10 Arizona Wildcats vs 12 Michigan State Spartans Player Ratings and Recap

Welcome back to the start of another college basketball season. Once again, I will be reviewing and assigning player ratings following the big games I watch throughout the season. I think this is important as the season continues, and team's enter conference play. I am a huge soccer fan, so player ratings are assigned much as they are in soccer recaps. Team Ratings are weighted based on playing time. A player's rating that played 35 minutes, for example, is weighting heavier than one who played only 10 minutes, etc. Here's the first big game of the season. 
10 Arizona 65 defeats 12 Michigan State 63

Arizona: 7.75

C Dusan Ristic Jr. 4

Despite starting, Ristic only played 18 minutes, sitting in favor of the more productive Comanche. Ristic was just 1-6 from the floor, scoring 2 points and adding 3 rebounds. Arizona doesn't need his size with 7'0 Markkanen in the lineup, and Comanche is the better player.

F/C Lauri Markkanen Fr. 8

The freshman had a good showing in his first college game. Markkanen showed a good inside out game, using his height against a smaller MSU team, and playing the pick-and-pop well, shooting 2-3 from 3pt range. Markkanen finished with 13 points and 6 rebounds. Markkanen also showed good stamina playing 34 minutes. That's impressive from a 7'0 freshman.

G Rawle Alkins Fr. 5

Alkins played the majority of minutes, but was quieting than fellow guards, Jackson-Cartwright, Allen, and Kobi Simmons off the bench. Alkins does look like a good perimeter defender though. He finished just ¼, scoring 3 points, with 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 turnovers. He has better days ahead of him this season.

G Kadeem Allen Sr 6

Allen played well down the stretch to help cinch up the win, but he struggled to find his offense at times. Allen took the most shots (11), along with Jackson-Cartwright, shooting 3/11, and missing his only 3pt attempt. He had 10 points. Allen did look good on the perimeter on defense though, making a nice pairing with Jackson-Cartwright up top. He finished with three steals.

G Parker Jackson-Cartwright Jr. 7

PJC led Arizona, especially on the defensive end. He was very good pressuring the ball handler, disrupting the offense, and forcing turnovers. He had three steals in the game, but his full defensive value doesn't show up on the stat sheet. On offense, PJC could have been more consistent shooting. He was just 4/11 from the field, and a dreadful 1/6 from three. He scored 9 points, and added 3 assists, while turning the ball over twice.

G Kobi Simmons Fr. 9

In the absence of Allonzo Trier, Kobi Simmons stepped up, and was the team's go-to player for most of the game. The freshman showed off great athleticism, and first step, to blow past defenders, and get to the basket with ease. It also helped that MSU didn't really have a rim protector to challenge him. Simmons exploited the weakness at the hoop. Simmons' ability to drive also caused MSU to get into foul trouble early. UA took 27 foul shots in the game, making 20 of them, and Simmons alone was 8/10 from the stripe. Simmons also showed off his shooting ability; he was 2/3 from beyond the arc. Simmons finished the game with 18 points.

C Chance Comanche So. 7.5

Arizona looked like a transformed team when Comanche was in the lineup. He gives them a threatening low post scorer. However, he needs to stay out of foul trouble. Comanche picked up four in just 18 minutes of play. Arizona is a more dangerous team with Comanche playing alongside Markkanen.

F Keanu Pinder Jr. 6

Pinder seems like Arizona's energetic defensive substitute. He played alongside each of the other big men and just did all the little things a coach loves. He grabbed 6 rebounds, played good defense down low, created turnovers, etc. He finished with just 2 points, but looked more useful than Ristic when he was in there.

Team Overview:

Allonzo Trier was supposed to come back his sophomore season, and be the leader of this team. In his absence, and who knows if he will return this year, Arizona could have looked lost against the twelfth ranked team in the country. Instead, they overcame an early deficit to win a big game early in the season. This victory will give the team confidence looking forward. Kobi Simmons looks like one of the best freshman in the country, and should have no ploblem stepping in for Trier. Jackson-Cartwright and Allen look like much improved perimeter defenders, who can set the pace on both sides of the floor. Arizona also have a pair of talented big men that gives the team size, and multiple paths to score. Arizona proved their a top ten team without Trier. Of course, if they do get him back, they could be very difficult to beat.

