Michigan State Basketball: 3 bold predictions for road battle at Minnesota

EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 09: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates after making a three-point shot during the second half of the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at the Breslin Center on January 9, 2020 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

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BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA – JANUARY 23: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans dribbles the ball against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall on January 23, 2020 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

2. Cassius finally plays like Cassius for a whole game

Ever since his All-American performance against Michigan and follow-up gem against Minnesota, Cassius Winston has been quiet. He hasn’t played horribly, but he’s also not playing like himself.

In those three games since the Michigan and Minnesota wins, Winston has 33 points and 14 assists which means he’s averaging 11 points per game and just under five assists. Those numbers just aren’t going to cut it if Michigan State wants to win on the road and contend for a Big Ten title.

On top of that, his shooting has suffered as he’s made just 12-of-36 shots in that time and just 3-of-14 from deep. He also has 17 turnovers — no, that’s not a typo.

Cassius knows he can’t continue to be casual and needs to step his game up and he’ll do that for an entire game for the first time since the Spartans played Minnesota last. That familiarity with the Gophers will help as Cassius will drop 22 points with nine assists and just two turnovers. He’ll look like the player we all saw just a couple of weeks ago.

No more panicking, Spartan fans, Cassius is back to normal after this one.

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