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Michigan State Basketball: Final player grades for 2017-18 season

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 4: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts during the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Breslin Center on January 4, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 4: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts during the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Breslin Center on January 4, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 19: Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates his made basket late in the second half during a game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Breslin Center on January 19, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 19: Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates his made basket late in the second half during a game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Breslin Center on January 19, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

B. . PF. Sophomore. NICK WARD

It was a tale of two halves for Nick Ward. The first half of the season had All-Big Ten first-team written all over it. He was scoring 15-20 points with regularity and had multiple 15-rebound games, but then Big Ten play hit.

Ward was still effective during Big Ten action, but his minutes decreased because of foul trouble and he was also struggling on the defensive end. He finished with just one 20-plus minute game in the final 11 on the season, including the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament. Not exactly what you’d expect from a starting All-Big Ten caliber big.

The sophomore forward did finish the season by making 65 percent of his shots from the floor and averaging 12.4 points. Although his points per game went down from his freshman numbers, his rebounds and shooting percentages went up. He grabbed 7.1 rebounds per game as opposed to 6.5 last year and shot 65 percent as opposed to 59 percent last year.

Moreover, he became a slightly better free throw shooter than he was as a freshman, making 62 percent — up nearly a percentage point. He also blocked 47 shots this season, putting him over 100 for his Spartan career.

Right now, he’s contemplating making the jump to the professional level, but if he returns, he could rebound from a slightly disappointing finish to his 2017-18 campaign.

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