Michigan State: 6.25

F Kenny Goins So. 5

Goins is going to have a tough task playing the five for this team. He was able to secure 8 rebounds, but he was not bale to stop Comanche and Markkanen inside, or prevent Arizona's guards from driving to the basket. MSU needs to find an answer for their interior defense. Goins also finished with four points.

F M.Bridges Fr. 8.5

Miles Bridges was the highlight of the team. He is a big game player, and really attacked Arizona, especially early. He has an excellent combination of strength and athleticism, which allows him to drive in traffic, and finish. Bridges is a little undersized at power forward, but would dominate at the college level as a small forward, and will be capable of playing shooting guard in the NBA. Bridges was best attacking the basket, where he could finish, or pass out. He showed off good passing ability this game. Bridges needs to be a more consistent shooter though. He shot 9/19 from the field for 21 points, and was just 1/6 from beyond the arc. He also pulled in 22 rebounds. Bridges is a freshman, and Arizona's perimeter defense looked great. So, I will forgive him the four turnovers, especially since his handle actually looked pretty good.

G Matt McQuaid So. 6.5

McQuaid really struggled in the first half before knocking down some shots in the second half to keep the game as close as it was. The sophomore finished 3/9 for 9 points. All, but one of his shots were taken from 3pt range. McQuaid's value is almost exclusively his shooting ability.

G Eron Harris Sr. 4.5

Harris struggled this game, and Izzo limited him to just 20 minutes because of it. Harris was the team's leading returning scorer, and he will need to be a leader on this team if they're going to succeed. That simply didn't happen. He finished with 7 points, and was just one of four from 3pt range. He also had 4 turnover, and no assists.

G L.Nairn Jr. Jr. 5

Nairn is not a big scorer. He finished with just 5 points on 2/3 shooting. He did have 4 assists, while also turning it over 4 times.

PF Nick Ward Fr. 7.5

Nick Ward is going to be one of the key players to MSU's season. There is very little size on the team, which will put pressure on their lone big man, especially since he's a freshman. Ward looked good when on the court. He showed a lot of hustle, and toughness inside. He finished with 9 points, and 4 rebounds, 3 of which were on the offensive end. Ward also had the team's only block. Perhaps, most impressively, he committed just one foul. Surprising since he is a freshman, Arizona attacked the basket, and the team committed 23 total fouls. Ward needs to be playing more than 14 minutes a game.

G A.Ellis III Sr. 6.5

Ellis had his moments, and he seemed like one of the leaders for the team when he was on the court. He made a big 3-pointer in the second half at a crucial moment, but that was his only field goal. Ellis finished with 3 points and 3 assists.

G Joshua Langford Fr. 6

Langford was a top-30 recruit coming into the season. He played only 12 minutes this game, scoring five points on 2/4 shooting, and making his only attempted three.

G Cassius Winston Fr. 6

Winston is another top-30 recruit. He played just 10 minutes, but seemed to have a good handle on the point guard position. He needs to take better care of the ball, turning the ball over twice in 10 minutes. However, he also had 3 assists in a short period.

G Kyle Ahrens So. N/A

Did not play enough to qualify.

Team Overview:

This game showed the Spartans were over-ranked at twelfth. They are going to have a tough time against bigger teams due to their lack of size. Miles Bridges is an exciting prospect. He will challenge for Big Ten freshman of the year, and is the best player on this team. However, there is not enough talent around him, especially if Eron Harris plays as poorly as he did last night. Nick Ward is going to be a key player for this team. He needs to be a starter, and play starter's minutes (20+). He is MSU's only true interior player. I didn't get to see much of Langford and Winston this game, but their development is going to be important as well.

24 Louisville @ 3 Michigan State: ACC/B1G Challenge Player Ratings

Still working my way through the ACC/B1G Challenge. 

24 LOUISVILLE 67 @ 3 MICHIGAN STATE 71

Louisville Cardinals

C Chinanu Onuaku: 4

F Jaylen Johnson: 4

F Damion Lee: 8

G Trey Lewis: 7.5

G Quentin Snider: 5.5

C Mangok Mathiang: 6

F Anas Mahmoud: 6.5

G Donovan Mitchell: 5

F Raymond Spaliding: N/A

Team Rating: 6.38

Louisville was winning for the majority of this fame, despite 65% of their offense coming from two players: Damion Lee and Trey Lewis. They played physical, and were aggressive on the defensive end. They did a great job forcing turnovers (Michigan State had 17), and stole the ball ten times. However, Louisville shot terribly, 43.3% from the field, and 23.5% from three point range, and they struggled on the boards, allowing Michigan State to out rebound them, and grab 17 offensive rebounds, even though Michigan State usually plays a small team. Louisville needs to find a third scorer.

