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• Where: Breslin Center in East Lansing
• When: 7 p.m. today
• TV/Radio: None; Spartan Sports Network radio, including WJIM 1240-AM and WMMQ 94.9-FM
• Records: Opener for both teams
• Series: First meeting
• Coaches: MSU - Tom Izzo is 336-137 as he begins his 15th season, all with the Spartans. Florida Gulf Coast - Dave Balza is 170-128 entering his 11th season overall, and 135-80 entering his eighth with the Eagles.
• Projected lineups
MSU
Pos. Name 08-09 ppg.
C (41) Garrick Sherman (6-10) -
F (23) Draymond Green (6-6) 3.3
G (3) Chris Allen (6-3) 8.4
G (15) Durrell Summers (6-4) 8.6
G (1) Kalin Lucas (6-1) 14.7
Florida Gulf Coast
Pos. Name 08-09 ppg.
F (24) Derrick O'Neil (6-5) 9.2
F (12) Kyle Marks (6-7) 9.6
F (32) Anthony Banks (6-6) -
G (3) Reed Baker (6-1) 13.4
G (5) Reggie Chambers (5-9) 8.6
• MSU update: Raymar Morgan (ankle) will start when he's ready, but the guess here is that he sits this one out and gets ready for Gonzaga's Tuesday visit. Delvon Roe (concussion) also figures to crack the starting lineup at some point, but he's still getting readjusted after missing some time. Green has been MSU's most impressive player in the preseason. It'll likely be Sherman or fellow freshman Derrick Nix at center, with junior Tom Herzog coming off the bench. Austin Thornton and Isaiah Dahlman are competing for perimeter minutes, and neither made a statement in the last exhibition game. Watch to see how that plays out on a night that should see plenty of time for everyone in white.
• Florida Gulf Coast update: The university was established in Fort Myers in 1991, and classes began in 1997. This is the Eagles' third season of competing at the Division I level. They were 11-20 overall last season, 7-13 in the Atlantic Sun Conference. FGCU brings some U-M ties to East Lansing. Baker, last season's top scorer, was a Tommy Amaker recruit who transferred from U-M after the 2006-07 season. And Balza, who has coached this team since it began competing, is a Wolverine. He was a student manager on the 1989 U-M team that won the national championship. The South Haven native was later a student assistant and video coordinator, graduating in 1991. His team is known for an up-tempo style, which should make for some entertaining action tonight.
• Prediction: Pick a score, any score.
• Make it: MSU 92, Florida Gulf Coast 67
