Does Izzo really schedule tough teams though?? They are in the Champions Classic and haven’t really shown out very well. They have only beat Duke once (in an empty Cameron) they beat Kentucky once and that was the first time they faced them in 2013. MSU can’t really dictate who they play in the ACC/B1G challenge either. I am just saying I can’t remember the last big time team they played in a home/home series. I would even say Gonzaga probably plays a higher profile non conference schedule UCLA/Duke/Texas/Texas Tech/Alabama.
I think there is a difference between what Indiana does and going out to play a loaded Kentucky program especially when they aren’t at that level really. Still a long ways out but Kentucky could return a lot of good players and they do have a smaller recruiting class but it’s still top 10. That’s not including what happens to Sharpe and Fredrick.
I feel like MSU’s non-con schedules used to be tougher than they’ve been in recent years. I’m thinking about early to mid Beilein era schedule comparisons, where some Michigan non-con schedules were really light (at least according to kenpom metrics). But, looking at the MSU numbers, their non-con schedules weren’t generally particularly daunting either. I’m probably letting some of their high profile events (like playing on an aircraft carrier) colour my impression too much.
I don’t really think that’s true… this year is very similar to the 2015-16 team I’d say which still barely made the tournament and had some similar early-season failures.
Also, this team lost to Minnesota. If the clunker @UNC or Neutral against Arizona was a Q2 or Q3 loss, we’d be way worse off than having 20 point Q1 blowouts.
Next year shapes up fine, and if there isn’t a gavitt game could even fill in a other decent opportunity. I do hope the home and home with UK happens, and that we eventually play @Oregon. Assuming we’re home in the ACC challenge next year, fitting in Oregon could work. No other true non-con road games.
TWill is a popular transfer/process candidate by impatient fans. This roster will lose a number of players this offseason. This program needs four year players to stay for four years.
Really? Losing TWill will be really bad news for the program. As you said, we are in desperate need of four year players and losing TWill, a player who seems pretty bought in to the process, would be dispiriting. No doubt in my mind that TWill can become a very good player as a senior.
