PG -- MARCUS TAYLOR (6-3, 16.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 5.3 apg, 1.1 spg, 34.4 minutes, .400 FG, .361 3PT, .813 FT) Taylor, like Jason Richardson and Zach Randolph before him, made the leap from the college ranks to the NBA after relatively little seasoning. Taylor played just two years at Michigan State and started only during his sophomore year. He was undoubtedly the most dynamic offensive player on the team last year, and he became just the second player to lead the conference in scoring and assists. But NBA scouts obviously questioned whether he was ready–he lasted until the 51st pick of the draft, when the Minnesota Timberwolves selected him.

"Obviously he had a good year and he had a great finish to the regular season, scoring 34 and 32 points in our last two conference games," Izzo said. "He felt it was his opportunity to go, and it was a tough decision that we're hoping works out for him."

The Lansing native grew up scrimmaging with the Spartan players in the summer, so this will be the first time in a while that Taylor's not been around campus.

"We'll miss his offensive firepower and his ability to score baskets when the rest of the team is having trouble getting it done," Izzo said.

G -- MATT ISHBIA (5-10, 155 lbs., 1.1 ppg, 0.2 rpg, 0.3 apg, 3.1 minutes, .500 FG, .667 3PT, .444 FT) Ishbia was a four-year member of the program who started as a walk-on and never walked off. Izzo lauded his efforts as a member of the scout team, pushing the starters and helping to maintain the intensity in practice. In fact, Izzo said it's possible Ishbia will hang around the program as a student coach during his fifth year on campus. He was the kind of player who is indispensable to a winning program, especially one that battled injuries the way the Spartans did last year.

C -- ALOYSIUS ANAGONYE (6-8, 260 lbs, SR, #25, 7.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.5 apg, 0.7 spg, 1.0 bpg, 27.3 minutes, .500 FG, .000 3PT, .721 FT, DePorre HS/Detroit, Mich.) The Detroit native is in his third year as a starter and his second year as a captain, which says a lot about his role on the team.

"He embodies this program," Izzo said, "in his toughness and his strength, and he's good defensively as well."

Anagonye attended the Pete Newell Big Man Camp in Hawaii this August to help sharpen his low-post game. Last season he finished second on the team in minutes played and was the only Spartan to start all 31 games. He crashed the glass to the tune of 2.65 offensive boards per game, third best in the conference, and he finished second on the team in rebounding average.

This year Izzo and his staff have Anagonye working on improving his offense, both facing the hoop and backing in.

"He's got a good jump hook," Izzo said. "He's just got to take it now. He's another one of my players who's a little too unselfish -- to score, you have to be a little selfish with the ball. We're hoping to take advantage of his strength and skills this year."

PF -- ADAM BALLINGER (6-9, 250 lbs, SR, #55, 11.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.0 bpg, 0.3 spg, 28.3 minutes, .545 FG, .373 3PT, .864 FT, Bluffton HS/Bluffton, Ind.) Ballinger has battled injuries more than his Big Ten foes in his four years in East Lansing. A broken leg cost him his freshman season, a broken right thumb delayed the start of his sophomore season by eight games, and a severely sprained ankle forced him to miss four games in December of last year. He never truly recovered from that injury, but he fought his way back into the lineup anyway and wound up as a third-team All-Big Ten selection as he ranked third in the conference in rebounding and showed off impressive offensive skills.

"He was my hero last year," Izzo said of his two-year captain. "He missed three weeks, but it should have been more. But he improved his body and his game last year, and the confidence he gained at the end of last season will help him. He realized that he can be a player at this level."

He ranked seventh in the conference in field-goal percentage and led the Spartans in free-throw percentage, and his value to the Spartans became readily apparent when they lost four straight games without him in the lineup.

SF -- ALAN ANDERSON (6-6, 220 lbs, SO, #15, 6.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.6 apg, 0.6 spg, 24.5 minutes, .450 FG, .400 3PT, .770 FT, DeLaSalle HS/Minneapolis, Minn.) Anderson made 23 starts last year as a freshman, and although he didn't blow anybody out of the water with his numbers, he was effective in his role.

