Spain trip is perfect opportunity for Michigan State basketball to grow

For the first time in almost a decade, Michigan State basketball is headed overseas to partake in a tour of Spain where the Spartans will take in the scenery as a team while also playing some international teams.

Tom Izzo has spoken about the trip and the fact that he's excited to see how his team stacks up against these club all-star teams and he knows it's going to teach him a lot.

This is the perfect opportunity for Michigan State to prove itself and to gel as a squad.

Every offseason, we see the Spartans partaking in off-court activities, including the annual Grand Haven beach trip, but adding this on top of everything is going to only make the team stronger on and off the court. These guys coming together for some "exhibition" games and an overseas trip has to help and this could be what helps this team gel quicker and get better together.

It might seem like just a casual team vacation but it's so much more than that and it's an opportunity for Izzo to test some lineups out and see how these guys play together against different opponents.

The Spain trip begins on Aug. 13 and runs a little over a week. Izzo will know more about his team in about two weeks than he does now and the lineups might actually take more shape. We did get a tease at a potential starting five recently, but this trip could help him figure out his center position -- but I have a feeling Szymon Zapala will impress because Izzo likes his European style of play.

Buckle up, Spartan hoops fans, the next two weeks should be fun.