Despite loss, future bright for Spartans

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Indianapolis – Just think about it.

Even without their best player, and their best shooter and one of their best post players not anywhere near 100 percent, the Spartans were able to storm through the adversity and reach the Final Four.

When you think about how little they had to work with in the 2010 NCAA Tournament, that’s what has to get fans excited about the 2010-11 season.

The Spartans only lose one player who played significant minutes in senior forward Raymar Morgan and will regain a healthy Kalin Lucas, should the junior guard not choose the NBA, along with junior guard Chris Allen and sophomore forward Delvon Roe.

Lucas will miss most of the summer after undergoing surgery to repair his ruptured Achilles’ tendon, and Roe likely will miss time to repair his knee, but MSU is going to come back loaded and hungry to finish the job it was unable to complete the past two seasons.

The look ahead has to begin in the backcourt. Lucas and junior guard Durrell Summers will look at the NBA, but I don’t believe they’ll hear enough optimism to leave.

Lucas has to rehab, and this year’s draft class is full of point guards. Summers’ inconsistent play hasn’t gone unnoticed, so I expect they both will be back to join Allen and finish their careers as a part of the greatest guard class in Spartans history.

The three to-be senior guards will be joined by junior-to-be guard Korie Lucious, who is coming off the experience of taking the Spartans to the Final Four.

Lucious had played immaturely throughout most of his first two seasons, but when called upon in the most important time, he grew up quickly. Having a Final Four guard as a backup will just be another weapon at head coach Tom Izzo’s disposal.

Incoming freshman guard Keith Appling will add more depth to the Spartans’ backcourt.

Appling was named a McDonald’s All-American and could compete for playing time.

One of the biggest questions at the end of the 2008-09 season was MSU’s frontcourt. After losing three big men, MSU replaced them with freshmen Derrick Nix and Garrick Sherman. Both showed they were freshmen at times, but both improved as the season got deeper, a rare feat for freshmen who aren’t used to playing so much basketball.
Junior-to-be forward Draymond Green has become an unstoppable force.

One of the Big Ten’s leading rebounders coming off the bench, Green will improve on his often-lethal jump shot, making him one of the most versatile and dangerous players in the country – and yet he still could come off the bench.

Let’s all hope Roe finally can have a healthy season. He has battled injuries throughout high school and college and has yet to reach his potential. Roe spurned North Carolina to come to East Lansing and his toughness quickly has become legendary around Breslin Center.

The frontcourt will be boosted by incoming freshmen Russell Byrd, Alex Gauna and Adreian Payne. Look out for Roe and the Spartans to be perched atop the nation’s leading rebounding teams yet again.

With so much firepower and experience coming back, paired with one of the nation’s top recruiting classes, the Spartans likely will be a preseason top-5 team, if not No. 1.
This could be one of the most talented teams Izzo ever has coached.

Pair that with Izzo’s March magic, and the Spartans should be a favorite to win the national championship — a lofty but reachable goal for a team that is starting to believe a Final Four isn’t good enough.

They’re hungry for more.

Chris Vannini is a State News men’s basketball reporter. He can be reached at vanninic@msu.edu.

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