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Michigan State Basketball: 5 biggest overreactions before 2018 NCAA Tournament

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 3: Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts during the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Breslin Center on December 3, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 3: Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts during the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Breslin Center on December 3, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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Don’t overreact just yet, Spartan fans. Let’s take a look at five of the biggest overreactions regarding Michigan State, and why you shouldn’t worry.

Everyone loves to overreact, especially at this time of the season. Michigan State fans are no different, jumping to conclusions left and right following a tough Big Ten Tournament loss to top rival Michigan, the Spartans’ second loss on the year to the Wolverines.

However, the team is still 29-4, putting together the highest regular season win total in school history — not bad for a 3-seed.

Bucknell will be awaiting the Spartans in Detroit on Friday evening and it’s not exactly going to be a cakewalk. Let’s try to debunk some of the biggest overreactions heading into the tournament to ease your mind, though.

5. Cassius Winston’s defense could be this team’s downfall

Pump the brakes here. Cassius Winston’s defense has up-and-down, but it’s not something that the Spartans should be overly worried about. His last game against Michigan was arguably his worst of the season — outside of his first game against the Wolverines — but he has to learn from his mistakes and you can bet he’s been living in the film room over the last two weeks.

Stephen Brown of Bucknell is a solid point guard and is going to provide a nice first-round test for Winston. If the Spartans can take care of the Bison and Winston is able to hold Brown in check, he could gain momentum for potential matchups with Syracuse or TCU, Duke, Kansas, Villanova and potentially Virginia, Michigan, North Carolina or Xavier — or some other favorite on the left side of the bracket.

Is Winston’s defense where it needs to be? No, but it has also gotten much better over the course of the season with a few exceptions.

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