Tom Izzo didn’t know what he had in a new-look Michigan State squad last November.

The Spartans were juggling a lot of moving pieces ahead of being tested by a deep Maui Invitational field. They posted a 2-1 record on the trip and took third place by beating North Carolina in overtime.

That was an early look at the potential for a squad that would go on to win the Big Ten by three games before reaching the Elite Eight in one of Izzo’s best coaching jobs.

This Michigan State squad is also working through major lineup changes that will be tested in another Thanksgiving tournament. Unlike last year, this isn’t an unranked team going on the road and not a single time zone will be crossed.

The Spartans (5-0) shot up to No. 11 in the latest AP Top 25 released Monday ahead of the Fort Myers

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