Michigan State checks in at No. 2 in preseason AP Top 25 for college hoops

0
283
NCAA Basketball: Michigan at Michigan State NCAA Tournament

We’re just less than two weeks away from the start of the 2017-18 college basketball season. One team that is expected by many to be contending for a national title is Michigan State. Led by Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo and superstar sophomore Miles Bridges, the Spartans are among the nation’s favorites.

And to the surprise of nobody, MSU finds themselves very high in the preseason AP poll.

As MLive’s Kyle Austin teases, the No. 2 slotting for Michigan State sets up a big-time early-season showdown between MSU and the top-ranked Duke Blue Devils.

It’s just the third time that the Spartans have been ranked preseason No. 2 in program history, with all of the instances coming since 2010. It’s also shaping up to be the third ever “No. 1 vs. No. 2” game that Michigan State will be involved in, come November 14 when MSU and Duke square off in the latest gathering of the Champions Classic.

Rounding out the top 5 of the AP poll are Arizona, Kansas and Kentucky. The Jayhawks and Wildcats will be the other matchup in the aforementioned Champions Classic in Chicago.

Defending national champion North Carolina checks in at No. 9, while the national runner-up to the Tar Heels, Gonzaga, is slotted at No. 18.

Elsewhere in the polls, joining Michigan State from the Big Ten are three more teams: Minnesota (15), Northwestern (19) and Purdue (20). Receiving votes were Maryland, Michigan and Wisconsin.

The Spartans have one final preseason exhibition this Friday, November 3 when they welcome in Division II in-state program Hillsdale College to the Breslin Center. They will then open the year at home the following Friday, November 10 against the Ospreys of North Florida.

https://detroitsportsnation.com/msu-news/matt-bassin/season-preview-can-michigan-state-live-lofty-expectations/97182/