Starters
Michigan State’s starting five played one of the most complete games you’ll see this season. Even Rocket Watts got into the scoring column for the first time in his Spartan career. But it was Cassius Winston’s inspiring play that lifted the entire team.
Cassius Winston: A+
The first-ever A+ grade has to be awarded to Cassius Winston for his performance on arguably the worst day of his life. If this were any normal game with regular circumstances, this would be an A-game for Winston, but he played one of the best games of his career less than 24 hours after losing his brother. He gets the good ol’ legend bump because, well, what he did on Sunday night was nothing short of amazing. Not many players would dress for a game the day they lost their brother, but Cassius started, played 26 minutes and recorded a triple-double.
Rocket Watts: B
There’s more to a game than just scoring and offense and Rocket Watts continues to impress on the defensive end with quick, active hands. He scored his first five points as a Spartan and had two steals and two assists as he looked solid on the defensive end and made some impressive plays to get his guys open on offense. When his shot comes around, he’s going to be scary good.
Aaron Henry: A
While Cassius had one of the better games of his career, Aaron Henry quietly stuffed the stat sheet and looked like a future pro. He finished with 16 points of 5-of-6 shooting and was incredible on the defensive end with four steals and three blocks. He’s playing to his potential and by making both of his 3-point attempts, he’s going to be a major threat all over the court. He flashed his extreme potential on Sunday.
Thomas Kithier: B+
There wasn’t much else to say about Thomas Kithier other than he may be the most reliable player from inside three feet. He doesn’t miss much around the rim and finished 5-for-5 on the game. He wasn’t just laying it up and dunking, he added three rebounds and showcased his court awareness with three assists.
Xavier Tillman: A-
The starting lineup may have played the best game it’ll play all year with everyone on the same page and only four total turnovers. From Cassius all the way to the post with Xavier Tillman, the Spartans played a nearly flawless game. Tillman finished with a quiet 17 points and eight rebounds with two assists and a block and was 5-for-8 from the floor and even made one of his two 3-point attempts. He’s only going to get stronger.