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Michigan State Basketball: 5 takeaways from impressive Ohio State win

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 17: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans drives to the basket while defended by Kaleb Wesson #34 of the Ohio State Buckeyes in the first half at Breslin Center on February 17, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 17: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans drives to the basket while defended by Kaleb Wesson #34 of the Ohio State Buckeyes in the first half at Breslin Center on February 17, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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Michigan State basketball was looking for the season sweep over Ohio State and got it thanks to a dominant defensive effort in the second half.

There were some positives and one major negative that came from Michigan State’s 62-44 win over Ohio State on Sunday afternoon.

The positives were that the Spartans maintained that first-place tie in the Big Ten standings with the victory and remained in the conversation for a No. 2 or No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, winning its third straight after a three-game skid two weeks ago.

And the negative? Michigan State lost Nick Ward with a hairline fracture in his left hand. He’s out indefinitely and could miss the rest of the season.

We learned plenty about this team from the win and second-half dominance on the defensive end, but will the Spartans be fine without Ward?

5. Cassius doesn’t need to score big for MSU to win

No Josh Langford? Check. No Nick Ward? Check? No Cassius Winston? Almost. The junior point guard and Naismith candidate wasn’t exactly having the best game of his season, but he was in there for some solid passing and facilitating.

It was fairly obvious that he was gassed in the second half when he was forcing the ball too much and trying to drive the lane and finish at the rim but nothing came close.

Sure, he was getting beat up for most of the afternoon, but he was taken out of his game by Ohio State and made just 3-of-15 shots from the floor, forcing other guys to step up.

Winston’s offense was essentially non-existent all afternoon long and the Spartans still found a way to out-score the Buckeyes 37-13 in the second half. And that was without Ward, too.

This goes to show the team can win games against opponents with a pulse when Winston isn’t scoring 20-plus points.

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