Michigan State Basketball: Report card for comfortable win over Purdue

EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 08: Kenny Goins #25 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates after a second half timeout was called with Foster Loyer #3 while playing the Purdue Boilermakers at Breslin Center on January 08, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 77-59. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

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EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 08: Carsen Edwards #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers passes around Aaron Henry #11 of the Michigan State Spartans during the second half at Breslin Center on January 08, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 77-59. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Defense: A-

Everyone give Matt McQuaid a big round of applause. The senior wing was the star of the game on the defensive end and made Tom Izzo miss Josh Langford just a little less — though having Langford, too, would have been ideal for the team’s depth.

McQuaid had his best game of the year on the defensive end, holding Carsen Edwards to just 11 points on 3-of-16 shooting. How impressive is that? Well, Edwards leads all major programs in terms of top scorers with 25.5 points per game and he hadn’t scored less than 19 points in any game this season. Edwards downplayed the defense from McQuaid after the game, but everyone saw the same thing — McQuaid dominated.

The Spartans held Purdue to just 59 points and only 26 in the first half which is impressive in itself. The only area that held the Spartans from earning an A, it had to be Nick Ward in the post against Trevion Williams.

Michigan State needs a better effort from Ward moving forward as he struggled against Kaleb Wesson on Saturday afternoon as well.

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