Last March, three wins in seven days at the 2003 NCAA Tournament laid a season of skepticism surrounding the MSU men's basketball team to rest - and woke up the groggy sleeping giant of MSU basketball fandom.
But even though the Spartans' run to the Elite Eight in the 2003 NCAA Tournament was an improbable - albeit unexpected - step back to championship-caliber expectations, players and coaches are looking toward the national crown this season regardless.
Last season, all talk was about "bridging the gap" between the Spartans of 2003 and the 2000 national championship team that cut down the nets at the Final Four. This season, expect much of the same entertainment - with a spin on it becoming reality.
"It was a good run. Not many people gave us a chance to get this far," junior forward/guard Alan Anderson said. "But we're still a step short of filling that gap.
"Until we can put it all together and go to the Final Four or get a Big Ten championship, we've still got some work to do."
MSU is returning four starters from last season, including a trio of juniors - Anderson and guards Chris Hill and Kelvin Torbert - that have slowly but steadily become the leadership core of the young MSU squad.
Last season, Hill led the team in scoring, netting 13.7 points per game as well as leading the team in assists and steals. His 34 points in a 76-75 loss to eventual national champion Syracuse set school and Big Ten records in single game 3-point shooting.
Anderson, who adapted to a point guard role midway through the season, found a way to lead by example, not by statistics. He averaged 9.8 points per game, but emerged as the floor and locker room leader as the season wore on.
Despite the pack of juniors leading head coach Tom Izzo's pack, the real reason that MSU advanced so far in last season's tournament was the unanticipated poise and contribution of its freshmen.
Guard Maurice Ager, center Paul Davis and forward Erazem Lorbek blossomed as the postseason sailed on. In all four NCAA Tournament games, one of those three led the team in scoring.
Lorbek led the team with 12 points per game in tournament play, and Davis and Ager both averaged more than 10.
Hopefully for Izzo and his squad, good things will continue to come in threes. Recruits Shannon Brown (Maywood, Ill.), Brandon Cotton (Detroit) and Drew Naymick (Muskegon) comprise one of the top recruiting classes in the nation.
Brown and Cotton are among the top echelon of prep basketball stars - both were McDonalds All-Americans and Brown was named Illinois' Mr. Basketball. Not to be outdone, Cotton and Naymick came in second and third respectively in Michigan's Mr. Basketball voting.
Be modest though, MSU isn't willing to tip its hat quite yet.
"We haven't won anything yet," said Anderson. "Until we accomplish that goal, we haven't bridged anything."
Izzo prefers to be a bit more modest about his kick-started program and team.
"We still have a long way to go," Izzo said. "We had a hell of a run, but I'm not sure we're where we need to be yet."
East Lansing will have to wait for November to see.
