Michigan State University Athletics
2015-16 Season Outlook
10/2/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Michigan State doesn't open the 2015-16 season until Nov. 13 when it hosts Florida Atlantic. The team mission, however, was stated nearly seven months earlier in the waning moments of MSU's Final Four loss to Duke at Lucas Oil Stadium.
As MSU's magical journey through the 2015 NCAA Tournament was coming to a close in the program's ninth Final Four, and its seventh in the last 17 seasons under head coach Tom Izzo, television cameras spotted Izzo and Denzel Valentine having a conversation. Recalling the conversation, Valentine said he told Izzo, "I'm going to get you [back] here, coach."
At that point, a return trip to the Final Four, the 2016 edition of which will be played in Houston, Texas, became the driving force behind off-season workouts. The Spartans know that regardless of preseason rankings or midseason slumps, it's a reachable goal as long as they stick together and continue working. After all, the 2014-15 squad opened the year at No. 18, spent most of the season unranked, stood at 15-8 on February 7, was unranked at the close of the regular season, and entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 7 seed.
As off-season workouts provided the foundation for the upcoming year, a late-August trip to Italy helped accelerate the process, while also giving an early barometer of where the Spartans stood. While many teams do summer foreign tours, Michigan State did its trip the Izzo way, scheduling the best teams he could find. What resulted was a four-game trip that, after a warm-up contest against a local professional club in Florence, saw the Spartans face the senior national teams from Russia, Italy and Georgia, who were using the games as a warm-up for Eurobasket 2015 where they attempted to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. MSU lost all three games against the national teams, but the experience against seasoned pros at the highest level, including several NBA standouts, will prove to be invaluable. On top of the basketball experience, the Spartans bonded as a team, helping to forge a similar camaraderie to that of the 2014-15 squad, which allowed it to flourish come tournament time.
Despite the 1-3 record in Italy, Coach Izzo remarked "this trip was as good as anything I've done in my 20 years."
THE BACKCOURT
Michigan State's unquestioned leader is senior guard Denzel Valentine (6-5, 220). The only player to rank in the Top 15 in the Big Ten last season in scoring (12th, 14.5 ppg), rebounding (11th, 6.3 rpg) and assists (7th, 4.3 apg), Valentine was a Third-Team All-Big Ten honoree. It was a productive summer for Valentine as he made the USA Basketball Pan American Games team, helping the American squad to a Bronze medal. He then led MSU with 17.3 points per game against the three national teams in Italy. His efforts were recognized as ESPN's Fran Fraschilla named him a preseason First Team All-American.
Coach Izzo knows that his squad will likely go as Valentine goes.
"I think this is a critical year for Denzel, both personally and for us as a team," said Izzo. "He's our leader, our most experienced player, and if what I saw in Italy is any indication, he is ready to have a breakout season. His shooting continues to improve, and he's become a strong defender. He's going to play even more at the point this season to capitalize on his passing ability, although the key will be for him to continue to limit turnovers."
While there was no doubt that Valentine would be in a starring role this season as soon as last year ended, the same could not be said for his longtime friend, prep teammate at Lansing Sexton and fellow senior Bryn Forbes (6-3, 190). 2014-15 was Forbes' first season with the Spartans and had its share of ups and downs. He shot .427 from 3-point range, and played a key role in MSU's Elite Eight win over Louisville, scoring the first five points of overtime, but he was also held scoreless in the season-ending loss to Duke. Last spring, Izzo stated that Forbes needed to get stronger and improve his defense. And Forbes certainly responded.
"Bryn has made the most progress of anyone from April to now, and he is certainly my MVP of the summer," said Izzo. "That's an award that's earned, not given. He's gained 15 pounds of muscle, looks great and is in the best shape of his life. He had to improve his strength, endurance, and what he could do off the dribble, and he's markedly better in all three areas."
Junior Eron Harris (6-3, 185) is eligible to play after sitting out the 2014-15 season following a transfer from West Virginia, where he earned Honorable Mention All-Big 12 honors and averaged more than 17 points per game. He joins Forbes and Valentine to form what Izzo calls "as good of a shooting group as there is in the country."
"Eron is the best athlete on the team, and might have the longest range," said Izzo. "It might take a little bit to get back into playing mode and become a consistent shooter. He has to focus on making sure he is taking the right shots. As he does that, he can become one of our top scorers, while also being a lockdown defender."
Fellow junior Alvin Ellis III (6-4, 205) is looking to continue to increase his playing time. He started the 2014-15 season at Navy, but was injured after seeing just three minutes of action. He missed several weeks and never fully found his way back into the rotation. The key for Ellis will be continuing to put in the necessary work in the gym.
"The first thing he needed to do was mature, and after a few setbacks, he has made some progress," said Izzo. "He is definitely a better shooter than he was before. He's starting to go from liking the game, to loving it, and has put more time into it, which makes him better conditioned and better skilled."
A starter at the point for the final 15 games of the season, Lourawls "Tum Tum" Nairn Jr. (5-10, 175) provides incredible speed, toughness, defense and, most importantly, leadership to the Spartan attack. A true gym rat, he also spent the summer working to improve his shooting. As MSU's only true point guard, he's a strong candidate to return to a starting role in 2015-16.
"For Tum, improving his shooting was a big focus this year, and I've never seen a guy work harder at it than he has," explained Izzo. "He also is more confident off those screen-and-rolls. Defensively, he is about as good as we have had. In Italy, he struggled early due to the size of the opposition, but he bounced back for the last game-and-a-half, which was really encouraging."
Fellow sophomore Javon Bess (6-5, 220) was limited to just 12 games due to foot injuries as a freshman. After a cautious rehabilitation process over the summer, Bess is determined to return to the level that saw him earn Ohio Division I co-player of the year honors as a prep senior.
