The locker room is empty. The equipment is packed away. The players are on hiatus for two weeks — "13 1/2 more days than last year," head coach Tom Izzo said.

The season is over for the MSU men's basketball team — a grueling campaign that saw the Spartans go from preseason doormat to a few minutes away from a Sweet 16 berth.

"The biggest problem now is where do we go?" Izzo said Wednesday at his year-end press conference. "Because as accepting as I am of where we went this year, we didn't go to the Final Four. We're not a national champion. We didn't win the Big Ten. In perspective, we didn't accomplish the world. We accomplished a lot for the team we had, but I think the standards should be that hopefully this was a blip in the radar.

"It's OK every seven, eight, nine years to have a year when you're not picked as high — it does bring you back to reality, it gives you a different perspective, it helps you get back to the fundamentals. (But) it's not really any place I'd like to build a home at."

A look at some of the biggest issues Izzo discussed heading into the offseason:

The Spartans' most glaring weakness this season — depth — should be one of their biggest strengths in 2007-08. MSU returns every meaningful contributor and adds four rotation-worthy freshmen (guards Kalin Lucas, Chris Allen, Durrell Summers and Austin Thornton) and 7-foot center Tom Herzog, who redshirted this season. The Spartans could realistically be 13 players deep.

"There's going to be some competition," Izzo said. "Competition is good."

Lucas, Allen and Summers each could see upwards of 15 minutes a game, Izzo said, but Drew Neitzel and Travis Walton will still be the focus of the backcourt. The incoming freshman trio will enable MSU to use combinations other than the Walton-at-point-guard, Neitzel-at-shooting-guard one that held the floor most of this season.

Raymar Morgan, who finished second on the team in scoring as a freshman, will continue to be used mostly at small forward — unless MSU wants to play a small lineup, Izzo said.

"(The freshmen) are going to be important parts of this team that don't have to take over the team," Izzo said. "That's a great position to be in."

They'll also give MSU the depth to get away from the methodical, fast-break-phobic offense it used this season.

"We did things that were painful for me this year — more painful for me than them," Izzo said. "I am not going to play that way next year. It's not the system I run, it's not the way I want to play, it's not the way I'm going to play."

The frontcourt, which Izzo said made "average progress" this season, will be as deep as the backcourt but will need to make strides in the offseason to become more consistent.

Marquise Gray's strong showing in the NCAA Tournament has given him renewed enthusiasm, Izzo said, and a healthy summer might finally give him time to make the leap everyone's been expecting.

The oft-maligned Goran Suton actually was MSU's steadiest post presence (nine points, seven rebounds a game), and Izzo said he hasn't even scratched the surface yet. Better focus and preparation are the keys.

Drew Naymick, free of the shoulder problems that once hampered him, was MSU's best post defender and has the shooting range to take a larger role on offense.

Idong Ibok will continue to work on his hands and could be a defensive force off the bench. The elbow injury he suffered in the NCAA Tournament doesn't appear to be a serious issue going forward.

Herzog "has as much passion for the game as any big guy I've got and most that I've had in the past," Izzo said. "He does want to be a player, and that's a huge plus. Big guys sometimes play because they're big."

That's a lot of options, but Izzo would prefer to see some of them emerge as the top ones.

"Players have a tendency to separate playing time more than you think," Izzo said.

Joseph out?

Izzo said he and sophomore guard Maurice Joseph have discussed the possibility of a transfer. Joseph is one of the team's best shooters but has had major struggles defensively.

"He's a good enough shooter to play anywhere," Izzo said. "And yet, it's just hard at this level — not at Michigan State, at this level — to be more of a one-dimensional player and think you're going to play any minutes."

Izzo said a decision — which would be made by Joseph — might not come until next month.

"I still think he wants to be here," Izzo said. "I still think we want him here."

The tree grows?

Izzo is bracing for the possibility of having to replace one or more of his assistant coaches.

Jim Boylen reportedly has interviewed for the open head coaching position at Utah, and Mark Montgomery's name has surfaced for several jobs in recent years.

"I'm expecting to help any of them that wants to move on to a job that I think is a good job," Izzo said. "I think my staff did a better job than I did this year."

Calendar check

Although not finalized, some things are set for MSU's schedule next season.

MSU will play at BYU and Bradley, and could have potential matchups with Missouri, Maryland and UCLA in November. The Spartans will likely begin a four-year series with Texas, and they should host their Big Ten/ACC challenge game, possibly against North Carolina or Duke. Izzo also said he's exploring a series with Connecticut.