Onuaku was the most disappointing player for Louisville. He has the size to dominate a small team like Michigan State, who only start one player taller than 6'5. He made his presence known on the defensive end by blocking a shot, his only block early. However, as the game wore on he got into foul trouble, particularly in the second half. Onuaku never got things going on the offensive end. He did a nice job receiving the ball in the low post, and backing up Deyonta Davis to score close to the basket, but only showed that once. He finished 1-4, scoring just two points. He also had six rebounds. Jaylen Johnson started at power forward. He was pretty silent during his time on the court, taking only three shots for two points, and grabbing only one rebound.

Mangok and Mahmoud both received more minutes than their starting counterparts down low. Mathiang (which seems less of a last name than Mangok) showed some really good moves in the low post, and also driving baseline. He's shooting 56.3% from the field this season, and averaging 7.5 points. His numbers against MSU fell in line with those averages, 3-6 for seven points. He grabbed four rebounds. All of which, were on the offensive end. Anas Mahmoud has now played 25 minutes in each of his last two games. He shot just one for five, and 0-4 from the FT line. However, he proved to be a versatile defender. Lousiville often used him on the wing, and he even spent time defending Denzel Valentine. He actually did a nice job containing Valentine, and preventing MSU from getting him the ball for a time. Mahmoud ended up with six rebounds, and three of the team's four blocks.

As stated before, 65% of Louisville's points came from either Damion Lee or Trey Lewis. Damion Lee shot 8 of 15, leading the team with 23 points. However, he was only 2-8 from 3pt range. Lee is a good fit for Louisville's pressure based defense, and stole the ball five times. He also turned the ball over four times though. Trey Lewis was just behind Lee, 7-13 for 21 points. Lewis looked especially good in the first half while driving to the basket. His ball handling ability looked good, despite his three turnovers, and finished with three assists as well. I would not mind seeing Lewis play more point guard with Snider on the bench. Both Lee and Lewis look like two players who can lead Louisville into the tournament. However, the pieces around them need to step up.

Quentin Snider is not my favorite player on this team. He plays good defense, especially while pressuring. However, he is not an asset on the offensive end. He shot just 2-8 for four points this game, and had only one assist. The freshman, Donovan Mitchell came in as a sub for both Snider and Trey Lewis. His offensive potential is exciting, and he is a great athlete. He looks excellent in transition, and is capable of driving to the basket. His jump shot needs work, and he missed both of his 3pt attempts, but there is a lot of potential here. Mitchell unfortunately fouled out in just 20 minutes, freshman.

I'm disappointed Deng Adel is injured. He is another exciting freshman, although he was not shooting well through two games prior to injuring his knee. Hopefully he's back in time for the ACC season. The Cardinals need some help on the offensive end.

Michigan State Spartans

F Matt Costello: 5.5

F Javon Bess: 3

G Denzel Valentine: 8.5

G Bryn Forbes: 9

G Lourawls Nairn: 5

F Deyonta Davis: 8

F Kenny Goins: 9

G Eron Harris: 5

G Matt McQuaid: 4.5

G Alvin Ellis: N/A

F Marvin Clark: N/A

Team Rating: 6.88

Michigan State was losing by as much as 13 points in the first half, but they battled, and came back in the second half led by Denzel Valentine and Bryn Forbes. Michigan State also got some surprisingly strong minutes from Kenny Goins off the bench, which gave Michigan State some added size. Michigan State won despite turning the ball over 17 times, not that they want to make a habit of it. They did this by out rebounding Louiville, getting eight blocks on defense, and getting some timely 3pt shots down the stretch.

Matt Costello is a key player for Michigan State being the only starter above 6'5. He is a good asset on offense. He can score in the post, and also make some mid range jumpers. Costello shot 2-6 for seven total points, which actually falls right in line with his numbers for the season, 2.6-6 for 7.6 ppg. Despite grabbing only five rebounds, Costello proved to be a force inside defensively blocking three shots. Javon Bess is the other starter in Michigan State's frontcourt. However, the undersized forward could not get rolling early in the game. He was 0-2 shooting with a turnover despite grabbing three quick rebounds. As a result, he spent most of the game on the bench. Bess is usually a pretty solid player for MSU. He is averaging seven points and four rebounds, while shooting over 50%. However, the team decided to play a bigger front line against Louisvile.

