Michigan State Basketball: 3 takeaways from avoidable loss at Wisconsin

MADISON, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 01: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans dribbles the ball while being guarded by Nate Reuvers #35 and D'Mitrik Trice #0 of the Wisconsin Badgers in the first half at the Kohl Center on February 01, 2020 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

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BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA – JANUARY 23: Tom Izzo the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans gives instructions to Rocket Watts #2 against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall on January 23, 2020 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

2. It’s time Rocket Watts is given a bigger role

Rocket Watts played the game of his life and he didn’t even take a shot in the final few minutes because he wasn’t on the floor. Why was this? It may have been a fatigue thing or maybe Tom Izzo liked his chances with Aaron Henry. Whatever it was, it hurt the Spartans.

As the team’s second-leading scorer on Saturday, posting a career-high of 16 points, Watts was 6-for-13 from the field and 4-for-10 from deep. He helped propel a second-half comeback and if he was on the floor the entire way, we may be talking about a Michigan State win instead of a disappointing, embarrassing loss.

Watts got the start because Gabe Brown was under the weather but he still didn’t touch the ball as much as he should have. You might think that 13 shots was more than enough, but not when he was the hot hand and gave this team some much-needed energy when down 16.

We have been talking all year about Cassius Winston, Xavier Tillman and Aaron Henry becoming a big three, but there’s no reason Rocket Watts can’t join that fold.

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