He shared the team's top defensive player award and played his best in big games. For example, he was on the floor for a season-high 33 minutes and scored 11 points in a win at Illinois, and sealed a late February win over Indiana by sinking two free throws with just six seconds left in a three-point win. This year, the focus will be on keeping Anderson in shape and getting him more than the five 3-pointers he took last season.

"We need to improve his perimeter game and his body this year, to get him in the best shape possible," Izzo said. "He's as good a ball-handler as anybody, and he became a good defensive player last year." And this summer, Izzo reported that Anderson had dropped some weight and added muscle to prepare for the new season.

SG -- KELVIN TORBERT (6-4, 220 lbs, SO, #23, 8.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.5 apg, 0.5 spg, 25.1 minutes, .399 FG, .316 3PT, .806 FT, Northwestern HS/Flint, Mich.) Torbert was another freshman who gained extensive experience last year, starting 26 games and sharing the team's defensive player of the year award with Anderson. While his offensive output wasn't what some experts had predicted, Izzo wasn't disappointed in his productivity.

"He's going to be one of the keys for us this year," Izzo said. "He's got a chance to be a great player here. Again, he's a little too unselfish, and we also need to work on his flexibility. He's strong, but he didn't jump as well or do the things he did in high school. He's also working on his perimeter game and improving his ball-handling."

PG -- CHRIS HILL (6-3, 190 lbs, SO, #5, 11.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.7 spg, 27.1 minutes, .488 FG, .446 3PT, .758 FT, Lawrence North HS/Indianapolis, Ind.) Hill is the man most likely to take over the point-guard duties from Taylor, although like his predecessor, he'll have more of a role in scoring than just distributing. Last year he filled in for an injured Taylor at Minnesota and posted 25 points on 6-of-10 3-point shooting, and wound up with a team-high 21 points in the Spartans' NCAA loss to N.C. State.

Although he started only 12 games, he finished second on the team in scoring. His 66 3-pointers were tops on the team and a Michigan State freshman record, and his 3-point percentage ranked him fourth in the Big Ten.

Hill got a chance to hone his point guard skills on the Big Ten all-star tour of Europe. Hill shared the role with Minnesota's Ben Johnson and Indiana's Tom Coverdale, and he led the team with 15 assists in the six games, scoring 12.6 points a game as well.

This year, look for Hill's role to continue to develop, but not necessarily in the Mateen Cleaves-type point guard style.

"He won't really be a true point guard because he's got such good shooting skills," Izzo said. "We consider him the ultimate combo guard."

G -- RASHI JOHNSON (6-2, 195, JR, #11, 16.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.6 apg, 4.5 spg, Mott CC/Flint, Mich. and King HS/Chicago) Johnson is the only true point guard on the roster, and he could work his way into the starting lineup if Izzo decides to shift Hill elsewhere along the perimeter. Last year he led his team to a No. 1 ranking nationally and the NJCAA Final Four, and led the country in steals.

Michigan State traditionally hasn't relied on junior college players, but as Izzo's program has become increasingly hampered by early defections to the NBA, he's had to adjust. Johnson's background would suggest that he could provide a quick fix at the point.

Growing up in Chicago's South Side, Johnson soon learned how mean the streets can be. At 12 years old, he was shot in the leg when a gunman opened fired on a group of kids playing basketball on the playground. The bullet remains lodged in Johnson's leg. Years later, his best friend was murdered two hours after Johnson dropped him off at home.

Johnson quit school after ninth grade, but was eventually compelled to return when he was spotted playing ball on the playgrounds by a King assistant coach. He was 20 by the time he finished high school, but Johnson was given a chance to continue his career by Mott coach Steve Schmidt. Johnson and Schmidt clashed in the two years the player was at Mott, but Schmidt developed a real appreciation for him.

"He's fearless," Schmidt told the Detroit News. "That's what appealed to me. I love to coach kids who are tough, relentless. He has a knack for making the big shot, even when he's not having a good game offensively. He's a good ball handler. Defensively, he's not going to take a back seat. He's not a finished product by any means. But he'll work hard. He'll compete."

The work ethic Johnson learned while trying to survive his boyhood environment has served him well on the court.

