To return to the NCAA tournament, a team needs contributions from both returning players and incoming recruits. Here's a look at Michigan State and its chances of dancing again in 2016.
Quick references:
Possible 2015-16 starting five:
G: Eron Harris
F: Javon Bess
Who is lost: The Spartans lose two of their three leading scorers. Travis Trice has had an excellent senior season and was one of the team's leading scorers while Branden Dawson was practically the team’s only inside presence. His scoring and rebounding will be sorely missed.
Who is added: Harris has been the Spartans' best player in practice for most of the season. His ability to score and create is one thing that has been missing from this season’s team. His impact should be huge next season. Davis (No. 16 in the ESPN 100) was a very important recruit for Coach Izzo & Co. With Dawson graduating, they need someone to step into that role. Davis is not quite the low-post presence that Dawson has been, but he has better physical tools (size and length) and a tremendous upside. Kyle Ahrens is a tough, athletic shooter from Ohio and Matt McQuaid is an even better shooter from Texas.
What it means for next season: MSU will have a chance to be better next season. The Spartans replace Trice and Dawson with Harris and Davis, who are both more physically talented than their predecessors. Valentine became an impact player this season, and all of the Spartans' other role players return. If Davis can come close to Dawson's impact and production, the Spartans could be a better team in 2015-16.
Trending: Level: Coach Izzo will have a couple of wild cards in Harris and Davis. The team's success will be predicated on how well it assimilates and then becomes productive. The Spartans should at least be as successful as this season's team.