Due to playing a bigger lineup, Michigan State relied more heavily on freshmen Deyonta Davis and Kenny Goins. Davis, a former top-50 recruit, is one of the country's best freshman. He is becoming a dominate post player. He shot 4-6 against Louisville, scoring nine points, while grabbing six rebounds, and blocking three shots. Davis should receive more than 20 minutes for the remainder of the season as he settles in beside Costello in the post. Goins is a gritty and active forward at just 6'6. He played exceptionally well against Louisville, and played quite a bit down the stretch. Goins grabbed 13 rebounds, and scored five points on 2-2 shooting.

Denzel Valentine (and again, I almost typed Washington) has been the best player in the country thus far this season. His performance against Louisville did nothing to change that. Valentine struggled in the first half, but stormed back in the second, and led Michigan State down the stretch. He shot 7-16, scoring a game high 25 points, and was a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line. He did not quite have a triple-double (although he has had two already this season), but he did have five rebounds, and seven assists. Overall, it was a good game for Valentine, especially late in the second half. However, he did turn the ball over four times, struggling against Louisville's press.

Bryn Forbes had MSU's most important performance. He put on a terrific shooting display, going 7-11 from the field, and 5-9 from beyond the arc. He scored a total of 20 points. Forbes does not create his own shot often, but he does a good job getting himself open, and is a great compliment to Valentine. Frobes also had two rebounds, two assists, and steals this game. Lourawls Nairn is similar to Quentin Snider. He plays good defense, doesn't turn over the ball, but also doesn't offer much on offense. Nairn was 0-5 from the field, and assisted twice. On the season he is shooting just 36.1%, and 23.1% from 3pt range. However, he is averaging 4.1 assists, and just 0.8 turnovers.

Eron Harris and Matt McQuaid were the reserve guards for MSU. Harris is a potential big time scorer, but has been very inconsistent this season. He shot just one for five this game. McQuaid is a solid shooting freshman. He made three 3pt shots against Kansas a month ago. However, he has cooled down since then, and is averaging only 3.9 points per game. He did not even attempt a shot this game, and turned the ball over twice. 

Player Ratings and Recap from the Champions Classic: Kansas Jayhawks vs Michigan State Spartans

This year I am recapping games in a similar fashion that soccer matches are recapped. Following a game, each player receives a rating 1-10 based upon their performance. Over the course of time you can see how they are playing in stretches, and how the team overall is performing based upon the form of their players. I think this is an effective way to evaluate basketball games. Especially when, at the end of the season, it is not always the most talented team that wins, or the team that had the most victories during the season, but the team that is experiencing the greatest of run of form. So, with no further introduction, here are player ratings from the ESPN Champions Classic game between 4 Kansas and 13 Michigan State, where Michigan State stormed back in the second half to win. 

Still to come is my recap of last night's Kentucky-Duke game. 

4 Kansas 73 vs 13 Michigan State 79

This was my first chance to see both Kansas and Michigan State this season. I watched most of the game, but was often distracted, and missed the first part of the second half.

Kansas Jayhawks

F Perry Ellis: 7.5

Perry Ellis looked like the best player on Kansas' team against the Spartans. He scored, a team high, 21 points on 9-18 shooting. He was one for two beyond the arc. Ellis only grabbed six rebounds, but three of them came on the offensive end. He became less effective in the second half, making only three of seven shots in the second frame.

F Jamari Traylor: 4.5

Traylor got the start for Kansas in place of a yet to be cleared by the NCAA freshman. He is not a forward with high offensive potential. He averaged less than five points per game last season, while playing more than 20 minutes. Traylor scored six points this game, going one for one, and hitting all four of his free throw attempts. Traylor, along with Landen Lucas, led the Jayhawks in rebounds, with seven. Traylor only played 18 minutes, because he

G Frank Mason III: 5.5

Frank Mason shot a spectacular 43% from three last season. Unfortunately for Kansas, he went 0 for 3 from that range against Michigan State. In all, he went just 5-15, 33%, from the field, and scored 14 points. Despite not being an efficient scorer, Mason contributed in other ways. He grabbed five rebounds, dished out three assists, and also picked up three assists. Mason also only turned the ball over once despite playing 34 minutes, and often handling the ball while Kansas was on offense.

