NCAA basketball rankings: Gonzaga, Villanova, Virginia headline Top 25

8. Michigan State

This one has almost everything to do with Xavier Tillman. Provided the 6-foot-8 junior returns to school because it’s still up in the air where he gets drafted when the draft commences. He’s a really good player for the Michigan State Spartans, but it sounds like he could do some more convincing. He could be a first-round pick, or he could fall out.

There’s a lot of intriguing players on this roster. Aaron Henry is likely going to return to school, too. He entered the NBA Draft portal, but he’s almost a lock not to get drafted. He averaged 10 points and four rebounds last season but has a lot more in his development left at Michigan State.

Cassius Winston is gone, so that’s a player the Spartans need to replace. The senior became the Big Ten’s all-time assist leader this season. His leadership along with his play on the court will be hard to replace.

They don’t have the best recruiting class coming in next season, but they do have West African center Mady Sissoko signed for next season. He’s been playing in Utah after moving to the United States, and he has NBA aspirations. Sissoko could be a really good player right off the bat,

The Spartans are going to be one of the best teams in the Big Ten, and right now sits atop the standings. The conference doesn’t look as competitive as some of the others across the country, but anything can still happen with talented teams in Ann Arbor and Columbus. They are ranked lower in the overall standings, but they could easily run up the ranks. Michigan State needs to stay consistent all season long.