The Fast and The Furious: The '08-'09 MSU Spartans

They're fast, they're flexible, and man, are they frightening. In two preseason games, they have scored over 110 points each, while allowing no more than 70 points each.

The main reason for this is their new-found ability to run the court like never before. Even with Drew Neitzel (who was one hell of a point guard), coach Tom Izzo could never really push the floor like this team.

The old guard is led by junior Travis Walton. Walton is fast, smart, and good with the ball, collecting five assists to one turnover. Raymar Morgan is emerging more and more as an inside threat with the ability to knock down three pointers and mid-range jumpers, shooting 62 percent and is perfect on all three 3-point attempts. Basically, he's Jason Richardson, Jr, only, if possible, a little faster.

The newcomers are led by sophomore Durrell Summers. Summers has exploded the past two games, scoring 30 in the first and 18 in the second, with shooting percentages of 78.5 percent (only three misses, two from the three point line) and 58.3 percent, respectively. Freshman Delvon Roe has been a defensive force with two blocks and five steals and six total points. Keep in mind, he's still feeling the effects of a knee injury, but is expected to be full strength by December.

As a team, the Spartans have forced 32 turnovers, blocked 10 shots, and are shooting 60 percent from the field, resulting in 230 points. Most of those turnovers came from suffocating full-court pressure that forced multiple five-second violations (waiting longer than five seconds to in-bound the ball) and numerous steals off the in-bounds pass. A fair few of those points came off fast breaks and easy penetration.

I would be remiss if I didn't point out that this is only the preseason. It's likely that MSU will not be able to pressure the offense like it has so far against a good team, since doing so leaves men wide open near the basket. It's likely MSU will not be able to penetrate as well, nor will they get as many fast breaks.

However, if MSU is only half as effective as they've been, they will be a force to reckon with. With the rest of the Big Ten in a mostly off year (with the only notable exception of Purdue), MSU should handle that part of the schedule with relative ease.

With the Final Four being played in The Palace of Auburn Hills (Detroit, MI), Izzo has extra motivation to push his team hard. When asked about how many games he figures on winning this year, Izzo replied, "When you've been here as long as I have, winning games doesn't do anything for me anymore, winning National Championships does."

With next year's recruiting class as good as it is, and with the current team being as talented as they are, it would not surprise me to see another NCAA Championship banner hanging from the rafters of the Breslin Center within the next two years.