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The Final Four is coming to Detroit this season, and for Michigan State, there's only one goal: get to Detroit.
The Spartans have been far removed from the Final Four, with their last appearance coming during the 2018-19 season.
Now, nearly seven years later, it's time for Tom Izzo and his team to prepare for another grueling campaign and emerge battle-tested when March arrives.
Michigan is the reigning national champion and finally took away the title of "last Big Ten team to win a national championship" from Izzo and the Spartans.
You can tell Izzo is more motivated than ever to get Michigan State back to the top of college basketball.
For that to happen, he'll need contributions from everyone on the roster.
However, it's the experienced players who have already proven themselves that must step up in the biggest moments.
Today, we're focusing on one player I've been infatuated with ever since he arrived in East Lansing.
Cam Ward.
A hard-hitting, extremely passionate power forward who will outwork and outmuscle just about anyone for a rebound.
His relentless motor and physicality made him one of Michigan State's most reliable rebounders off the bench throughout last season.
With an early injury to Kaleb Glenn, Ward was forced into a larger role much sooner than expected, and he responded immediately.
In just the second game of his collegiate career, the Spartans squared off against a highly ranked Arkansas squad.
The two teams battled tooth and nail as each searched for its identity early in the season.
Michigan State struggled to shoot from beyond the arc, knocking down just one three-pointer the entire game.
Despite that, the Spartans held on for a 69-66 victory behind their dominant frontcourt play.
Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler combined for 25 points, but neither led the team in scoring.
That honor belonged to Cam Ward.
Ward exploded for 18 points off the bench while displaying the relentless effort that quickly became his trademark.
He seemed to track down every loose rebound in his area, finishing with a team-high 10 boards to record his first career double-double.
For stretches of that game, Cam Ward looked like the best player on the floor, and it was only the second game of his career.
Things looked incredibly promising.
He continued to show flashes throughout the season.
While he never quite replicated the Arkansas performance, Ward grabbed eight rebounds against Detroit Mercy just a few games later before scoring 11 points against North Carolina on Thanksgiving night.
Unfortunately, a wrist injury appeared to slow his momentum midway through the season as he worked to regain both his confidence and rhythm on the court.
Even so, Ward persevered.
He remained a pivotal piece of Michigan State's success throughout the remainder of the season, all the way to the NCAA Tournament.
In the Spartans' final game against UConn, Ward once again led the bench with six rebounds, finishing third on the team despite limited minutes.
Now, with Jaxon Kohler gone, Ward has a golden opportunity to carve out an even bigger role for Michigan State.
It won't come without competition, though.
Kaleb Glenn is returning after missing essentially an entire season with injury and is expected to compete for the starting power forward spot.
The two will likely split time at the position, while incoming freshman Julius Avent continues to develop and provides additional depth.
Ward will have to earn every minute he gets, but fighting for opportunities has never been anything new for him.
In a recent interview, Ward perfectly summed up the mindset inside the Michigan State program: "The guys down the street [Michigan] won last year..
It's pretty clear.
Like, 'Yo, we ain't wasting no time.
We've got to make it.' And it's in Detroit this year.
That's kind of been the saying around the offices 'Yo, the Final Four is in Detroit.' Last time they went to Detroit [in 2009], they didn't really get the job done.
So now it's like, 'The Final Four is in Detroit, you've got to make it happen.' I think that's the biggest thing with it: you've got to get there." Those words perfectly capture the urgency surrounding this Michigan State team.
The Spartans know the opportunity that's in front of them, and while stars will grab the headlines, players like Cam Ward could ultimately determine just how far this team goes.
If Michigan State is going to reach the promised land and play in Detroit this April, expect Ward to carry a much larger share of the load than he did a season ago.