Michigan State ranked No. 4 in preseason AP Poll
Michigan State enters the 2023 campaign with high expectations, as reflected by its No. 4 ranking in the preseason AP Poll, which was released Monday. Only Kansas, Duke and Big Ten-foe Purdue rank higher than the Spartans.
This is Michigan State’s highest preseason ranking since the 2019-20 season, when it began the year ranked No. 1 in the country.
With four of five starters back from a Sweet 16 run and a freshman class ranked sixth in the nation, Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo feels good about his team heading into the season opener against James Madison on Nov. 6.
Izzo appreciates that his team is once again ranked among the nation’s elite.
“When people have asked me the question of, do you like that? I always say no, I love it,” Izzo said of Michigan State’s preseason expectations. “We’re not 1997, we’re 2023 and the program has earned the right to be considered a quality program. So, if it’s not ranked there, that upsets me more. I did not appreciate not being ranked even though we deserved not been ranked for a couple of years.
“I didn’t sleep any better knowing there’s no pressure on because there’s pressure on here every single day and there should be pressure on here every single day. So, I’m like my players, we’re looking forward to the challenge. We’re looking forward to living up to expectations.”
Three Big Ten teams are ranked inside the Top 25, with Purdue at No. 3, Michigan State at No. 4 and Illinois at No. 25. Wisconsin, Maryland and Indiana also received votes.
Michigan State will play six games this season against preseason Top 25 teams, as well as one exhibition contest against No. 9 Tennessee on Oct. 29 at 3:30 p.m. at the Breslin Center.
The Spartans will then take on No. 2 Duke at the United Center in Chicago on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. That’s followed by a non-conference game against No. 12 Arizona in Palm Springs, Calif., on Nov. 23 at 4:30 p.m.
No. 20 Baylor will play the Spartans at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. Michigan State will play No. 25 Illinois twice during conference play, as well as No. 3 Purdue one time at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind., on March 2.
