The MSU men’s basketball team is like a bunch of kids on Halloween who are given apples at the beginning of trick-or-treating.

The kids are glad it’s Halloween, but can’t wait to get the “real” candy in their bag.

For the Spartans, the real candy is the regular season, and their two non conference games against Northern Michigan and the Harlem Globetrotters were the apples.

At 2 p.m. Sunday, MSU takes on Oakland at Breslin Student Events Center in its opening game of the regular season.

MSU head coach Tom Izzo was disappointed with the team’s effort in its Nov. 13 win over the Harlem Globetrotters, 72-68. But he said he’s seen better enthusiasm in practice this week.

“There wasn’t glaring things that we did wrong,” Izzo said. “But we just didn’t have that same snap about us.”

Sophomore forward Al Anagonye had a bruised chest and sprained ankle injuries last week, and didn’t play against the Globetrotters.

Izzo said getting Anagonye back this week has inspired some tough play in practice.

“Al really brings energy, and he played in about three-fourths of practice today,” Izzo said Wednesday.

Izzo said Oakland will be primed for an upset.

“What worries me about this game is you can always get beat by a team that hits a lot of threes, and Oakland does that,” Izzo said. “We will create matchup problems for them, but they will create some for us, too.”

Sophomore forward Jason Richardson said MSU’s depth this season will create problems for opponents.

“Last year we only had a couple of guys who scored,” Richardson said. “But now we have a lot of scorers, and it’s hard to stop five guys that can score.”

MSU’s 2000 national championship banner will be unveiled at Breslin Center before tip-off.