Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans have long been the banner-carrying team in the Big Ten. Izzo has led the Spartans to 26 consecutive NCAA Tournaments. He is the elder statesman of the Big Ten. Yet the Spartans have been less than impressive over the past several years. True it has been a very competitive Big Ten, but MSU hasn’t finished atop the Big Ten Standings since the 2019-2020 season when they still had Cassius Winston and Xavier Tillman. The Spartans have flirted with the bubble each of the last four seasons.
Last year’s team was supposed to be worth something at the national level, as they entered the 2023-24 season highly ranked with so much experience returning. That didn’t hold as they struggled down the season’s stretch, and ended up as a nine-seed bowing out in the second round of the NCAA’s for the second time in three years.
Looking ahead to the 2024-25 season, the Spartans are flying under the radar. They have strong pieces to make some noise, but it’s still too early to tell if they will contend this season. One thing is for sure, it’s a make-or-break year for Tom Izzo and the Spartans.
Michigan State Big Ten Basketball Preview 2024-25: Make or Break It
It isn’t a secret that Izzo doesn’t care for this new era of portal basketball. Then again he made a couple of moves during the offseason. With the graduation of Tyson Walker and Malik Hall, the Spartans had to find some shooting, and they did so by adding Omaha transfer Frankie Fidler.
Fidler comes in as an impressive scorer, as he averaged 20 points per game last season for the Mavericks. He wasn’t the only addition via the transfer portal, as Izzo shocked the fanbase by actually bringing in a seven-footer. That would be Szymon Zapala, who comes to East Lansing via Longwood University. His stats aren’t that impressive, but adding another big body is only going to help the questionable post-play the Spartans have had the past several years.
New Blood Has Spartans Fans Hopeful
The rest of the Spartan roster has set itself up pretty well. Jaden Akins returns for his senior campaign. AJ Hoggard had his highs, but also lows as a Spartan but he has left for greener pastures, so the keys to the Spartan offense fall to Jeremy Fears Jr.
Fears had early bright moments in 2023-24, including a game where he finished with 10 assists against Stony Brook. That however turned out to be his last game of the season. Unfortunately during the holidays while home in Chicago, he suffered a gunshot wound to his leg, which ended his season.
Thankfully Fears is back and looks as ready as ever to take over the reigns as the Spartans starting point guard. The work the team has put in during the offseason is looking like it is paying off as can be seen in a video posted to MSU Basketball’s X page.
Summer sessions 📽️ pic.twitter.com/e3c8MKz3OR
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) June 19, 2024
Elsewhere Coen Carr and Xavier Booker will be leaned upon to have big sophomore seasons. Booker showed flashes as a freshman late in the season, and held himself pretty well against the National Player of the Year Zach Edey, in the few minutes he faced him.
The Spartans also bring in a strong three-man freshman class including Jesse McCulloch, Kur Teng, and Jace Richardson. The last of which is the son of former Spartan and two-time NBA Slam Dunk Champion Jason Richardson.
Work week 🟢⚪️ pic.twitter.com/vYT0t5RtOr
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) June 18, 2024
Schedule Is Tough Like Always
Michigan State always challenges itself with a daunting schedule both in the Big Ten and the non-conference. The 2024-25 season is no different, as the Spartans will once again be challenged. They will take on the Kansas Jayhawks at the Champions Classic in Atlanta, Georgia, before a trip holiday trip to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational.
That’s just the non-conference, as the Spartans have a tough Big Ten slate as well, with four new foes in the league. They won’t have to travel to Washington or Oregon, but they will have to visit both USC and UCLA. Add in a couple of tough road contests at Rutgers and Maryland on the East Coast and Michigan State will be putting in the frequent flier miles this season.
Road-only games against Northwestern and Iowa won’t be fun either, as both have had the Spartans number lately. As for their home slate of Big Ten Games, thankfully they won’t have to travel to West Lafayette, as Purdue will visit the Breslin Center, as will Indiana. They get rival Michigan at home and on the road, as well as two meetings with both Minnesota and Illinois. Those will be must-see match-ups.
The slate isn’t easy, but that’s how Coach Izzo likes it.
2024-2025 #B1G Conference opponents 🟢⚪️ pic.twitter.com/5p5T7Blbn7
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) May 1, 2024
Leadership Is Key
Leadership will be the key for the Spartans if they want to contend for the top of the Big Ten. This year seems like it could be anyone’s to win. The Spartans have leadership in Akins along with Fears, but Junior guard Tre Holloman could be the difference-maker for Michigan State. Everything is in front of the Spartans, can they make the jump they need to get back to an elite level? Time will tell.
