MSU Basketball: Floor and Ceiling for Next Season

The Michigan State Spartans are coming off their best season in the past six years, winning a 17th Big Ten title in program history and making a deep run into the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. This program is hungry for more and has the talent to exceed its success from last year.

What is the floor and ceiling of this year's Spartan team?

Floor:

The Spartans lost several key pieces but quickly reloaded with multiple experienced transfers to fill the void. This year's team is going to have a bit less chemistry than last year's without the same number of returners, and that could play a factor in how the Spartans end up.

That is not to say they will have a season like the Rutgers Scarlet Knights did with a pair of projected top-10 NBA Draft picks, but there is certainly a chance that this team does not produce at the clip that they are expecting to.

In what will be a very talented Big Ten with several teams adding big-time transfers, the Spartans are good enough to still compete atop the conference but may not win it back-to-back years. A third- or fourth-place finish with five or six conference losses is right around where their floor would be.

In terms of the NCAA Tournament, upsets are always a common factor within the craziness of March Madness, and Michigan State could fall victim. In a season where they meet their floor, the Spartans may be a 7 or 8 seed, having to play a tough first-round battle.

Coach Tom Izzo is 20-5 in first-round matchups in The Big Dance, so a first-round exit is not probable, but losing to a better team with a much higher seeding in the second round would be the most likely scenario.

Ceiling:

The Spartans have all the talent they need to win another Big Ten title and the national championship. With redshirt sophomore Jeremy Fears Jr. commanding the offense at point guard, coupled with a much-improved forward in Coen Carr, is a dangerous combination.

Not to mention the senior post duo in forward Jaxon Kohler and center Carson Cooper who have only improved throughout their careers. This team's ceiling is dominating the Big Ten with two or three losses, winning back-to-back titles, and earning a top seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

One trend that has common in national championship teams is depth and veteran leadership. The Spartans brought in junior forward Kaleb Glenn from FAU, fifth-year senior guard Trey Fort and sophomore point guard Divine Ugochukwu.

Michigan State could hoist the national championship trophy in early April if it meets its full potential.

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