UK plays Mich State in the Champions Classic on Nov 15 in Indianapolis
Mich State is coming off a 23-13 and a 2nd round loss to Duke in the NCAA-T
Starters lost: 3
Gabe Brown 6-8 215 Forward (top scorer, 38% 3fg, 3.8reb)
Max Christie 6-6 190 Guard (#2 scorer)
Marcus Bingham 7-0 230 Center (#3 scorer, top rebounder)
Other key players lost: 1
Julius Marble 6-9 245 Center (transferred to TX A&M)
Probable Starters
G AJ Hoggard 6-4 210 Jr 7pts, 4.8ast, 22% from 3
G Tyson Walker 6-0 175 Sr 8.2pts, 4.2ast, 47% from 3
G Jaden Akins 6-4 180 So 3.4pts, 2.4reb 38% from 3
F Malik Hall 6-8 225 Sr 8.9pts, 4.6reb, 43% from 3
C Mady Sissiko 6-9 235 Jr 1pts, 1reb
Bench
F Joey Hauser 6-9 230 Sr 7.3pts, 5.3reb, 41% from 3
G/F Pierre Brooks 6-6 225 So (played sparingly last season)
C Jaxon Kohler 6-9 250 Fr
G Tre Holloman 6-2 175 Fr
2022-23 Outlook
According to various sources I've read, the off-season for Mich State went about as poorly as it could have gone. Gabe Brown and Marcus Bingham both had another year of eligibility remaining (due to Covid) but both decided to forgo the extra year and enter the NBA draft. To make matters worse, up and coming would-be sophomore guard Max Christie (who ended up as #2 in scoring on the season) decided to test the NBA waters as well and ended up signing with an agent, ending his eligibility. To add insult to injury, their presumed would-be starter at center, Julius Marble, decided to enter the transfer portal and ended up at TX A&M. (we'll see him later in the season)
Most prognosticators expect Mich State to be at best a bubble team for the NCAA tournament this season and possibly could end the 24 year streak for the Spartans making the NCAA-T. That streak is tied for the 3rd longest in NCAA men's basketball history and is the 2nd longest active streak. Izzo's teams aren't built for early departures and their 2 incoming freshmen aren't expected to be immediate impact guys. They lack dynamic scorers who can create for themselves on this team.
The backcourt looks to be in solid hands for the Spartans this season, as they return their top 2 in assists from last season (Hoggard and Walker). They also have a very potent 3pt shooting team returning, which features 4 players who shoot better than 38% from distance and 3 who shoot better than 40%. These guys will make open shots, so that is clearly a concern.
Having said this, the real issue for Izzo this season is at the center spot. He runs a traditional offense and wants to play inside-out most of the time. But losing Bingham and Marble at center leaves the Spartans turning to Mady Sissiko or true freshman Jaxon Kohler. Both have good size but Sissiko has not proven to be very reliable in his first 3 years and Kohler signed hoping to possibly redshirt this season. Izzo could go small and start senior forward Joey Hauser (I have a feeling he and Malik Hall will be on the floor together pretty often) but that seems unlikely.
Tom Izzo always seems to be able to pull a rabbit out of his hat when needed, so I wouldn't be surprised to see that NCAA streak continue. However, in regard to the match-up with UK on November 15, I'd say the Spartans will struggle with Oscar down low (both defensively and offensively) and will not have many open threes to make up for their lack of interior scoring. Mich State will slow down the pace so the Cats won't likely hit 100 in this one, but I think UK wins.
Mich State is coming off a 23-13 and a 2nd round loss to Duke in the NCAA-T
Starters lost: 3
Gabe Brown 6-8 215 Forward (top scorer, 38% 3fg, 3.8reb)
Max Christie 6-6 190 Guard (#2 scorer)
Marcus Bingham 7-0 230 Center (#3 scorer, top rebounder)
Other key players lost: 1
Julius Marble 6-9 245 Center (transferred to TX A&M)
Probable Starters
G AJ Hoggard 6-4 210 Jr 7pts, 4.8ast, 22% from 3
G Tyson Walker 6-0 175 Sr 8.2pts, 4.2ast, 47% from 3
G Jaden Akins 6-4 180 So 3.4pts, 2.4reb 38% from 3
F Malik Hall 6-8 225 Sr 8.9pts, 4.6reb, 43% from 3
C Mady Sissiko 6-9 235 Jr 1pts, 1reb
Bench
F Joey Hauser 6-9 230 Sr 7.3pts, 5.3reb, 41% from 3
G/F Pierre Brooks 6-6 225 So (played sparingly last season)
C Jaxon Kohler 6-9 250 Fr
G Tre Holloman 6-2 175 Fr
2022-23 Outlook
According to various sources I've read, the off-season for Mich State went about as poorly as it could have gone. Gabe Brown and Marcus Bingham both had another year of eligibility remaining (due to Covid) but both decided to forgo the extra year and enter the NBA draft. To make matters worse, up and coming would-be sophomore guard Max Christie (who ended up as #2 in scoring on the season) decided to test the NBA waters as well and ended up signing with an agent, ending his eligibility. To add insult to injury, their presumed would-be starter at center, Julius Marble, decided to enter the transfer portal and ended up at TX A&M. (we'll see him later in the season)
Most prognosticators expect Mich State to be at best a bubble team for the NCAA tournament this season and possibly could end the 24 year streak for the Spartans making the NCAA-T. That streak is tied for the 3rd longest in NCAA men's basketball history and is the 2nd longest active streak. Izzo's teams aren't built for early departures and their 2 incoming freshmen aren't expected to be immediate impact guys. They lack dynamic scorers who can create for themselves on this team.
The backcourt looks to be in solid hands for the Spartans this season, as they return their top 2 in assists from last season (Hoggard and Walker). They also have a very potent 3pt shooting team returning, which features 4 players who shoot better than 38% from distance and 3 who shoot better than 40%. These guys will make open shots, so that is clearly a concern.
Having said this, the real issue for Izzo this season is at the center spot. He runs a traditional offense and wants to play inside-out most of the time. But losing Bingham and Marble at center leaves the Spartans turning to Mady Sissiko or true freshman Jaxon Kohler. Both have good size but Sissiko has not proven to be very reliable in his first 3 years and Kohler signed hoping to possibly redshirt this season. Izzo could go small and start senior forward Joey Hauser (I have a feeling he and Malik Hall will be on the floor together pretty often) but that seems unlikely.
Tom Izzo always seems to be able to pull a rabbit out of his hat when needed, so I wouldn't be surprised to see that NCAA streak continue. However, in regard to the match-up with UK on November 15, I'd say the Spartans will struggle with Oscar down low (both defensively and offensively) and will not have many open threes to make up for their lack of interior scoring. Mich State will slow down the pace so the Cats won't likely hit 100 in this one, but I think UK wins.
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