Michigan State Basketball: 3 takeaways from much-needed win at Illinois

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EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 17: Rocket Watts #2 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates his three point shot in the second half of the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at the Breslin Center on January 17, 2020 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

2. Rocket Watts is a bad man

All aboard the Rocket Watts hype train. The freshman guard had the game of his career in Champaign as he never looked rattled at State Farm Arena.

You’d expect a kid in his first season of college basketball to shy away from the spotlight on the road in one of the toughest environments in the conference, but Watts is not your normal freshman. He shined under the spotlight and showed why next year’s team will be his.

Watts not only played well on the defensive end, holding the Illini guard in check for most of the first 30 minutes, but he went off offensively. He scored a career-high 21 points and helped answer a huge Illinois run in the second half with jumpers, floaters and 3-pointers.

If there’s any player besides Xavier Tillman — who stepped up big-time — who deserves credit for this big road win, it’s Rocket.

Leaders are usually easy to point out early in their careers and Watts just has that it factor that makes him a threat any time he’s on the floor. He holds himself and others accountable and he’s constantly making smart, yet aggressive, decisions.

Rocket is a bad man.

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