ball so hard (Dustin Johnston/UMHoops)

EXTRA EXTRA

With a conveniently-located bye week we took the opportunity to preview the basketball team.

POSITION BREAKDOWN

POINT GUARD. Derrick Walton doesn't have to be Trey Burke to replicate his freshman year stats. Spike throwing it in; Caris being huge?

NOT JUST A SHOOTING GUARD. Drink. Stauskas is jacked. Stauskas is good at the pick and roll. Stauskas needs to shoot well from more places than the corner. Caris also here.

SMALL FORWARD. I believe by midseason Zak Irvin will demand 30 minutes a game, which will come here. Glenn Robinson III will get the rest of the minutes and hopefully be an aggressive monster.

SOMEWHAT LARGER FORWARD. GRIII, McGary, Morgan (who'll play the 4 defensively if he's out there with another big.)

CENTER. Oh man please don't let the back issue be a thing.

OVERALL

Michigan State is CLEARLY the favorite, says Ace. This leads to a conversation about the nature of clarity and almost gets Ace to throw his shoe at me. I say two-seed in the tourney.

TALKING BIG TEN WITH JOHN GASAWAY

Always a privilege to talk with Big Ten Wonk. This is Iowa's year to break through! No, seriously. This time. Indiana fall off, Michigan State CLEARLY the favorite.

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