Michigan State Spartans NCAA Basketball Betting
Tom Izzo has been one of the great coaches of this generation, but the past few seasons at Michigan State haven’t quite gone as planned. Four straight tournament berths are great, but just one Sweet 16 appearance and zero years with a seed better than seven aren’t the expectations at Michigan State. It’s safe to say Tom Izzo is reaching the twilight of his career and that this 2024-25 squad could be one of his last chances to compete in March. Izzo lightly used the portal this offseason, putting heavy trust in the players coming back.
Eight players return for Michigan State, all of whom should see the floor this season. Jaden Akins (10 ppg, 4 rpg) is the leading scorer among returners. Akins was hyped as a possible breakout guy going into last season, but his three-point percentage dropped off, and the rest of his numbers stayed about the same. With the three guys above Akins in the scoring column now gone, a breakout for Akins isn’t as much of a hope as Izzo’s squad has to compete at the top of the Big Ten.
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Tre Holloman (6 ppg) returns in the backcourt after a solid sophomore season where he contributed a bit of everything off the bench for the Spartans. Jeremy Fears Jr. (4 ppg, 3 apg) is perhaps the returner with the most hype, showing great potential as a freshman before his season was cut short after being shot in the leg while at home over winter break. Fears didn’t shoot the ball much himself, but averaged over three assists in 15 mpg and that number could double if he finds himself in the starting point guard role. Redshirt freshman Gehrig Normand is the final returner for the Spartans in the backcourt, preparing to play his first games under Izzo after spending a year in practice.
The Spartans’ frontcourt returns their fair share of production going into 2024-25 as well. Xavier Booker (4 ppg, 2 rpg) didn’t see as many minutes as he and many fans would’ve hoped as a freshman, but his impact over the last eight games was something to get excited over. Along with the backcourt trio, Booker is a guy who could break out for the Spartans with lots of production to replace. Coen Carr (3 ppg) is another young returner for the Spartans, a wing with highlight-reel athleticism that could also see a boost in productivity. Juniors Carson Cooper (3 ppg, 4 rpg) and Jaxon Kohler (2 ppg) will both be guys that can give Izzo minutes in the frontcourt, solid backup options at the four and five.
Four players left Michigan State this offseason, all of whom had big impacts on the team’s success. Tyson Walker (18 ppg, 3 apg) gave Izzo three strong seasons in the backcourt after transferring in from Northeastern, a true veteran who won some games by himself for the Spartans. AJ Hoggard (11 ppg, 5 apg) also left the backcourt, heading to Vanderbilt for his final year of eligibility. In the frontcourt, Malik Hall (13 ppg, 6 rpg) ran out of eligibility after five strong seasons at Michigan State, while center Mady Sissoko (3 ppg, 5 rpg) transferred to Cal for his final season.
With so many players coming back, Tom Izzo only lightly used the transfer portal, finding two mid-major guys to bring in. Frankie Fidler (20 ppg, 6 rpg at Omaha) is the big pickup, a likely starter for Izzo in the frontcourt. Fidler was a great all-around forward in the Summit League and the question that will surround him will be if he can make the jump up to the Big Ten. Szymon Zapala (10 ppg, 6 rpg at Longwood) is the other incoming transfer, a Polish 7-footer.
Latest NCAA Tournament Results
| YEAR |
RESULT |
| 2024 |
Lost Second Round vs. (1) North Carolina 69–85 |
| 2023 |
Lost Sweet Sixteen vs. (3) Kansas State 93–98 (OT) |
| 2022 |
Lost Second Round vs. (2) Duke, 76–85 |
| 2021 |
Lost First Four vs. (11) UCLA, 80–86 (OT) |
| 2019 |
Lost Final Four vs. (3) Texas Tech, 51–61 |
| 2018 |
Lost Second Round vs. (11) Syracuse, 53–55 |
| 2017 |
Lost Second Round vs. (1) Kansas, 70–90 |
2024-2025 NCAA Basketball Top Teams
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