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Monday, July 23
Updated: July 26, 12:44 PM ET
Team preview: Michigan State Spartans
ESPN.com
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The lowdown
2000-01 record: 28-5; 13-3 in Big Ten (1st)
Final Ranking: No 3 ESPN/USA Today; No. 3 AP
Postseason: Lost to Arizona 80-61 in national semifinals.
Three Questions for 2001-02
1. Who will replace Zach Randolph and Andre Hutson inside? Can the Spartans survive with a committee of post players led by Al Anagonye? Will they still be a physical team?
2. Can Kelvin Torbert and Alan Anderson step in and be impact players? The expectations are high for both to come in and produce immediately, but will they and, if so, how will they handle the attention?
3. The Spartans were always known as a defensive team but will the absence of Charlie Bell and David Thomas be too much to overcome on the perimeter? Can Marcus Taylor become a better on-the-ball defender?
Three Key Facts
1. The Spartans may not have the same personnel, but the schedule is still filled with top-flight competition. MSU plays non-conference games against Florida, Arizona, Virginia, Stanford and Seton Hall. Michigan State is also playing in the Preseason NIT along with potential foes Syracuse, Arkansas, Fresno State and USC.
2. Michigan State enters the 2001-02 season with a streak of 62 straight weeks ranked in the AP's top 25 poll. Included in that streak are 27 straight weeks ranked in the top 10 -- the third-longest such streak in the nation.
3. Taking the place of the seven lost lettermen are young guns ready to step in to some pretty big shoes. Kelvin Torbert was the Sporting News and Gatorade 2001 High School player of the year, as well as a McDonald's All-American and Michigan's Mr. Basketball. Torbert is joined by Alan Anderson, the Minneapolis Metro Player of the Year in 2001. Chris Hill also joins MSU as a sharp-shooter guard.
Andy Katz's Scenarios
Best case: The Spartans newcomers are as good as advertised and they win the Big Ten title, get a decent seed and make another Final Four run.
Worst case: The inside game suffers, defense is porous and the Spartans slip to fourth in the Big Ten and to a lower seed in the tournament.
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Key Players Returning
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Player
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Yr.
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Pos.
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Ht./Wt.
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Comment
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Marcus Taylor
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So.
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G
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6-3/190
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PTS: 7.4 | REB: 1.3 | AST: 3.6
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Aloysius Anagonye
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Jr.
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F
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6-8/255
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PTS: 4.7 | REB: 3.1 | AST: 0.7
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Key Losses
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Player
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Pos.
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Ht./Wt.
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Comment
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Jason Richardson
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G
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6-6/220
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PTS: 14.7 | REB: 5.9 | AST: 2.2
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Charlie Bell
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G
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6-3/200
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PTS: 13.5 | REB: 4.7 | AST: 5.1
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Andre Hutson
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F
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6-8/240
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PTS: 13.8 | REB: 7.6 | AST: 1.9
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Zach Randolph
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C
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6-9/270
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PTS: 10.8 | REB: 6.7 | AST: 1.0
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David Thomas
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F
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6-7/210
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PTS: 5.4 | REB: 4.7 | AST: 1.9
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Mike Chappell
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F
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6-9/220
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PTS: 4.7 | REB: 1.9 | AST: 0.7
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Michigan State Signings
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Player
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Pos.
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Ht.
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High School/College
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Alan Anderson
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G
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6-5
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Minneapolis/De LaSalle
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Chris Hill
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G
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6-3
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Indianapolis/Lawrence North
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Kelvin Torbert
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G
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6-4
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Flint, Mich./Northwestern
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