Michigan State Basketball: 5 takeaways from big win at Ohio State

2. Cassius Winston responded to Tom Izzo’s second-half call

As Tom Izzo was interviewed before he went into the locker room at the half with his team, he looked frustrated. He wanted a better showing from his junior guard who had seven points and a couple assists in the first half, but was consistently getting beat on defense and disappearing on the offensive end.

Whatever was said in the locker room to Winston seemed to work as he came out firing in the second half and looked like a rejuvenated player, scoring 18 points and he finished with five assists and just two turnovers.

Even on the road, Winston answered the call and scored a game-high 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor. He knew the team, which had just given up a lead at the end of the first half to trail by seven, needed him to step up and he did just that, putting the Spartans on his back to victory.

If not for his big second half and consistent blow-bys past his defender to the basket, Michigan State may have lost its first Big Ten game.

Luckily, Winston is growing into one of the nation’s best players and even he knows when he needs to step up and answered Izzo’s call in a big way.