Premature Hoops BlogPoll: No. 9, Michigan State

This week, FanHouse is taking a way too early look at the top teams heading into 2007 with a BlogPoll decided on by our college hoops bloggers. It's a time-honored filler for the off-season, and who are we to buck tradition? Today we look at teams 10 through 6.

In terms of pure talent, Tom Izzo had one of his worst teams last season. And yet the Spartans, despite getting off to a rocky start to the Big Ten season, ended up in the tournament and even won their first-round game.

Don't expect many rocky times this season. With every major contributor to last year's team returning, there's no reason the Spartans shouldn't be a Sweet 16 team, and maybe quite a bit better than that.

The best and most important player is guard Drew Neitzel, who does everything for the Spartans. He's a good shooter, a good passer and a good leader. But he's far from all they have. With a couple of 6-foot-10 players up front in Goran Suton and Drew Naymick and a great rebounder in 6-foot-8 Marquise Gray, the Spartans will have the kind of physical inside presence that Izzo loves.
Why they should be ranked here: They were a good team last year, and everyone is back this year. That's usually a recipe for a big improvement. Combine that with Izzo, one of the best coaches in the land, and it's hard to picture anyone arguing that this isn't a Top 10 team.

Why they should be ranked higher: There's no reason the Spartans couldn't make a run to the Final Four. Every team ranked ahead of Michigan State faces at least as many questions as the Spartans do, although some of them have more NBA-type talents.

Why they should be ranked lower: Sometimes in college sports, the number of starters returning is such a convenient shorthand that we act as though it's the only thing that matters. Just because all the Spartans' players are back doesn't mean they'll be better this season than they were last season.