the NCAA tournament – due to injuries – but appears set to make another run next winter.

Which is good, because we've got a college basketball renaissance going on in our state right now – not that MSU ever fell off. You'd have to go back a long way to find a stretch where both schools trot out teams capable of making deep tourney runs the way MSU and U-M do these days.

Caris LeVert of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates against the Illinois Fighting Illini on March 14, 2014 in Indianapolis.

In the last three years, both schools have gotten to the Elite Eight twice and the Final Four once. The Wolverines arguably had the best team in the country three seasons ago and came up a few buckets short in the title game. The Spartans could say the same of its team a year ago, when injuries kept them from truly reaching their potential.

MSU, U-M hoops set for success next season

WTF?!?!?!? Did Lansing get annexed by the Blue Wall?

[Guest]

WTF?!?!?!? Did Lansing get annexed by the Blue Wall?

LOL....Freep UM writer's article, copied by the LSJ.

[Guest]

Joe Rexrode ‏@joerexrode 46m46 minutes ago

Basketball injury update: Gavin Schilling had same thing Matt Costello had, a scope on the left knee, out a couple weeks.

[Guest]

With LaVert back at UM, IU getting a big man etc, the B1GTen is going to be tough
this season.

Now add this possibility, 2nd report I've seen of it today:

Andy Katz ‏@ESPNAndyKatz 2m2 minutes ago
Can confirm earlier reports from a source that Maryland is one of the schools recruiting former Duke player Rasheed Sulaimon.

[Guest]

The Only Colors ‏@TheOnlyColors 47m47 minutes ago

New odds for the 2016 NCAA Tournament Champion: MSU, Duke, Kentucky, and UNC all tied for best odds at 10/1.

[Guest]

Michigan State is ranked 12th on Eamonn Brennan's Revised Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2015-16 at ESPN.com.

Brennan writes: "No team has risen higher in our rankings than Tom Izzo's Spartans, who checked in at No. 24 on April 7. What happened?

Ticker: MSU looks good in couple of way-too-early Top 25

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