Michigan State Basketball: 3 takeaways from blowout win over Illinois

EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 2: Aaron Henry #11 of the Michigan State Spartans goes to the basket against Giorgi Bezhanishvili #15 and Alan Griffin #0 of the Illinois Fighting Illini during the first half at Breslin Center on January 2, 2020, in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

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EAST LANSING, MI – DECEMBER 21: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans looks on in the first half against the Eastern Michigan Eagles at Breslin Center on December 21, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

2. Cassius Winston is just fine after all

There was some worry that ensued after Cassius Winston was ruled out against Western Michigan and he was probable before tip-off and he took the floor with no true injury concerns.

Clearly Tom Izzo rested Cassius as the most precautionary measure as possible. He didn’t show any signs of being slowed against the Illini and finished with a game-high 21 points and six assists with just two turnovers. He saw the floor well and wasn’t afraid to take the ball to the hole and draw some contact.

For a kid who missed a game with a knee injury, he wasn’t hobbled at all and he played one of his best games of the season. He even made a circus shot in the first half on a reverse layup that had the crowd on its feet.

More impressively, he shot 7-for-14 from the floor and 3-of-5 from deep, showing that his shot is getting back on track after a slow start to the season.

Cassius was, well, Cassius against Illinois and that’s great news for the Spartans.

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