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Beginning Monday, June 21st,
2004 CHN began unveiling 144 Team previews in 144 Days. CHN ranked the
nations top 144 teams, and is unveiling one per day leading up until the
opening day of the 2004-05 Season.
Bookmark the
144 Teams in 144 Days home page, and check back
each day to see which team is previewed next.
#19 Michigan State Spartans
Big Ten
2003-04: 18-12, 12-4, 3rd
2003-04 postseason: NCAA
By
Joel Welser
 Michigan State returns all their
starters from last year and will have more depth after a solid recruiting
class comes to East Lansing. The Spartans have tons of big time scoring
threats that will drive the defenses in the Big Ten crazy, but head coach
Tom Izzo will have some problems finding playing time for Chris Hill, Alan
Anderson, Kelvin Torbert, Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager, all of whom are
best suited as shooting guards. These five aren’t just average shooting
guards either; they each are genuine threats to bust out 25 points on any
given night.
Who’s Out: Role players
Jason Andreas and Rashii Johnson have graduated but they only combined for
3.5 points per game. Last years highly touted freshman point guard, Brandon
Cotton, transferred to Detroit after playing in just three games for the
Spartans. Little used big man Justin Ockerman is transferring to Sacramento
State.
Who’s In: Tom Izzo beefed
up the frontcourt with his recruiting class for 2004. Centers Idong Ibok and
Goran Suton both are 6-10 and tilt the scales at over 240 pounds. The main
recruits are power forward Marquise Gray and a much needed point guard in
Drew Neitzel. Gray could be the bruising forward under the basket that the
Spartans so desperately need to take some pressure off of center Paul
Davis. The 6-8, 215 pound Flint native averaged 25 points, 17 rebounds and
4 blocks as a senior in high school. Neitzel is expected to be the answer
at point guard. He dished out 240 assists last season for Wyoming Park High
School in Michigan, good enough for second on the all-time Michigan assist
list for an individual season. It won’t be easy for a true freshman to step
in and run the show in the Big Ten, but Neitzel will be given the
opportunity. At least he should be fun to watch. Neitzel is a switch
shooter, if you will. He can pop a three pointer with either hand, although
it remains to be seen if that skill will be effective, or practical, at the
collegiate level, but it should be interesting to observe.
Who to Watch: Paul Davis
may end up leading the Spartans in scoring, but this is Chris Hill’s year to
shine. Hill averaged nearly 14 points per game in his junior campaign and,
if Neitzel can take over the point, Hill will be able to better show off why
he’s the best pure shooter this side of J.J. Redick. Hill led the team with
3.9 assists per game as a junior last year and will most likely spend some
time running the point, even if Neitzel does start. Hill isn’t a flashy
point guard and won’t create much off the dribble, but he doesn’t turn the
ball over either.
Projected Conference Rank:
There are a lot of questions. If Drew Neitzel and Marquise Gray can break
the starting five, then where do all the talented shooting guards play?
Depth should never be considered a bad thing though. Last year Alan
Anderson would run the point on offense and play power forward on defense.
Those days could be over in East Lansing. Tom Izzo will find where
everybody is best suited and put a competitive team on the floor that
shouldn’t have a problem finishing 3rd in the conference and
making another trip to the big dance.
Projected Post-season
Tournament: NCAA
«
Team #20 ,
Team #18
»
Email Joel Welser:
jwelser_chn@ameritech.net
Chat About CHN's Top #144
Ranking:
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