"I love to compete," Johnson told the Detroit News. "The greater the challenge, my adrenaline gets to pumping more. I think it all starts from the defensive end, not letting guys score. That's what I concentrate on. That's what I love to do.

"I know how to win. Whatever it takes. Rebounding, outscoring people, playing harder defensively, getting in the passing lanes, steals, offensive rebounds, things like that, the little things. Taking charges, diving for balls, getting other people involved, the dirty work, the things that really don't show up in the stats. I have no problem with that. It makes the game more fun, more interesting to me."

That kind of talk appeals to Johnson's new coach.

"As he learns the position, his experience and his toughness will definitely help us a lot," Izzo said. "I'm very impressed with his leadership skills on the floor."

C -- JASON ANDREAS (6-10, 250, JR, #44, 2.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.5 apg, 14.5 minutes, .541 FG, .000 3PT, .737 FT, Garaway HS/Sugarcreek, Ohio) Andreas attended the Pete Newell camp this summer with Anagonye and Ballinger, and the Spartans have high hopes for him if, like Ballinger, he can stay healthy. He underwent knee surgery in the offseason, and Izzo says he's now pain-free and ready to contribute.

"We'll benefit from his experience and toughness," said Izzo, who also lauded Andreas' rebounding skills.

Andreas led the Spartans in rebounding in two games, and his field-goal percentage was second on the team. He has a mid-range baseline jumper to go with his inside skills.

F -- ADAM WOLFE (6-9, 230 lbs, JR, #3, 9.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 0.8 bpg, 20.9 minutes, .467 FG, .462 3PT, .829 FT, South HS/Westerville, Ohio) Wolfe was another casualty in the MSU M*A*S*H ward last year. Just 17 games into the season, Wolfe severely injured his right leg against Penn State. He tore the hamstring tendon off the bone, a painful and debilitating injury that will test his resolve to continue his career.

Before he was injured, Wolfe scored in double figures in 12 of the first 13 games of the season, led the Spartans in 3-point percentage and finished second in free-throw percentage. But all that could be for naught if he can't get back on the court this winter.

"The goal is to get him back to play a few minutes a night this year," Izzo said. "It would be one of the all-time great success stories if he can come back."

F -- PAUL DAVIS (6-10, 245, FR, #40, 29.7 ppg, 13.8 rpg, 4.1 bpg, 3.8 apg, Rochester HS/Rochester, Mich.) Davis is the reigning Mr. Basketball in Michigan, and the Spartans have had their eye on him for a while -- he committed before his junior year. He posted a double-double in every game as a senior and is a scoring threat both inside and on the perimeter.

Davis is MSU's most highly regarded recruit: PrepStars ranked him the No. 5 player in his class.

"He's got great skills," Izzo said. "He can shoot the ball and has 3-point range. He must get stronger and learn to defend at this level, but he's going to be an integral part of this team.

"We are pleased to have Paul help strengthen our interior game and yet he also has the ability to step out and make shots from the perimeter which makes him even more dangerous. He is a different player than we currently have because he can score with his back to the basket or facing the basket."

G -- TIM BOGRAKOS (6-2, 190 lbs, SO, #30, 1.4 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.6 spg, 10.5 minutes, .563 FG, .500 3PT, .462 FT, Central HS/Flint, Mich.) A walk-on who carved out a role in the Spartans' injury-riddled rotation, Bograkos is the "prototypical walk-on," according to Izzo. Not blessed with outstanding skills or athletic ability, Bograkos simply outworks and out-hustles his opponents. The Spartans use him to check either guard position, and he scrapped his way to 25 offensive boards -- not a bad total for a 6-foot-2 guard.

"He's a guy every coach wants to have on his team," Izzo said.

G -- MAURICE AGER (6-4, 184 lbs, FR, #13, 24.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 4.0 apg, 2.0 spg, Crockett HS/Detroit) The high-flying Ager has top-notch shooting and ball-handling skills, and he's already won a fan in his new coach with his work ethic.

"I'm as impressed with him as anybody this summer," Izzo said. "He's gotten his weight from 177 to about 184 in the weight room, he's one of the best athletes we have, he shoots the ball well, and he's a glutton for knowledge and for wanting to get better.

