Georgetown added to Old Spice Classic

The official field of the Old Spice Classic (Thanksgiving weekend in Orlando) was announced today, and Georgetown is a late addition. That means the eight-team tourney consists of MSU, Tennessee, Gonzaga, Maryland, Oklahoma State, Wichita State, Siena and the Hoyas.

    And it means next season's nonleague schedule could be one of MSU's all-time death traps. Going by Fox Sports' preseason poll (Jeff Goodman just updated it yesterday based on NBA early entries so far), MSU is set to play the No. 1 team (North Carolina), No. 12 (Texas), No. 20 (defending champ Kansas), and could see No. 6 (Gonzaga), No. 10 (Tennessee) and No. 13 (Georgetown). Goodman also has Big Ten teams Purdue at No. 9 and Wisconsin at No. 25.
    So MSU could play six top-20 teams in the nonleague season, including five of the top 13. Yikes.
    Goodman, by the way, ranks MSU No. 2 in the nation in his preseason poll. That seems a little high to me, although on paper this will be one of Tom Izzo's most talented teams.
    I wonder how many people will file into Ford Field on Dec. 3 if it's No. 1 North Carolina against No. 2 MSU.......

Comments

[dmbtierney]

Yahoo! Going to Florida again. Having gone to Orlando last December and again this Thanksgiving, and with upcoming road football games against Florida Atlantic and South Florida, MSU fans can plan a lot of trips to the Sunshine State. Maybe a couple of future bowl games too. Hey, Joe: maybe you should check into some kind of time-share for the next few years--you might really need it.

[spartanforever]

MSU is being set up as a sacrificial lamb early-we never play well under high expectations,another reason we are not yet elite.Elite teams beat anyone and loose occasionally.I will be center stage suggesting, pulling for my boys allll!!! the way.Until they loose I consider each game won.One of these seasons one of our teams are going to rally around each other and really try hard to win each game for real and end undefeated.

We are probably #10 to #15 starting the season in reality.A lot of teams have good talent returning and HS kids who will be one and done like Rose and Beasly.We have a tough challenge...

[DSJ]

"spartanforever," please list the nine to fourteen teams that are better than MSU.

I think that you'll find that they all have holes in their rosters, and that MSU is likely to be as good as any team that you can think of.

[SpartaninBoston]

DSJ,

I agree with Spartanforever, we are probably a 10 - 15 team, because there a lot of unknowns:

1) Does the Morgan of 06/07 show up? If yes, that is enough to vault us into the top 10.

2) Does Lucas continue to deliver. I'm betting yes.

3) Which SG starts and excels, Allen or Summers. I assume Allen starts but Summers gets big minutes.

4) We are deep but that can be a problem if we aren't willing to run.

5) Green vs. Roe, which one gets more minutes.

If the stars align we are right beside NC in the Final Four in Detroit.

[SpartaninBoston]

And I'll add that if we have a great pre Big 10 season based on all of the ranked teams we could play, we should be top 5. Then it will come down to delivering in the B10. Luckily IU won't be competition. It should be Purdue, OSU and Wisconsin vying with MSU for the title.

[JMoist]

Wow, Roe starts day one people... believe the hype!

[wristbands_to_the_rescue]

It’s amazing how short memories people have. Next year we are projected to start 3 underclassmen, one of which is coming off knee surgery and missed most of his senior high school year. We’ll also start 2 upperclassmen, both of whom careers have been defines by how incredibly inconsistent they have been. Two bigger head cases we may never see this way again.
Our post play is suspect (cannot walk/chew gum without traveling), and we can’t win consistently on the road in the big 10 no matter what the talent differential might be.
I don’t want to rain on people’s parade, but the’08-‘09 season is just prep work for ’09-’10 season, when we REALLY take off.
The weight of the failure of the senior class (Suton/Gray/Walton, and the dearly departed Joseph) to develop and show CONSISTANT improvement weigh heavy on this team, and will limit what happens next year.

[stone]

bring them on. unlike the team a couple years back, this one will be ready. no more vacation "national teams," no more soft leaders.

[spartaninboston]

Why will 09/10 be better, I'm not sold on the 09/10 freshman. Garrick and Nix don't seem like "rock stars". Now perhaps Nix will end his senior year as a four star and same for Garrick but neither will be like Roe or Green (remember he was a Kentucky recruit). I think that 08/09 can be a great year for the following reasons:

1) Suton - maturity at the center position. I don't see Herzog being as good as Suton.

2) Morgan - if he doesn't make it his junior year he won't his senior year.

3) Lucas - nothing wrong with him having a chip on his shoulder and being a sophomore.

4) Walton - good defense off the bench.

5) Depth - we are deep, but wont be as deep in the future. Obviously that only matters if we run the ball.

[SteveL]

Oh boy. Here we go. Expectations high only to be disappointed again. After this year I said they will have to prove themselves to me before I am a believer. With what is before them in the non league schedule in 2008 ,they will have to prove themselves right out of the gate. Just as well. We may as well know what we will have to endure right up front. Let's hope they prove to be the real deal.

[xwing]

msu SHOULD be better next year than this past year. i think they finished the season ranked 15th in the country. i think pre-season rankings should have them at about 10th in the nation next year. a lot will depend on how much they will get out of morgan and sutton. the underclassman should be good and they should run most teams off the floor but they will need morgan and sutton to be solid and play consistent to make a run at the big ten and in both tournaments.

