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Michigan State basketball: Pros and cons of ESPN’s 2023-24 preseason expectations

By Scott Tolonen

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 23: Jaxon Kohler #0 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts with his teammates on the bench against the Kansas State Wildcats during the first half in the Sweet 16 round game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 23, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 23: Jaxon Kohler #0 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts with his teammates on the bench against the Kansas State Wildcats during the first half in the Sweet 16 round game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 23, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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DETROIT, MI – MARCH 18: Ben Carter #13 of the Michigan State Spartans high fives Cassius Winston #5 during the first half against the Syracuse Orange in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 18, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – MARCH 18: Ben Carter #13 of the Michigan State Spartans high fives Cassius Winston #5 during the first half against the Syracuse Orange in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 18, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Con: High expectations don’t guarantee success for MSU specifically

Yes, early on, Tom Izzo’s 1-seeded teams performed extremely well including three straight Final Fours and of course a national title in 2000.

That disaster season that came after back-to-back Final Fours? They were the preseason No. 2. The next year, they were a 1-seed in the NCAA tournament and lost in the Sweet 16. The next season, they lost again in the Sweet 16 as a 3-seed. The 2014-15 team made it further than any of those teams as a 7-seed.

Surely, a team that has Final Four experience, was ranked No. 1 for 7 weeks on the AP poll and a 2-seed heading into the tourney the very next year would deliver on such high expectations, right? Giddy Potts and MTSU had something to say about that.

Izzo’s best team by regular season wins couldn’t beat an 11-seed in Little Caesars’ Arena. It just seems like lately, Izzo does some of his best work as an underdog, as evidenced by his record 16 wins as a lower seed in the NCAA tournament.

Izzo can take 5-seeds, 7-seeds, and 1-seeds to a Final Four. He can also fail to take 1-seeds, 2-seeds, 5-seeds, and 7-seeds out of the first weekend.

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