Michigan State Basketball: Predicting starting lineup, bench for 2019-20

Michigan State Basketball: Predicting starting five, bench for 2019-20 season

EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 03: Joshua Langford #1, Cassius Winston #5, Kenny Goins #25, Xavier Tilman #23, and Kyle Ahrens #0 of the Michigan State Spartans walk on the the court after a timeout during a game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Breslin Center on December 3, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

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MADISON, WISCONSIN – FEBRUARY 12: Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans dribbles the ball while being guarded by Charles Thomas IV #15 of the Wisconsin Badgers in the first half at the Kohl Center on February 12, 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

Yes, I’m predicting Nick Ward returns for his senior year. If he never injured that hand, we may not even be having this conversation. He may have been gone without question because he was averaging over 15 points per game, had an improved jump shot and his confidence was at an all-time high.

Then the hand injury happened and he was forced to press the reset button on his junior season. He returned for the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments but never reached double figures in the scoring column again. He just wasn’t his normal self, and coming off the bench had something to do with that.

If he returns, he’ll almost surely be in the starting lineup and playing alongside the man who replaced him when he was injured.

Ward is the kind of big who can develop a solid 10-15 foot jumper and play his best basketball when backing down defenders, but he needs to shake off the stubborn shots in double and triple-coverage in the post. He gets caught trying to draw fouls and throws up poor shots — he did it a couple of times vs. Texas Tech.

The senior will have a strong final season and average his normal 15 points and 7-8 rebounds per game, with improved defense.

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