Spartan Basketball Ranked Sixth In The Associated Press Top 25
10/31/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 31, 2008
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State men's basketball team is ranked sixth in the 2008-09 The Associated Press preseason poll released Oct. 31. Six of MSU's non-conference opponents are ranked, including No. 1 North Carolina (Dec. 3 at Ford Field), No. 7 Texas (Dec. 20 in Houston), No. 10 Gonzaga (possible Old Spice Classic opponent), No. 14 Tennessee (possible Old Spice Classic opponent), No. 22 Georgetown (possible Old Spice Classic opponent) and No. 24 Kansas (Jan. 10 in East Lansing). The Spartans are the highest-ranked Big Ten team in the poll, followed by No. 11 Purdue and No. 25 Wisconsin.
Michigan State returns three starters and six of its top seven scorers from a squad that posted a 27-9 record and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the 2008 NCAA Tournament.
The Spartans will hold their Green-White game on Saturday, Nov. 1, approximately 20 minutes after the conclusion of the Michigan State-Wisconsin football game. The exhibition season opens on Wednesday, Nov. 5 against Northern Michigan. MSU opens the regular season on Nov. 16 against Idaho at the Breslin Center.
