Spartan Avenue
Fansided

Michigan State Basketball: Report card for 87-74 road win over Illinois

By Connor Muldowney

CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 22: Miles Bridges #22 talks with Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans late in the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center on January 22, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 22: Miles Bridges #22 talks with Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans late in the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center on January 22, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
EAST LANSING, MI – DECEMBER 31: Joshua Langford #1 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates his made basket during the game against the Savannah State Tigers at Breslin Center on December 31, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – DECEMBER 31: Joshua Langford #1 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates his made basket during the game against the Savannah State Tigers at Breslin Center on December 31, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

Josh Langford: B

It wasn’t a bad game, but it also wasn’t one of his best. For the third straight outing, his longest stretch of the year, Josh Langford has failed to reach double-digits in the scoring column. He had nine points and four rebounds and turned the ball over twice with three fouls.

Langford wasn’t afraid to take his shots, though, and that’s all you can ask for a struggling player who can shoot himself out of a slump. He was 4-for-8 from the floor and nailed a couple of impressive contested jumpers — one from 3-point range.

Defensively, he stepped up his game for yet another contest, improving since getting lit up versus Michigan. He was still a little quick to bite on a first step, but that’s better than getting beat to the bucket for an easy layup.

This team is scary when Langford is scoring more than nine points a game and when he’s on, Michigan State is a completely different monster. The Spartans will need to see that side of him soon.

Home/Spartans Basketball