The No. 2 MSU men’s basketball is ready to tip off its season.
Sports editor Chris Vannini and football reporters Jeremy Warnemuende and Jeff Kanan talk about how they think the team will perform this season.
The guys talk about whether or not this team has what it takes to win a National Championship, and pick a breakout player.
The team opens Friday at Breslin Center against Eastern Michigan (8:30 p.m., Big Ten Network).
Durrell Summers can’t predict the future. Entering his senior campaign for the preseason-ranked No. 2 Spartans, the high-flying guard said he has some definite goals for 2010-11, but he has no way of knowing where MSU will be once March and April roll around.
However, if there is one thing Summers does know, it’s that the Spartans are going to enjoy themselves as they work on getting back to the Final Four and winning a National Championship.
“We just have fun,” Summers said. “Everything that we do, we’re just having fun with it.”
In MSU’s two exhibition games, the level of fun clearly was evident. Throughout both games, players were feeding off each other, smiling on the court and joking around on the bench.
And Summers, who now is in his fourth year at MSU, said he thinks it’s because this team has better chemistry than any other Spartan squad of which he’s been a part.
“It’s just been coming natural, and I think we have a lot of guys on the team that just have a lot of stuff in common,” Summers said. “We talk about the same stuff and just other stuff off the court that translates to on the court.”
If there’s any word that has been thrown around most by players and coaches as a reason why the 2010 Spartans have what it takes to win a title — something they fell two wins short of last season — it is chemistry.
“I think we’re more talented, and I think right now our chemistry is looking great,” senior guard Kalin Lucas said. “I think the sky is the limit for our team.”
Last season’s team wasn’t one to be characterized as having strong chemistry, as suspensions and benchings seemingly made more news than the Spartans’ play on the court.
Still, MSU was able to fight through it all to win a share of the Big Ten Championship and make its second consecutive appearance in the Final Four.
“If we did something better last year, we managed distraction,” head coach Tom Izzo said. “But I’d like to spend more time managing offense and defense than distractions.”
If what players and coaches have said about this year’s team is true, Izzo might get his wish. And with distractions aside and a reloaded roster, Izzo, who said chemistry is important for any team, might have the best chance he’s had in a while to capture his second National Title.
“I like the chemistry we’re growing,” Izzo said. “We don’t have it yet, but we’re getting it.”
Long bench
An improved relationship among players isn’t the only thing Izzo has to look forward to this season.
Although forward Raymar Morgan has graduated and guard Chris Allen was dismissed from the team, the Spartans return a core of Lucas, Summers, junior guard Korie Lucious and junior forwards Draymond Green and Delvon Roe.
MSU also brings back sophomore centers Garrick Sherman and Derrick Nix, and two freshmen — guard Keith Appling and center Adreian Payne — who Izzo said are ready to contribute right away.
“If there is one thing we are excited about, it is our depth,” Green said. “We think we have great depth so we’re going to use it.”
That depth will be key, especially early in the season, as a number of Spartans are recovering from injuries.
Izzo said former walk-on and senior guard Mike Kebler will miss MSU’s opener at 8:30 p.m. Friday at Breslin Center against Eastern Michigan.
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Meanwhile, Lucas continues to recover from a ruptured Achilles’ tendon suffered in last year’s NCAA tournament, and Lucious will not play Friday because of a suspension.
However, when healthy, Izzo said this year’s Spartans are one of the deepest teams he’s had.
“We can go first team against second team, which is very good,” Izzo said. “But the first team never looks good because the second team is so good.”
Last go-around
For Lucas and Summers, this season is the last chance they have to cut the nets down as the last team standing in April.
Two of the most talented players at MSU in the last four years, they often have been in Izzo’s doghouse throughout their careers.
But this year, Izzo said he has started to see the leadership he’s wanted from them since they’ve been in East Lansing.
“Durrell and Kalin, boy, I’ve been critical of them in that area,” Izzo said. “I think they’re doing 10 times what they’ve done in other years.”
Each a part of the last two Final Four teams that fell short of a title, Summers and Lucas said they are determined to finally break through this season.
“I’m hungry,” Lucas said.
“Getting to Final Fours is great, winning Big Ten Player of the year is great too, but my main thing is, I want to win a National Championship.”