G Wayne Selden Jr: 4.5

Seldon was an even less efficient scorer than Mason. He shot 3-12, although he was better from three, going two for six from that range. Seldon hit a clutch 3pt shot late in the game to take a one point lead at the time, but Michigan State ended up taking the lead back, and keeping it. Seldon scored twelve points total in the game. Seldon was not much of an asset defensively this game, and he turned the ball over twice.

G Devonte' Graham: 4

Graham seemed to disappear for long stretches. He ended up shooting just one for nine, and missed all four of his 3pt shots. For the game, he scored only four points, and also had four assists, while turning the ball over once. Through two games Graham is shooting only 20%, which is disappointing considering he was expected to become a much more prominent part of the offense this season as a starter. On the plus side though, Graham has averaged only a single turnover through two games, and has averaged six assists.

F Landen Lucas: 6

Lucas was the first man off the bench in this game, and also led Kansas reserves in minutes played. This was a changeup to the previous game when Carlton Bragg led backups in minutes. Lucas only scored two points on one for five shooting. However, he was a bigger factor on the defensive end. He also grabbed seven rebounds, in 14 minutes played. So, he grabbed a rebound every two minutes he was on the court.

F Carlton Bragg Jr: 5

Bragg made a quick impact on the game late in the first half after he made two jump shots in a span of a minute and thirty seconds. Those became the only two shots he took all game though. It's frustrating that Bragg started the game encouragingly, but then became a complete non-factor. Perhaps, the Jayhawks wanted to stay small to better defend MSU's three guards, and Lucas provided better rebounding—Bragg finished the game with zero rebounds. Bragg has the higher upside though, and if he is consistently hitting a mid range jumper, he could become a strong offensive player.

G Sviatoslav Mykhailuk: 5

Myhailuk came in and provided some solid minutes in the first half. The highlight of his night came in the first half when he grabbed a defensive rebound, and took the ball down the court, and finished at the rim on the other side. That was his only field goal though, and went one for four throughout the course of the game.He finished the game with four points, a rebound, and two assists, while playing twelve minutes.

C Chieck Diallo: N/A

I was incredibly disappointed that the NCAA did not make a decision regarding Chieck Diallo in time for this game. This was a game that I, like many others, had highlighted on the schedule, and it's a shame Diallo was not able to participate. I

Team Rating: 5.33

Kansas was playing very well in the first half led by Perry Ellis. Then Denzel Valentine took over in the second half, and Kansas had no answer for him. Kansas did a bad job of defending the inside. They let guards, Valentine, drive inside too easily, and posed no threat protecting the rim. The team blocked just one shot. They were also out rebounded 35 to 45. Despite these deficiencies, this was a game Kansas was in a position to win. They grabbed seven steals, and shot an incredibly impressive 80% from the free throw line. However, the Jayhawks ultimately scored due to inconsistent shooting by their guards, and Perry down the stretch. This would have been a much different game if Chieck Diallo had played. The two things Kansas struggled at most: defending the interior and rebounding, are what Diallo excels at.

Michigan State Spartans

F Matt Costello: 6.5

Michigan State is not a particularly big team, and Costello serves as their big man. He was not a huge part of the offense, but was a consistent contributor. He scored 10 points, shooting four of seven. He was in foul trouble since picking up a technical late in the first half, and picked up his fourth foul with seven minutes to go, and fouling out with less than a minute to play. However, Costello did well to stay in the game for quite a while down the stretch, and played some clutch defense down the stretch. His only block of the game came with less than a minute to go when he swatted a Wayne Seldon layup. Costello will be a big part of this team as the Spartan's biggest player. Luckily, he should get some help from top-50 recruit Devonta Davis.

F Javon Bess: 6

Despite starting the game, Bess only played 15 minutes. He did finish the game with four fouls, but that should not have effected his playing time too much. He picked up his second foul with about eight minutes to go in the first, and did not pick up a third foul until there was 13 minutes left in the second. Bess is an undersized forward, at 6'5. He blocked two shots, both of which came early in the first, and grabbed only a single rebound, which also came early in the first. Bess scored six points, shooting three of four, and all of his points were scored—you guessed it, in the first half. Bess was not playing poorly, so Tom Izzo must have kept Bess out much of the second half because Devonta Davis and Matt McQuaid were helping the team mount a comback. That's fair. Bess still played well in limited minutes, and should get more of an opportunity in the future.