"In Maurice Ager we have one of the best two guards in the country. He's a player with tremendous athletic ability and very good ball-handling skills. What separates him is that in addition to being a great athlete, he's also a great shooter. I think this combination, as he becomes stronger and learns the college game, will make him a very dangerous player."

As a junior, Ager averaged 23 points, six rebounds and three assists while leading Crockett to a 23-3 record and a state championship in Class B. He shot 58 percent from the field and 48 percent from 3-point range and 91 percent from the free-throw line that season while earning All-State honors from the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News.

Ager, Izzo's first recruit from Detroit's Public School League, was rated the No. 70 player in the country by PrepStars. ESPN.com ranked him the No. 3 shooting guard in the nation.

F -- ERAZEM LORBEK (6-9, 215, FR, #41, Ljubljana, Slovenia) Lorbek has been a 20-and-10 man for the Slovenian junior national team, and Izzo is eager to see how this still-growing 18-year-old adapts to the American game.

"He's an unknown for us," Izzo said. "He was almost 6-foot-10 when we got him in here, he played very well in the junior world games, but he said he didn't have to play much defense at that level. I've only seen him a couple of times, but I've been really pleased -- he'll be a fun guy to have around.

"Erazem is a typical European player in that he is very versatile. He is skilled on the perimeter and in the high post with good ball skills and the ability to score from outside, much like A.J. Granger and Adam Wolfe. He will have to adjust to the physical nature of college basketball at an elite level, but as Erazem gains added strength, he can become a very good college player."

Lorbek played for Union Olimpija Ljubljana II in Slovenia the past three years. He was chosen MVP of the Hospitalet International Junior Tournament after leading Union Olimpija to the championship and averaging 24.7 points and 12 rebounds.

Lorbek was a member of the Slovenian Under 17 National Team in 2000 and 2001, earning a spot on the Under 17 Championships all-star team both years and earning MVP honors.

G -- JAYSON VINCENT (6-4, 210 lbs., FR, #20, Mason HS/Mason, Mich.) The son of former MSU great Jay Vincent red-shirted last year. He suffered a severe broken ankle in the third game of his senior year of high school in Mason, Mich., and he didn't get clearance to practice until last January. He's worked hard and improved his game to the point that Izzo thinks he'll fight for minutes this winter.

F -- MATT TRANNON (6-7, 210 lbs, FR, #1, 18.7 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 4.0 apg, 3.0 bpg, 2.0 spg, Northern HS/Flint, Mich.) Trannon is attending Michigan State on a football scholarship and he'll join the squad after the Spartans' season is done. He's a tough, high-energy player who was selected the top prep athlete in the nation by Prep Spotlight. He attended the same Flint, Mich., high school that produced former Spartans Mateen Cleaves and Antonio Smith.

G -- ANTHONY HAMO (6-2, 210 lbs, FR, #2, 25.0 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 7.0 apg, Powers HS/Flint, Mich.) Another Flint product, Hamo was a second-team all-state selection by the Detroit Free Press after his senior year.

F -- DELCO ROWLEY (6-8, 240 lbs, FR, #50, 16 ppg, 9 rpg, .530 FG, .700 FT, Arlington HS/Indianapolis) Rowley has a power forward body but a nice touch, as his shooting percentages indicate. He was a first-team all-state selection as a senior and was a consensus top-100 prep recruit last year.

Rowley figures to give the frontcourt a lift with his size and athleticisim.

"Delco Rowley gives us something we don't have and that's an athletic power forward," Izzo said. "At 6-foot-8, 235 pounds, he has the strength and the athletic ability to be an Andre Hutson-type forward. He played on a good team as a very unselfish player."

If Taylor had stayed for his junior year, you'd likely be looking at another possible trip to the Final Four. As it is, Hill or Johnson should be able to fill those shoes -- but then somebody has to step up and replace Hill's points if he becomes the starter at point. Torbert and Anderson have a year behind them and should be ready to add offense to their already sound defensive games.

If Ballinger can stay healthy and the freshmen are ready to contribute, the Spartans once again will challenge for the title in a balanced Big Ten.