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Michigan State basketball ranked No. 2 in preseason Coaches Poll

By Connor Muldowney

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 09: Miles Bridges #22 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates after scoring against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the second half during the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at Verizon Center on March 9, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 09: Miles Bridges #22 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates after scoring against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the second half during the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at Verizon Center on March 9, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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Michigan State basketball has high hopes and expectations for the 2017-18 season and they begin the year No. 2 in the Coaches Poll.

We are just weeks away from the start of the 2017-18 college basketball season and the Coaches Poll has already released its fist set of rankings. The preseason Coaches Poll is high on Michigan State basketball as the Spartans come in at No. 2 overall, right behind Duke.

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The Blue Devils are returning plenty of talent, including Grayson Allen, and they’re also bringing in a top recruiting class, bolstered by No. 1 overall recruit Marvin Bagley who reclassified this past summer. The Blue Devils also have three more five-stars, two four-stars and the best coach in college basketball, arguably.

It’s not difficult to see why they’re voted ahead of the Spartans, although Michigan State has more experience on the roster.

In fact, Miles Bridges announced his surprise return for a sophomore year last spring and he will be joined by Josh Langford, Cassius Winston and Nick Ward. Also back are Tum Tum Nairn, Matt McQuaid, Gavin Schilling and Ben Carter. Incoming freshmen Xavier Tillman and Jaren Jackson Jr. should also be major contributors.

This might be the deepest team Tom Izzo has ever put together and the excitement is real in East Lansing. The ranking is released just one day before Michigan State’s Midnight Madness event.

Next: MSU Basketball: Who will make the biggest sophomore leap?

Duke received 20 first-place votes while Michigan State was right behind with nine. Arizona had two and Florida, surprisingly, had one. The Spartans will face the No. 1 Blue Devils on Nov.14 in the Champions Classic.

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