Michigan State Basketball: 5 takeaways from rivalry loss to Michigan

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EAST LANSING, MI – DECEMBER 31: Zach Sellers #3 of the Savannah State Tigers and Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans goes for a loose ball at Breslin Center on December 31, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

4. Cassius Winston’s defense needs work

This could be said for everyone on the team outside of Gavin Schilling, Xavier Tillman and Jaren Jackson Jr. on Saturday but Cassius Winston’s defense needs major work. He’s a threat on offense every time he touches the ball, but on the defensive side of the ball he’s been a liability.

Far too often on Saturday afternoon, Zavier Simpson would put the ball on the floor and drive to the hoop, beating Winston with that first step. He just seemed quicker and Cassius didn’t anticipate the movement as well as he should have.

While Simpson isn’t going to jack up five 3-pointers a game, he’s still a threat to make that shot, but Winston should have still allowed some space in order to recover if he didn’t match his first step. He would much rather have Simpson beat him from behind the arc than on a drive and easy layup or floater.

Tom Izzo said it best after the game, it was the guards’ defense that really changed the game. Winston was getting burned to the bucket too much and there was little help-side defense. I’d imagine practice is going to be defense-oriented for the next week with some wrinkles of offense thrown in there.

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