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Michigan State Basketball: Report card for blowout road win over Penn State

By Connor Muldowney

COLUMBUS, OH - JANUARY 5: Head Coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans asks the referees for a foul against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second half on January 5, 2019 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Michigan State defeated Ohio State 86-77. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - JANUARY 5: Head Coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans asks the referees for a foul against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second half on January 5, 2019 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Michigan State defeated Ohio State 86-77. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 08: Aaron Henry #11 of the Michigan State Spartans dunks in the first half while playing the Purdue Boilermakers at Breslin Center on January 08, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 08: Aaron Henry #11 of the Michigan State Spartans dunks in the first half while playing the Purdue Boilermakers at Breslin Center on January 08, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Offense: B-

This offense is in a bit of a lull of late, but that can be attributed to 21 points per game being left on the bench due to injuries. Josh Langford and Kyle Ahrens are usually good for a decent output on this end of the floor, but they were unable to play — Langford’s fourth straight missed game and Ahren’s first.

Turnover, too, plagued this team as Michigan State finished with 17 to go along with 19 assists. A positive assist-to-turnover ratio is always a good thing, but Tom Izzo will need to see more than 19-to-17. Coughing the ball up that much with silly mistakes will make any head coach lose his mind, especially one who has been preaching the importance of protecting the ball all year.

Cassius Winston turned the ball over a season-high seven times but he did have six assists and 11 points. No, that didn’t quite make up for his silly mistakes, but he wasn’t a complete black hole in his worst game of the Big Ten season.

Nick Ward had a strong game, leading the team with 16 points and Matt McQuaid added 15 points and made four 3-pointers. Foster Loyer, too, had a strong offensive game, going 3-for-6 from the floor and finishing with seven points in 11 minutes.

Michigan State finished with a 49 percent conversion rate on field goals and 40 percent from 3-point range but still, the turnovers and late second-half drought are the reason for this B- grade.

Next. 5 takeaways from MSU's blowout win over Penn State. dark

Michigan State’s offensive lull is good enough to be some teams’ outbursts.

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