Q: Do you think Michigan State has a chance of being a top 5 team this year with the addition of [Delvon] Roe?
— Eric, Michigan

A: I did, Eric, before the season started. In my preseason poll for NBCSports.com, I ranked the Spartans No. 6, but they haven’t lived up to that or anyone else’s expectations — including those of coach Tom Izzo. Michigan State dropped to No. 13 in this week’s AP poll after a shocking 80-62 loss to Maryland at the Old Spice Classic. And the North Carolina game really was a disaster in the second half.

There is a legitimate excuse. Injuries to Suton and Roe have created a depth problem and Izzo was forced to play up to four freshmen at a time against the Terps. Junior Raymar Morgan was in a funk and scored four points against Maryland but bounced back with 29 against Oklahoma State.

MSU fans should be excited about Roe, but he has had two knee operations and it takes time to return to form. He is nowhere near the exciting player he can become and he won’t be for a month or two. “We can’t leave Delvon in too long,” Izzo said after the Maryland game. “It’s really been a mess with that thing, to be honest.”

Give the Spartans credit for coming back to beat Oklahoma State and Wichita State, but until the injuries clear up and the Spartans are scoring consistently this team is going to struggle to find its identity. No need to panic. There’s a long season ahead.

Q: Is Xavier going to dominate the Atlantic-10 this season? And when is Sean Miller going to get some props as one of the country’s best coaches? It seems like the Musketeers are always under the radar.
— Darlene Ryan, Cincinnati

A: You know what, Darlene? I’m guilty. I didn’t have Xavier in my preseason Top 25 and I should have known better. I think Sean Miller is a terrific coach, one of the bright, young stars of the game. I’ve been watching him since his playing days at Pitt and he has a great basketball mind. I thought it would take some time to replace the Stanley Burrell-Drew Lavender backcourt combination. But the Musketeers haven’t missed a beat. I was very impressed with the way Xavier played at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, especially in that 63-58 victory over Memphis. The Musketeers proved once again the importance of good free-throw shooting. Xavier was 25-for-37 in that game and Memphis went 15-for-30, bringing back more bad memories of the national championship game against Kansas for the Tigers.

Freshman guard Terrell Holloway got off to a terrific start. It will be interesting to see how Xavier responds with Holloway sidelined for the next couple of weeks with a stress fracture in his left foot. But the Musketeers certainly aren’t under the radar now. By winning their first six games, they moved up to No. 14 in both polls this week.

I think Xavier is the best team in the A-10 again, although Dayton is off to a great start, including a big win over Marquette. Look for those two teams to battle it out, but the Musketeers should win the conference crown. Rhode Island has played better than expected, but Temple has been slow to start and Charlotte is a huge disappointment so far.

Q: Does anyone think that Blake Griffin could be player of the year? I do.
— Robby, Ada., Okla.

A: I do too, Robby. When I wrote my top storylines for the season in November, one of them was, “Don’t call the POY race yet.” North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough was a unanimous selection to the Associated Press All-American team and entered the season as the favorite to repeat as POY. But I wrote then — and I have no reason to change my opinion yet — that “there are at least two other players who should make this a heated debate.” Griffin and Davidson guard Stephen Curry are those two.

With Hansbrough battling injuries, Griffin may be the leader right now. It’s early, but Griffin has won the Big 12 POY the first three weeks of the season. Griffin was the Most Outstanding Player in the NIT Season Tip-off, averaging 25 points and 18 rebounds in New York while shooting 59.3 percent from the field with three steals and two blocks. He is third player in OU history to post six consecutive double-doubles.

It’s still early. But that’s an impressive start.

Q: Hey Ken. Any insights or hunches about the next Arizona coach? I hope it’s not Mark Few.
— Tim H., Spokane, Wash.

A: So Tim, you are a loyal Gonzaga fan, I presume? Can’t blame you for not wanting to lose Mark Few. He is a special coach, one who has done a remarkable job in a unique setting. He does it the right way and that’s important. His stock will continue to rise this season as Gonzaga positions itself for a legitimate run at the Final Four.

It’s probably a safe bet that Few is on that list of “12 to 15 candidates” that Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood spoke about on Monday. He told reporters that his initial pool includes only head coaches and according to the Tucson Citizen he implied the list includes “big-name” head coaches. Few would restore Arizona’s image with recruits and give the Wildcats instant credibility again. The bottom line is he has to decide what he wants his legacy to be. Gonzaga plays Arizona in Phoenix next week. Few probably won’t comment, but you can be sure he the subject will come up.

John Calipari has put together a tremendous recruiting class for next season and has said he will stay at Memphis for that reason. Speculation will also center on Pittsburgh’s Jamie Dixon, Villanova’s Jay Wright and Ron Pearl of Tennessee.

In the end, it will all come down to money. Lute Olson turned Arizona into a great job, but the events of the past two years will make it a real challenge. There won’t be many leaks in this hiring process. Livengood knows he has to tread carefully with this hire.

MORE FROM COLLEGE BASKETBALL

College basketball Section Front

What to watch for as season starts Opinion: Kansas tops 2009-10 hoops storylines Thomas, FIU face long odds in opener at No. 6 UNC Tar Heels hold recent edge on rival Blue Devils Baylor freshman woman provides dunk preview Wall goes for 27 as No. 4 Kentucky routs Clarion Beyond the Arc: Missouri literally sleeps at the gym UConn's Dyson, Beverly cleared to play Another round of teaching for Saint Louis' Majerus At Seattle U it's dad taking orders from son College basketball Section Front   Add College basketball headlines to your news reader: