Michigan State Basketball: Complete Roster, Season Preview for 2014-15 Spartans

Another year, another opportunity to compete for a Big Ten championship and another year to make a mad dash through March and April—that’s always the mode of operation for coach Tom Izzo, who’s been to six Final Fours and won a national title while roaming the sidelines at Michigan State.

The 2014-15 Spartans aren’t exactly loaded, but they’re definitely an Izzo team—meaning that regardless of perception, it has the necessary components to overachieve. With the addition of transfer Bryn Forbes, Izzo’s respectable mix of Branden Dawson, Denzel Valentine and Travis Trice has what it takes to rumble its way to the top of the Big Ten standings, despite losing Adreian Payne, Gary Harris and Keith Appling to the pro ranks.

Michigan State opens its season Nov. 14 by taking on Navy at the Quicken Loans Veterans Classic in Annapolis, Maryland. That’s where it all starts. And if history has anything to say, the ride will either end in national glory or sometime in late March.

Key Newcomers

Al Goldis/Associated Press

"Tum Tum" and Marvin Clark starred together at Sunrise Christian in Wichita, Kansas.

Bryn Forbes

The transfer from Cleveland State is a Lansing native, which gives him instant hometown credibility—he used to run the court with Denzel Valentine, a good friend, at Sexton.

At 6’3” and 175 pounds, the junior is built to score. However, adding a few pounds would help him survive the rigors of the Big Ten, a notoriously physical conference.

Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn

The Bahaman speedster seems to be cut from a familiar mold, already drawing comparisons to Mateen Cleaves, a cherished star that helped the Spartans win the 2000 national championship.

Although just 5’10” and 170 pounds, Nairn, a true frosh, is no mini-mite; he plays bigger than his stature, and that’s precisely why he’s worth keeping tabs on throughout the season. “Tum Tum” may end up surprising a few people.

Javon Bess

Izzo’s 2014 recruiting class flew under the radar—but that’s OK, because Bess, a 6’5”, 205-pound winger, could help change that perception. Nairn may be the headliner, but Bess has impressed during preseason workouts.

Due to his combination of length and versatility, he could make a near-instant impact for the Spartans, who are in need of a slashing, shooting and rebounding small forward.

Marvin Clark

He’s 6’6” and 225 pounds now—but imagine Clark at season’s end, as another 10 pounds of muscle and a tuning up of fundamentals are definitely in his future; the freshman power forward has been a monster in the weight room and debuted with seven points and three rebounds in MSU's first exhibition game. 

“Once he figures out how to use his body, how to use his strength, he’s going to be scary. Really scary,” Branden Dawson said of Clark, per Joe Rexrode of the Detroit Free Press. “He really doesn’t know how to use his body and strength.” 

Key Returners

Al Goldis/Associated Press

Branden Dawson's back for his senior year, which is good news for Michigan State.

Branden Dawson

The 6’6”, 225-pound senior winger/forward is primed to do damage. In 2014, he burst through the tournament with 20-point-plus efforts, giving Spartans fans at glimpse at his truly dominant ways. However, he hasn’t always been steady, so the obvious theme of the year is “consistency” for the former blue-chip recruit.

Travis Trice

Izzo relies on his point guards, so this season promises to be one of great responsibility for the 6’0”, 170-pound senior. While not ideal in size, Trice has the necessary knowledge and leadership ability to steer the ship in the right direction.

Denzel Valentine

The 6’5”, 220-pound junior is one of the most versatile players in the Big Ten—maybe even in the country. Whether at the point or at the 4, Valentine can do everything—and Izzo will probably ask that of him this year as the Spartans recuperate from the losses of Payne, Appling and Harris, not to mention the dismissal of sharpshooter Kenny Kaminski, who was booted in the summer for not following rules.

Matt Costello

The 6’9”, 245-pound junior must anchor the middle for the Spartans, who lacked Izzo’s trademarked toughness in the paint this past season. He’s shown glimpses of dominance, but he hasn’t been reliably consistent. If he develops into a true menace on the boards and in the paint, Michigan State should have little trouble banging in March.

Roster and Projected Rotation

USA TODAY Sports

Denzel Valentine may be a junior by class, but he's a senior by virtue of great leadership.

