Michigan State Basketball: Report card for dominant win at Minnesota

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BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA – JANUARY 23: Malik Hall #25 of the Michigan State Spartans shoots the ball against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall on January 23, 2020 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Starters

We saw two freshmen inserted in the starting lineup on Sunday afternoon for a couple of sophomore who needed wakeup calls. It worked out as the young guys breathed some life into the starting lineup and helped get MSU off to a hot start.

Cassius Winston: A-

Although it wasn’t exactly his best game, Cassius Winston looked like his normal self against Minnesota which is good to see since he’s been average since the last battle with the Gophers. He finished with 18 points and eight assists, turning the ball over just two times, making 50 percent of his shots from the floor and 3-for-5 from deep. This is the Cassius Michigan State needs night in and night out.

Rocket Watts: B

The addition of Rocket Watts to the starting lineup turned out to be huge as he was a breath of fresh air for the Spartans and scored 10 points with a rebound. He handled the ball and gave Cassius a few breaks and he looked to mesh well with the starters. His shooting has been on point lately as well as he grows more comfortable hunting for his own looks.

Gabe Brown: B

Gabe Brown continued his upward trend even though he made just 2-of-6 shots. He scored seven points and had six rebounds which had to make Tom Izzo happy after calling out his two-rebound performance against Indiana. Moreover, his defense continues to improve.

Malik Hall: B+

I was really impressed with Malik Hall’s performance on Sunday. He looked like a Kenny Goins-like player and grabbed six rebounds to go along with seven points. He was aggressive and won multiple 50/50 plays, making the Gophers work for every rebound and loose ball. If he continues to play like this, he could be a permanent starter.

Xavier Tillman: A-

Just like Cassius, Xavier Tillman had a bounce-back game that was needed after a letdown at Indiana and he finished with a double-double. He scored 17 points with 10 rebounds, five assists and two blocks. He’s been an absolute stat-sheet stuffer this season and his defense continues to get better. His grown-man rebounds are also becoming casual for him and it’d be tough to name 2-3 big men in the Big Ten better than him. Though Tillman’s back-to-the-basket scoring could use some work.

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