Michigan State Basketball: Projected starters, bench for 2017-18 season

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Mar 19, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Nick Ward (44) reacts during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

Michigan State basketball’s 2016-17 season ended slightly earlier than hoped, but here’s who will start next season for the Spartans.

Starting the season as the No. 12 team in the country was surprising even for Michigan State basketball fans who had just heard the news of Gavin Schilling’s potential season-ending injury. Before that, it was UNLV-transfer Ben Carter who was ruled out for a lengthy period of time.

However, the Spartans still played well against teams like Arizona, Wichita State and Duke, but headed into conference play with a mediocre record. They battled all Big Ten season long to finish with a 10-8 record and were 18-13 before a Big Ten Tournament win, and loss.

It may have been one of Tom Izzo’s most underwhelming seasons, but his team fought hard to overcome injuries and playing four freshmen prominently to win 20 games. Not bad for a down year. It’s now time to look toward next season, and the future is bright.

Let’s take a look at what the starting rotation could look like next season, including who I believe will end up committing to Michigan State and a potential returning star.

Point Guard: Cassius Winston, Sophomore

Mar 17, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Cassius Winston (5) dribbles during the first half against the Miami Hurricanes in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports /

Cassius Winston needs to start next season. I mean, if he doesn’t then there’s some explaining that needs to be done on Izzo’s part. The freshman point guard was clearly the most effective at the position, over Tum Tum, and he sparks the offense more often than not.

Also, if Sunday’s game against Kansas was any indication, Winston has improved defensively throughout the season. That was his biggest weakness early on, but he did a fine job against Frank Mason III, which surprised some folks.

Winston was second in the Big Ten in assists even though he was considered the backup point guard and he averaged 6.7 points per game. His field goal percentage melted down to 42 by the end of the season, but he did make about 38 percent of his threes and has a decent shot. His struggles were due to that all-familiar freshman wall that every first-year player seems to hit.

Next year, the offense should be in the hands of Winston.

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