[Barry TN]

They will be very good. Lucas will be the key. This kid can flat out play the point,an will only get better. Morgan will grow up this summer and will come on like gang busters. And G will realize how good he is and be a beast in the middle. An watch out for the progress Allen and Summers makes after summer ball. I don't know about Roe after his injury if he will be a factor. My gut feeling is he will be a big gun that will give us many highlights. Also I believe Walton will be a much better shooter after summer ball. He's a solid vet. Take our vet. role players and that makes for very good team. It's certainly a top ten team an will a little luck a top 5 team in the nation.

[Spartan in St Augustine]

Joe, do you know if tickets are available yet? if so, where? Thanks

[Spartan in St Augustine]

Duh, oldspiceclassic.com and tickets won't be available till august

[Michael Motta]

At least the label "Classic" is no longer hyperbole.

[Derrick]

Hmmmmmm.... I think many of you are setting yourself up for disapointment already. Very few schools ever have great seasons without Juniors and Seniors leading the way. Yes we have a talented point guard in Lucas, support with Allen, but Summers did nothing last year. Roe should help, but he isn't Lebron James.

In 2 years we should be very good, but this year may look a lot like when Chris Hill, Alan Anderson, and Kelvin Torbert took over. I see struggle this year and then a final 4 down the road (Hill Anderson and Torbert got us there eventually). I think we are too inconsistant (Morgan) and young to beat experienced teams led by Juniors and Seniors.

[Spartan Legacy]

The nice thing about these big games is we'll see really early in the season if State is going to live up to the pre-season hype. Win them and we're gold. Lose them and maybe the team will gain motivation and experience that will pay off come tourney time.

I think Lucas will turn into a great leader and player, and will have the ability to take over games. For now we'll call him Mateen Jr.

[SpartaninBoston]

Spartan Legacy,

I don't think Lucas is like Mateen but I like your optimism... If Walton and Lucas were one person we'd be awesome because of Walton's defense and leadership and Lucas's talent. And Lucious off the bench....

[Spartan Legacy]

You don't like my optimism? Why don't you STFU, you stupid son of a bitch. Mind your own business!

[Spartan in St Augustine]

hey, spartan legacy, clean up your post. what are you 3 years old?

[Michael Motta]

Spartan Legacy, SpartaninBoston said he/she LIKES your optimism. Although judging by your response to him/her, I'm not sure you're not more a cynic or pessimist than an optimist.

[wbr]

I think the team should be a lot of fun to watch next year. They should be able to score at will and they'll have the depth to run non-stop. The big questions are whether they'll be able to stop anyone on defense and whether they'll develop the kind of chemistry that was lacking most of this past season.

[Matt]

Again with all the whiners? Good grief!

Tom Izzo and the boys will do great - again - despite all the naysayers.

See you all in March for yet another "I told you so".

[Pdunn]

Anyone know about Roe's health? Will he be able to play summer ball, and go through the offseason at full strength?

[B Knapp]

I don't get why so many people talk about how young we are.

First off, we're not that young. We will have 2 or 3 JR's or Sr's starting. Then have several off the bench.

Second, we are old compared to a lot of other teams. Think of all the guys who left early this year. A lot.

There's no reason this team shouldn't have high expectations and do well. They are 98-99 team good.

[SpartaninBoston]

Spartan Legacy,

Check my post again... I don't think you read it clearly....and to be disrespectful back, I'm starting to think you really went to SCuM instead.... I don't ever tell people to STFU on here. Its a blog, people share their opinions. And if you re-read my post you'll see that I liked your optimism but didn't see Lucas as another Matteen.

[Spartan Legacy]

SpartaninBoston,

I think someone somehow co-opted my user name for that last response because I did NOT post that vulgar and offensive comment. So sorry about that, I certainly mean no disrepect. And whoever did post that, stop using my username!

Believe me, I did not go to UofM, my family has gone to State for many generations so we bleed green and white.

[SpartaninBoston]

Spartan Legacy....all good. Go State....

[Spartan Legacy]

SpartaninBoston,

Must have been a scUM troll or something. They've got nothing to look forward to for their season so they lurk on this blog to try to stir up trouble.

Hey, maybe if they overacheive they'll make the NIT this year.

[King Kong Bundy]

Chicago Sun-Times poll today:
8.4% of Bulls fans want Izzo as a coach, Avery Johnson won at 35.5%. Not that John Paxson will give a rat's a$$ but whatever.

UM will make that 3rd string tournament, the basketball classic or whatever.

[SpartaninBoston]

Yeah good one legacy! I bleed green and white too, except when my herpes flare up. Then it's more of a red and cream. Go STATE!!!

[SpartaninBoston]

Spartanlegacy,

So now someone is posting for me as well. I think we were bitten by the same bug. U of M Posters have no life... Who is the little brother now..

[Jerry landry]

Old spice tournament tickets can be had as part of a package with Anthonytravel.com. I have mine, a bit pricey, but this will be a hard ticket to come by, I believe.

[dmbtierney]

I also checked the Anthony Travel site concerning travel packages and tickets. I honestly feel that with the price of gasoline and rising air fares, and the fact that the tournament starts on Thanksgiving Day, that there won't be that many fans traveling to Orlando for this tournament, despite the fine field. I'm just curious if MSU will include tix to this tournament in with their season ticket package like they did the last two seasons in New York and Kansas City?

[King Kong Bundy]

I got my tickets for free with 3 million UPC's from Old Spice Brand Deodorant. BTW, does anybody need deodorant I have some extras?