G Denzel Valentine: 10

Denzel Valentine (funny, I definitely just typed “Denzel Washington” instead of Valentine. Oops.) is staking an early claim to National Player of the Year. He was responsible for Michigan State's comeback victory. Valentine scored 29 points, shooting 10-23, and 3-9 from three point range. More impressively though, Valentine had a triple-double as he also recorded 12 rebounds, and 12 assists. Michigan State made 28 field goals during this game. Valentine made 10 of them, and assisted another 12, which means there were only SIX field goals he did not have a direct hand in—that's 79% of Michigan State's offense.

And this is what a perfect-10 looks like.

G Bryn Forbes: 7

Forbes was primarily just a shooter last season; he shot 43% from three, and averaged just 1.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game. This season does not appear to be much different. He finished the game with zero assists, and just one rebound. However, he does shoot really well, and scored 13 points on 4-8 shooting, and was 50%, 3-9, from three point range.

G Lourawls Nairn Jr: 3

Nairn is technically the “point guard” on this team, but really Valentine runs the offense, because he is a more highly skilled and dynamic player. So, Nairn is just an additional guard who does not shoot well. That is probably why he played only 15 minutes this game. Nairn scored two points, shooting one for five, and dished two assists.

F Devonta Davis: 6.5

Devonta Davis was Michigan State's highest touted recruit coming into this season. He is still a raw prospect on the offensive end, but is lauded for his rebounding, defensive abilities, and athleticism. Davis showed off his strengths in this game, grabbing six rebounds, and blocking two shots. He also scored four points, making one of his two field goal attempts. Davis was shown a lot of trust last night, as he played a lot in the second half, and the ended the game playing 23 minutes.

G Eron Harris: 2

Eron Harris was a standout player for West Virginia two years ago. He averaged over 17 points per game, and was expected to be one of the most impactful transfers this season. That has not panned out as of yet. Eron Harris has come off the bench in both games, and has only averaged 13.5 minutes and 3 points a game. Harris has struggled to score, shooting 27.3% from the field, and has yet to make a 3pt shot, these are the likely reasons he has yet to gain significant playing time for the Spartans. He scored two points, turned the ball over twice, and picked up three fouls in ten minutes this game.

G Matt McQuaid: 8

McQuaid is four-star freshman known for his ability to shoot the three. That is exactly what he did in this game. He scored nine points, shooting three for three from beyond the arc, and 3-5 overall. He also blocked a shot in the waning minutes of the game. The one negative part of his game last night, were the three turnovers he gave up. He will need to protect the ball better if he wants to continue to receive significant playing time.

F Colby Wollenman: 5.5

Wollenman came in and played some good minutes. He had six rebounds, three assists, and scored four points in just 13 minutes. Wollenman was responsible for a team high, three turnovers though, and again, in just 13 minutes.

Team Rating: 6.75

Michigan State did not look like a top-ten team in the first half. However, Denzel Valentine took his game to new level in the second half, and made every one on his team 5x better. He is a special college player, and by far the best I have seen play this year (and I've seen some good ones play: Kentucky freshmen Skal and Murray, Brice Johnson, Malcolm Brogdon, Buddy Hield, Perry Ellis, Cat Barber, Georges Niang, and Trevor Cooney...ha! I was just kidding about Cooney.) The rest of the players on this team are good, but there is no clear number two next to him. Costello, Bess, Forbes, and Nairn are all suited as role players, and although Davis has high upside, I don't think he reaches that level this season. That leaves Eron Harris. Harris showed he could be a top scorer while at West Virginia, and Michigan State needs him to be just that if they want to make a serious run in March. If Kansas had Chieck Diallo this game, I think Michigan State would have lost handedly. So, despite the win, they have quite a bit of work to do. Still, this is a very solid team, and I think they are definitely a top ten team. Right now, I definitely have them above Iowa State and Virginia of the teams I have seen. But, they are probably still behind Oklahoma. I will have my complete ranking of the teams I have seen this coming Monday. So, you will have to wait till then to see where Michigan State ends up.