"The key with JB is getting back in basketball shape and being patient enough to realize that after missing nearly seven months that it takes some time," said Izzo. "He brings some toughness and has improved his shooting. He has one of the best first steps, and has a tremendous ability to get fouled. We love that he has the versatility to play three positions, and as his lateral quickness returns, we think he can be a strong defender."
A deep Spartan backcourt will also get contributions from the freshman class. Matt McQuaid (6-5, 190) had the reputation for being one of the best shooters in the nation, but in just a few short months he has proven to be so much more, impressing the Spartan coaching staff with his ball handling and defense.
"He's a very good athlete and he has the ability to stretch the defense about as far as it needs to be stretched," said Izzo. "He's a good passer, but we think he has the potential to be a great passer. He's in the gym all the time, so he's certain to improve. We learned in Italy that he will definitely be a key member of the playing group."
In much the same mold, Kyle Ahrens (6-5, 210) combines good shooting and excellent athleticism. A little bit under the radar due to leg injuries during his prep career, Ahrens continues to impress.
"He brings a bulldog mentality to the court," explained Izzo. "He's just tougher than tough. He's been rehabbing his high school injuries since he stepped on campus, but we know that he is a phenomenal athlete and has a good understanding of the game. Between him and McQuaid, we have a pair of wings who bring a lot to the team."
A pair of walk-ons add to the backcourt depth. Red-shirt junior Matt Van Dyk (6-5, 210), sat out last year after transferring into Michigan State. A great athlete, the coaching staff raves about his work ethic. Freshman Conner George (6-3, 190) is in his first season with the Spartans. He was one of the best shooters in Michigan as a prep senior, and will continue to work on his strength and defense in hopes of seeing spot minutes.
THE FRONTCOURT
Senior Matt Costello (6-9, 245) and junior Gavin Schilling (6-9, 250) provide a majority of the experience in the Spartan frontcourt. Costello ranks sixth in MSU history with 104 blocks and is on pace to leave as the MSU career leader.
"The biggest thing we need to get out of Costello is consistency," said Izzo. "We really believe he's capable of elevating his game another level. He just has a good feel for the game. It's the reason he's a good rebounder and shot blocker. He's improved his outside game, but as he continues to work on his inside game, I think he could make a living at the foul line."
Schilling started the final 33 games of 2014-15, but averaged just 5.1 points and 3.8 rebounds, although he did post two double-doubles. His play in Italy, where he ranked second on the team with 13.3 points per game and averaged a team-best 7.0 rebounds, suggests he is ready to take a significant leap as a junior.
"He's learned to love the game, worked harder than he ever has, and his play has improved as a direct result," explained Izzo. "He runs the floor so well, and is outstanding at moving his feet defensively, especially on ball screens. We've never had a big man be able to cover so many positions the way he can. What he needs to improve on now is his offense, where he has to do more around the basket. He also needs to improve at the foul line."
Senior Colby Wollenman (6-7, 230) and sophomore Marvin Clark Jr. (6-6, 230) each gained significant experience last season. Wollenman joined MSU as a walk-on in 2011-12, and prior to last year had only seen mop-up duty. But a thin Spartan frontcourt gave him an opportunity in 2014-15. Never flashy, but always steady, Wollenman saw action in 29 games and played key minutes in some of MSU's biggest games, earning MSU's Unsung Player Award. And in the true mold of a student-athlete, Wollenman's efforts this fall will include applying to medical school.
"He's worked himself into the playing group," said Izzo. "I'm really pleased with the progress he's made on the court, but I'm ecstatic on what he's accomplished off the court and what he's going to do. He's one of those guys the program is going to be proud of for 30, 40, 50 years."
Clark started seven games as a freshman and appeared in all 39 contests. He proved to be an outside scoring threat hitting multiple 3-pointers in six games. He was situated to make a run at a starting position, but a foot injury could force him to miss the start of the season. When he's in the lineup, however, his versatility, strength and athleticism provide a wealth of options for the Spartans.
"Marvin is a guy that we can play at the three or the four, allowing us to go big or small," said Izzo. "He's a stretch forward, but he's also the strongest player on our team, and we're looking for him to use that strength more this season. He has an athletic body like Branden Dawson, and he should become one of our best rebounders. His game has improved since last year, and while his injury is a bit of a setback, I don't think it will be a major setback."
Adding an intriguing element to the Spartans is freshman Deyonta Davis (6-10, 240). The 2015 Michigan Mr. Basketball recipient, Davis was the No. 2 career shot blocker in Michigan High School Athletic Association history. A McDonald's All-American, Davis will remind people of former Spartan Adreian Payne with his combination of length and athleticism. Although he's raw in some areas, he's expected to contribute immediately.
"Deyonta Davis will be one of the best big men we've ever had," proclaimed Izzo. "He has the ability to play the four or five and is a tremendous shot blocker. He still needs to get stronger, but he's about 25 pounds heavier than Adreian Payne was as a freshman, so I think he's ahead in that respect. He had a very good high school coach that did a lot for him, and yet college is different, especially with some of our early competition. That's where Italy was good for him, as he got to play pros who had been playing professionally nearly as long as he'd been alive. I expect his progress will be rapid, but we also have to be patient."
Rounding out the frontcourt depth is red-shirt freshman Kenny Goins (6-6, 225). Goins walked on to the Spartans last year despite having options from other Division I programs. He showed in Italy that he is prepared to contribute this season.
"Kenny could have gone other places, but he wanted to be at Michigan State," said Izzo. "He isn't that big, but he's a power forward that can do a lot of things, guard a lot of people, and is an intelligent kid."
