FanHouse NCAA Hoops BlogPoll: No. 5, Michigan State Spartans

This week, FanHouse is taking a look at the top teams heading into 2008 with a preseason BlogPoll decided on by our college hoops bloggers. To help with the team capsules, we've brought in some of the top fan bloggers around the internets to give us insights on their teams.

For the Michigan State Spartans, Opie from SpartyMSU provides the details on a Spartan squad that enters the season once more with high expectations and a difficult non-conference schedule to test the squad early.

The Spartans are picked second in the Big Ten and ranked fifth or sixth (AP / Coaches) nationally. They surely will be in the March Madness tourney again, and hope to do better than last year when they made it to the Sweet 16 in NCAA tourney, but were beaten by a very physical Memphis squad.

They did graduate key players last year (Drew Naymick and Drew Neitzel), but they have the pieces to fill in behind them. Tom Izzo returns most of his guys, and is just reloading with talent and more depth. This team will add to Michigan State and Coach Izzo's resume of 11 straight years of NCAA Tourney play, seven years of Sweet 16 or better, and four Final Four appearances.
Why they should be ranked here:

Despite the loss of key players to graduation, the team has plenty of returning talent and leaders. The Spartans bring back Raymar Morgan (F - preseason Wooden candidate), Goran Suton (C), Travis Walton (G), Kalin Lucas (G), Marquise Gray (F), Chris Allen (G), Durrell Summers (G), Korie Lucious (G), Isaiah Dahlman (G), Idong Ibok (C), Tom Herzog (C) and Austin Thornton (F), plus add to the mix a very athletic Delvon Roe (F) and have additional talent in Draymond Green (F). Izzo will rotate eight players, maybe as many as 10. With this mix, the Spartans will run an up-tempo game and can go either big or small. These guys love playing "D", and don't forget about being deadnuts at the stripe. Experience and Depth is how they will Roll in East Lansing again this year.

The Spartan Schedule is a meat grinder. The preseason includes Maryland, North Carolina, Texas, and possibly Gonzaga or Oklahoma State in a tourney. All of this is designed to help the team get ready for a Final Four appearance in Detroit in March.

Why they should be ranked higher:

Depth, Depth, and more Depth. Even with a couple injuries, the Spartan will manage to rotate enough in until we can get guys back. Even going up against heavyweights early on like North Carolina and Texas.

The team is headed by (PG) Kalin Lucas, it's clearly his team, which he inherits from Drew Neitzel. This kid is a leader, and fast to the basket. These guys know each other well. If there's one thing Izzo does, it is recruit for "team fit", along with everything else. They like playing together, and that means a ton. The Spartans will end the year ranked higher then where they started.

Why they should be ranked lower:

Injuries are mounting early, and it's barely a week into the season. Recently even Suton has been limping, and Lucas has a sore ankle. The Spartans are deep enough to survive a few injuries during the season, but if the injuries mount ... well, unless we stay healthy, so that there is enough of a rotation to keep the starters fresh and we maintain the bench support and scoring that has been a cornerstone for years, then it's up in the air at that point.

A fine job by Opie. You can read more of his unbridled optimism on the Spartan season at SpartyMSU.