The Michigan State men's basketball team has one request this week.

"If we're going to come all the way over there to play this game, the least you guys can do is provide us some nice weather," MSU coach Tom Izzo said.

It was 25 degrees and snowing at the MSU campus in East Lansing, Mich., yesterday.

But when it comes to the Spartans' basketball program, the outlook always seems to be sunny.

MSU is ranked No. 4 this week. The University of Hawai'i will host the Spartans tomorrow at the Stan Sheriff Center at 1:05 p.m. in the season opener for both teams.

For the Spartans, this "side trip" is expected to start their annual march to March Madness.

"Adding Hawai'i to the schedule probably wasn't the smartest thing," Izzo said. "But we feel like it's something that will really help us because Hawai'i is a very good team."

The Spartans agreed to play the Rainbow Warriors because they were already going to Maui to participate in next week's EA Sports Maui Invitational.

"I guess we'll find out if we've bitten off more than we can chew," Izzo said. "But regardless of what happens, these kinds of tests will become a point of reference for us for the rest of the season."

At MSU, the rest of the season lasts longer than most teams. While most teams set a goal of reaching the NCAA Tournament, the Spartans achieve to win it.

They are that good.

The Spartans are the only team to advance the NCAA Final Four in four of the past seven seasons. They finished 26-7 last season, losing to eventual national champion North Carolina in the Final Four.

The Sporting News magazine picked them No. 1 in the preseason.

"I think the expectations help us out," senior center Paul Davis said. "It's not like we're a secret. I think a lot of people expected us to be ranked high because of last year. That only makes us a better team because we know every team we play will be after us. We have to play our best every game."

Davis is one of four starters returning from last season's team. The others are point guard Drew Neitzel, and wing guards Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager.

"It's going to be an interesting year because we have some kids back who have been to Final Fours, but we also have another five or six who are new to the team and clueless as to what it takes to get there," Izzo said. "We somehow need to blend the two parts."

MSU's starting five could be spectacular this season, but Izzo is concerned about a lack of depth behind them.

"We have the talent and some experience in the main guys, but what we can come up with after that is the question," he said.

But the starters may be good enough to carry the team.

Davis is an All-America candidate, and the trio of Neitzel, Brown and Ager was picked as the best backcourt in the nation by Lindy's College Basketball magazine.

Davis, who is 6 feet 11 and 270 pounds, averaged 12.3 points and 8.0 rebounds per game last season. In the NCAA Tournament, his numbers increased to 14.3 points and 11.6 rebounds per game.

Ager led the Spartans in scoring last season with 14.1 points per game, and Brown is considered the team's best athlete.

MSU led the Big Ten Conference in scoring last season with 78 points per game, and Izzo said the team will continue to play an up-tempo style.

"We're going to do what we do best, and that's what we do best," he said.

Davis added: "I think it's a great system, especially for us big men. Not too many big men can run the floor with us, so we like it."

Tomorrow's game is being played in the afternoon so the Spartans can attend a Maui Invitational banquet tomorrow night. This year's Maui field includes four top 10 teams (No. 3 Connecticut, No. 4 Michigan State, No. 9 Gonzaga and No. 10 Arizona).

"We know better than to look past this first game," Davis said. "People around the nation might not know that Hawai'i is a good team, but we know about them."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.