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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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EAST LANSING, MI – FEBRUARY 17: Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans shoots the ball and draws a foul from 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: Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans shoots the ball and draws a foul from 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) /

1. Loss of Nick Ward hurts, but won’t doom Spartans

Panic swept through the fan base on Sunday night when the extent of Nick Ward’s hand injury was revealed. He suffered a hairline fracture in his left hand and would be out indefinitely, hopefully back by season’s end.

Pessimism shined through just about everywhere you looked, and deservedly so.

Michigan State was already down third-leading scorer Josh Langford which left a huge void on the wing and then it lost its second-leading scorer and No. 1 big man. Down two of their top three players, the Spartans will have to forge ahead with a mash unit.

Xavier Tillman is the likely replacement for Ward and Thomas Kithier and potentially Marcus Bingham Jr. will play some big minutes off the bench.

Should fans panic? If that’s what makes them feel better, but the Spartans played the entire second half, essentially, without Ward and out-scored the Buckeyes 37-13. That also meant Tillman and Kithier split time on Kaleb Wesson and he didn’t dominate like he probably should of on smaller guys.

If Tillman steps up and averages about 12 points and eight or nine rebounds while Kithier continues to make his minutes count, the Spartans are going to be just fine over the next few weeks.

Next. MSU basketball: Game-by-game predictions for February. dark

Will they win the Big Ten title? It will take a herculean effort from Kithier and Tillman, but it’s possible. Still, this team will have a shot to achieve all of its goals, as shown without Ward in the second half.

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