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
4 of 6
Next
CHAMPAIGN, IL – JANUARY 22: Michael Finke #43 of the Illinois Fighting Illini loses the ball while shooting against Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans at State Farm Center on January 22, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL – JANUARY 22: Michael Finke #43 of the Illinois Fighting Illini loses the ball while shooting against Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans at State Farm Center on January 22, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

Nick Ward: C+

Where was Nick Ward all night? The sophomore forward finished with just 13 minutes, scoring seven points and grabbing just two rebounds. He was essentially non-existent, but it didn’t seem to matter as Jaren Jackson Jr. was carrying the load in the post.

Ward has had a couple of games like this during his sophomore campaign and it’s difficult to tell whether he’s in Tom Izzo’s doghouse for some missed assignments on defense, if he was gassed or if he was just not playing as well as some guys off the bench.

Although he was scoreless in the first half with no rebounds, he woke up a bit early in the second half to help Michigan State pull away. He scored seven on 3-of-4 shooting but made just one of his three free throw attempts.

Overall, not a productive game from a guy coming off his fifth double-double of the season and you have to wonder why he didn’t play more than 15-20 minutes against Illinois, a team which he would normally dominate.

Home/Spartans Basketball