Michigan State Basketball is well-known for its highly talented teams and deep runs in the March Madness Tournament. Tom Izzo has been the backbone of this program for decades. Their roster this season is filled with veterans, but the team still struggles to find a solid rotation and a reliable center.

Tyson Walker, AJ Hoggard, Malik Hall, and Maddy Sissoko are all seniors this year. Their veteran chemistry was supposed to be great, along with their young talent to back them up. Heading into the 2023 Season, MSU Basketball was ranked fourth in the nation. Quickly they fell out of the top 25. There have been issues surrounding the center position with Maddy Sissoko in the starting lineup most of the time. Zavier Booker became a starter at the center position and there have been improvements as of recently.

Michigan State just finished their regular season and will be the eighth seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Looking into March Madness, State is on the brink of the bubble, but will likely make the tournament. As these tournaments begin, Michigan State needs to find a consistent rotation that works and the veterans to step up. Jaden Akins is known to get hot around the arc and Walker can do it all. When these guys hit their shots they can create a lead quickly.

This roster has relied on their defense when their offense becomes inconsistent. Even though it is tough for Michigan State to rebound due to their struggles at center. The veterans like Hall and Hoggard have been lockdown defenders.

Head Coach Tom Izzo has refused to use the transfer portal and we have seen those decisions have a negative effect on the team. Not having a solid center who can rebound has been the biggest reason State loses so many games. Tom Izzo has spoken about the issues at the center position and understands that there are problems. In the last two weeks, Izzo has used Zavier Booker more and that has had a positive impact on the team.

Heading into the March Madness Tournament, Michigan State needs to pick a rotation that they feel comfortable with. Having Booker start at center has had a positive impact on the team. They should never have two centers out on the floor and need to rely on their veterans to consistently hit shots. MSU could be a scary team to face in the tournament because when they get hot there is no stopping them. Izzo needs to show trust in his younger guys as they get more time on the floor. As for the veterans, they need to play with a sense of urgency and lock down on defense. Michigan State could make a deep run in this year’s tournament if they play up to their potential.