A Season so Far, the Michigan State Spartan Basketball Team in 2006-07

The state of the men's Michigan State basketball team was a major question coming into the 2006-07 season. Three players were lost to the NBA draft: Paul Davis, Maurice Ager, and Shannon Brown. The scoring, rebounding, and speed combinations of the Spartans had left.

Experienced players like Drew Neitzel and Travis Walton were asked to step up. The younger players in terms of minutes played - namely Goran Sutton and Drew Naymick - were to be stalwarts on defense and, hopefully, bring an added dimension to the offensive boards.

Towards the end of the season, Naymick received more playing time, Izzo seeming to see the Soph picking it up defensively with his blocks.

Sutton was usually a hit or miss throughout the season. At times he would play his European style of play with his extended long-range shots and a good hook. With a jump shot of quality comparable to Paul Davis, he was expected to bring in some points.

The thought was, with NBA draft pick Paul Davis gone, the attack would have to be made on the perimeter. Has this worked out? Yes, in almost every sense. Neitzel's scoring output has more than doubled and it is not uncommon for Travis Walton to get ten assists. There is a freshman who could be credited with the Spartans likely going to another tournament berth.

Raymar Morgan is a major player in a renewed Spartan team. As a freshman, he is averaging over 10 points a game. Not to mention his statistics as of late, averaging 15 a game in the last six of the regular season. While Neitzel was nursing a flu Morgan stepped up. For a freshman to contribute so early in his career must have Izzo reminiscing of the Flintstones (Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson, and Charlie Bell, the players who won the National Championship in 2000).