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Michigan State basketball: Starting lineup options for next season

By Mike Phillips

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: Aaron Henry #11 and Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrate a basket against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: Aaron Henry #11 and Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrate a basket against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Michigan State guard Cassius Winston (5) and head coach Tom Izzo talk tactics in the second half of a semifinal game of the NCAA Final Four men’s basketball tournament at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Saturday, April 6. 2019. Texas Tech beat Michigan State, 61-51. (John Autey / MediaNews Group / St. Paul Pioneer Press via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Michigan State guard Cassius Winston (5) and head coach Tom Izzo talk tactics in the second half of a semifinal game of the NCAA Final Four men’s basketball tournament at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Saturday, April 6. 2019. Texas Tech beat Michigan State, 61-51. (John Autey / MediaNews Group / St. Paul Pioneer Press via Getty Images) /

After a trip to the Final Four this year, Michigan State is poised to be a preseason favorite next season on the strength of an experienced roster.

Michigan State basketball seasons are measured by Final Four appearances, so can the Spartans 2019-2020 lineup get the Spartans closer to a national championship?

We learned once again that experience is a key to success in the NCAA Tournament when teams laden with upperclassmen reached the Final Four. One of those teams was Michigan State, which reached the eighth Final Four of the Tom Izzo era behind the leadership of junior point guard Cassius Winston, senior forward Kenny Goins, and senior guard Matt McQuaid.

Goins and McQuaid are now done with their Spartans’ careers, but the pieces are still in place for Michigan State to make another deep tournament run next season. Winston should be back in the fold to run the offense, and he should be joined by Nick Ward up front. Michigan State should be a preseason top 3-5 team.

The pair of juniors should get back one of their key running mates as well with guard Joshua Langford due back from a significant injury. Langford, one of the Spartans’ best scorers, was lost for the year early in conference play due to injury and his return should bolster an offense that went cold in a Final Four loss to Texas Tech.

Izzo also tried taking some big swings on the recruiting trail, but he came up short of landing the biggest prize, big man Vernon Carey Jr, who ended up at Duke. Despite that, Izzo still has a solid class coming to East Lansing and a veteran lineup to ease the pressure on the incoming freshmen.