Michigan State’s full roster can be found here, via ESPN. It serves as the guide for heights, weights and class.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG: Travis Trice

SG: Bryn Forbes

SF: Denzel Valentine

PF: Branden Dawson

C/F: Matt Costello

Key Bench Players

Gavin Schilling, a 6’9”, 240-pound sophomore forward, is still learning the ways of the Big Ten, but his Euro-finesse style could translate into smooth production. He played 6.4 minutes per game in 2013-14, so let's say he's due for an increase. 

Alvin Ellis, a 6’4”, 205-pound guard/wing, is also expected to contribute minutes—and points. He's a scorer. 

Lourawls Nairn, a 5’10”, 170-pound freshman point guard, will learn the ropes from Trice, but don’t be surprised to see him punch the clock on a regular basis.

Javon Bess, a 6’5”, 205-pound frosh winger, has Durrell Summers-like hops which could lead to exciting shifts for the newcomer.

Other than those four, the Spartans don’t have a lot of experience upon which to rely. But this four-man stable should carry the load while guys such as Keenan Wetzel make cameos.

Biggest X-Factors

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

The Spartans won't worry much if Branden Dawson reaches his peak (and stays there).

Paint Presence

Replacing Adreian Payne won’t be impossible, but it’ll be a challenge—incredibly agile bigs who can shoot, defend and run the floor aren’t always readily available. That said, the spotlight’s on Matt Costello, as he’ll be expected to lead the charge—and take them—in the paint.

He probably won’t threaten for 20 and 10 like Payne, but he certainly has the potential to serve as a cornerstone. But will he? That’s the million-dollar question.

Fresh Frosh?

Scouting the next generation is always fun, and Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn is here—so it’s time to get watching. Will he prove to be the next great point guard? Or will he fail to impress during his first year with the Spartans?

His development will be a key storyline.

The Big Three

Branden Dawson, Travis Trice and Denzel Valentine are the leaders, so the team will go as they go.

Trice and Valentine have been relatively consistent; Dawson, though, hasn’t—and that’s a problem. If the senior forward/wing plays up to his potential, Michigan State should have no problem reaching the Sweet 16 or better.

Add in great seasons from Trice and Valentine, and who knows—we could be talking about one of those unexpectedly stout Izzo teams.

Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios

Al Goldis/Associated Press

Playing like past senior point guards would be the best-case scenario for Travis Trice.

Best-Case Scenario

Spartans basketball followers have grown accustomed to a few things, one of which is buying into and selling hype—it just depends on the year. This season, Michigan State isn’t expected to rock the world, so if history holds true, expect to see Izzo’s smiling face several times during the national tournament.

And if things really get crazy, he could climb a ladder and cut a net.

Now, that’s to not say that Michigan State is a national title contender, it's saying that it has a coach that won’t settle for anything less. But before any of that becomes remotely possible, players such as Branden Dawson and Denzel Valentine must set the tone.

Without their assistance, not to mention Travis Trice’s leadership at the point, running deep into March just doesn’t seem too probable.

Worst-Case Scenario

Well, the bad news would be the opposite of what was described above: Dawson flounders, Trice fails to lead at the point and Valentine just doesn’t complete his expected progression. It’s that simple, really.

If all of that—or part of it—were to happen, an early-round exit from the tournament and failure to snag a conference banner would be the end results.

2014-15 Prediction

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Michigan State should be a top-three team in the Big Ten.

As they appear now, the Spartans aren’t the favorites to win the Big Ten. Of course, that could change come mid-January. But assuming that Wisconsin leads the way as expected, finishing second or third is possible for Michigan State, which has rolled through the Big Ten, 15-3, in the past.

Due to the level of open competition, Michigan State could string together a 13-5 record in the Big Ten before entering March as a team that nobody wants to play.

That’s been the case recently—so if the shoe fits, wear it.

That said, predicting an All-Big Ten year for Branden Dawson seems fair. He’s one of the most athletic players to sweep through East Lansing, and it’s about time that he really showcases his full talent. The Year of Dawson is just weeks away.

Let’s fast forward to March—that’s when Izzo could find himself dancing as a No. 5 or No. 6 seed on his way to the Sweet 16, which would be fine considering the fact that the Spartans just lost a trio of stars.

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan State Spartans basketball writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81