Michigan State Picked Second In Big Ten Preseason Poll
10/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 26, 2008
CHICAGO, Ill. - With three returning starters from last year's Sweet 16 squad, the Michigan State men's basketball team was picked to finish second in the Big Ten in a vote by a 22-member media panel. Purdue, which welcomes back all five starters from a team that finished 15-3 in a league play last year, was named the preseason conference favorite at Big Ten Basketball Media Day in Chicago on Sunday, Oct. 26.
Spartan junior forward Raymar Morgan was one of five players selected to the preseason all-conference squad. Morgan, a second-team All-Big Ten pick in 2008, is the Big Ten's second-leading returning scorer, having averaged 14.0 points to lead MSU last season. He is also the Big Ten's third-leading returning rebounder, having averaged 6.1 boards a year ago.
Sophomore point guard Kalin Lucas and red-shirt senior center Goran Suton also return to the Spartan starting lineup. The returning trio accounted for 47 percent of the team's offensive production last season. Overall, the Spartans return six of their top seven scorers from 2007-08.
Purdue swingman Robbie Hummel was named the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year. In addition to Morgan, he was joined on the all-league team by teammate E'Twaun Moore, Michigan's Manny Harris and Wisconsin's Marcus Landry. The Badgers round out the top three in the preseason team rankings.
