0 1 5 , ▁they ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Italy ▁for ▁ 1 1 ▁days ▁for ▁sight see ing ▁and ▁four ▁games ▁against ▁international ▁teams . ▁The ▁first ▁of ▁the ▁four ▁games ▁was ▁a ▁win ▁against ▁a ▁newer ▁Italian ▁professional ▁club ▁team . ▁They ▁followed ▁up ▁this ▁game ▁with ▁games ▁against ▁the ▁Russian , ▁Italian , ▁and ▁Georg ian ▁National ▁Teams ▁on ▁consecutive ▁night s . ▁Michigan ▁State ▁finished ▁the ▁trip ▁ 1 – 3 ▁with ▁a ▁win ▁over ▁the ▁club ▁team ▁and ▁losses ▁to ▁the ▁national ▁teams . ▁Despite ▁the ▁losses , ▁head ▁coach ▁Tom ▁Iz zo ▁stated , ▁“ This ▁trip ▁was ▁as ▁good ▁as ▁anything ▁I ’ ve ▁done ▁in ▁my ▁ 2 0 ▁years .” ▁The ▁high ▁points ▁from ▁the ▁trip ▁were ▁G av in ▁Sch illing ' s ▁performance ▁( 1 7 ▁points ▁each ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁two ▁games ) ▁and ▁Den zel ▁Valent ine ▁who ▁scored ▁in ▁double ▁figures ▁in ▁all ▁but ▁the ▁last ▁game . ▁Er on ▁Harris ▁and ▁Al vin ▁Ell is ▁III ▁were ▁allowed ▁to ▁travel ▁with ▁the ▁team , ▁but ▁were ▁not ▁allowed ▁to ▁play ▁due ▁to ▁their ▁pr ese ason ▁legal ▁issues . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁season ▁beginning ▁in ▁November , ▁the ▁Spart ans ▁were ▁ranked ▁No . ▁ 1 3 ▁in ▁the ▁pr ese ason ▁AP ▁and ▁Co aches ▁Pol ls . ▁ ▁Ex hib ition ▁games ▁ ▁The ▁Spart ans ▁defeated ▁Northern ▁Michigan ▁ 9 4 – 5 3 ▁in ▁their ▁first ▁exhibition ▁game ▁on ▁November ▁ 4 ,