Tag: Cassius Winston

MSU vs. Virginia Tech: Three Things To Watch

Michigan State Basketball takes on Virginia Tech in the first round of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. Here are three things to watch.

The Maui Jim Maui invitational kicks off on Nov. 25 and the Spartans are in action against the Virginia Tech Hokies. This will be a true test for Michigan State as the Hokies are 5-0 on the season.

Here are three things to watch in this game:

Guard Matchups

There are six forwards and nine guards on the Virginia Tech roster. Guards do a lot for the Hokies on a nightly basis. As a result, Michigan State must dominate on the perimeter defensively to win this game. If not, It is likely that Virginia Tech walks away with a victory.

One player, in particular, stands out as a potential defensive nightmare for the Spartans. Freshman Landers Nolley is a 6’7″ Guard and can score both at the rim and from a distance. His height is the biggest issue for Michigan State. Cassius Winston and Rocket Watts are not tall enough to guard Nolley effectively.

Tom Izzo must scheme against Nolley with smart matchups. Maybe he throws a combination of Aaron Henry and Gabe Brown out against Nolley. Trapping Landers Nolley should be a top priority for MSU. I’d make everyone else on that Hokies roster step up.

Big Man Dominance

Michigan State should take advantage of Virginia Tech’s lack of big man talent. First of all, Xavier Tillman can eat in this game. I’m talking 20 plus points and 10 or more boards. Throw in a few assists as well. He will be the determining factor for the Spartans against the Hokies.

Beyond Tillman, look for Hall & Marble to get some important minutes. I think that Marble looked great against Charleston Southern and should get some minutes in this game. Malik Hall has shown why he deserves to play heavy minutes with his three-point shooting and hustle around the rim.

Gabe Brown Dunks

Gabe Brown is so much fun to watch. He charges at the rim with overwhelming ferocity whenever given the chance. Watch for this to continue in this game and every other game for MSU. Brown’s energy clearly lifts up this team. Don’t believe so? Watch his teammate’s reactions during the next big dunk. They love it and so do the fans.

Michigan State plays against Virginia Tech at 5 P.M. Eastern Time. We will have more coverage before this game, during, and after. Stay locked on SpartansWire for all the info you need.

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MSU Basketball vs. Virginia Tech: Scouting Report

Michigan State Basketball faces off against Virginia Tech on Monday, Nov. 25 in Hawaii. Here is a scouting report of the Hokies team.

Michigan State basketball has landed in Hawaii for the Maui Invitational. Their first game is against the undefeated, 5-0, Virginia Tech Hokies on Monday, Nov. 25. This will be a tough out for the Spartans as the Hokies boast a solid roster.

Here is a scouting report of the Virginia Tech Basketball team:

Landers Nolley

Let’s start with the best player on the Hokies roster, Landers Nolley. Nolley is a 6’7″, 230-pound freshman Guard from Atlanta, GA. Yes, you read that right. Nolley is a towering guard that scores from all levels. He can get to the basket with dribble moves and shoots long-range shots at an efficient clip.

Nolley will be a test for Michigan State on defense. If healthy, Aaron Henry will definitely guard Nolley for most of this game. If not, MSU might be in trouble. So far, Nolley leads his team with 20.2 points per game. He also averages 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.2 steals. Most impressive, he is shooting 45.9% from three-point land and 50% from the field.

The Landers Nolley matchup is quite an interesting one. We’ll have to wait and see what Izzo cooks up.

Small Ball Domination

As I mentioned earlier, the Hokies are 5-0 on the year.  their guards lead the team in numerous statistical categories. Virginia Tech guards lead the team in points, assists, steals, and even rebounds! So there is no doubt that Virginia Tech will run some sort of small-ball lineup.

Junior Guard Wabissa Bede leads the Hokies in both assists and steals with eight and 1.4 respectively. He is a perfect balance to Nolley’s impressive offensive skills. Wabissa handles the other teams best guard on the perimeter. That way, Nolley does not need to carry the team on both ends.

Wabissa also shoulders the playmaking load with that staggering eight assists. For comparison, Cassius Winston is averaging 7.0 assists on the year. Virginia Tech’s next leading scorer behind Nolley is freshman Guard Nahiem Alleyne. He averages 12.6 points on 46% from the floor.

Lastly, it is important to point out freshman Tyrece Radford. At 6’2″, Radford leads Virginia Tech in rebounds with seven per game. Now, this means Michigan State can dominate down low. Both Malik Hall and Xavier Tillman can clean the glass all game long for the Spartans.

Michigan State takes on Virginia Tech at 5 P.M. Eastern Time. You can catch this game on ESPN 2.

Stay locked on Spartans Wire for more coverage of this game and all things MSU basketball.

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MSU blows out Charleston Southern: Three Key Takeaways

Michigan State basketball handled their business against Charleston Southern in a 94-46 win. Here are three key takeaways from this game.

Everyone relax, there is no need to overreact. Michigan State basketball shined in this blowout 94-46 victory over Charleston Southern, but, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The Spartans must focus on bigger opponents in the future like Virginia Tech & Duke.

Here are three key takeaways from this game:

Gabe Brown Is Here

Boy oh boy, Gabe Brown looks like a stud. Aaron Henry sat out with a sprained ankle. As a result, Brown played 28 minutes against Charleston Southern. Gabe scored 12 points on 5-7 from the floor. Plus, he tallied up 6 boards, one assist, and one block.

Brown’s development adds depth at the Forward position for Michigan State. Especially if he continues his solid defensive play. Opponents best Forwards will face either Aaron Henry or Gabe Brown as a matchup. That’s a tough ask. Best of all, Gabe looks incredibly confident on the floor.

Xavier Tillman Fulfilling Potential

There were some question marks coming into the season for MSU’s Center spot. I mean, most people would put money on Tillman starting, but, how good would he be? Well guys and gals, he is good.

Tillman ended the night with 21 points on 9-12 shooting from the floor along with 10 rebounds, four assists, and a block. He missed two threes but that’s okay, as long as he keeps taking them. As a Center, you must prove to defenders that you will take open threes. If not, the defense will not respect you from distance.

The most important stat here is definitely Tillman’s four assists. One Spartan must step up as a secondary playmaker in these games. Cassius Winston cannot be the lone playmaker or teams will easily scheme against MSU’s offense. Luckily, Tillman and Rocket Watts have both tallied up plenty of assists as of late.

Young Players Developing Confidence

There are a lot of young guys on this Spartan’s roster coming into their own. In particular, I think of Malik Hall, Rocket Watts, and Foster Loyer. Loyer has a long way to go, but, he is showing some flashes.

Malik Hall came back down to earth against Charleston Southern. Regardless, he still rebounded the ball extremely well and had a few put back points. He even found a few teammates for three assists. The Spartans need some energy off of the bench and Hall plays that role well.

Rocket Watts continues to get better and better each game. Especially when it comes to dishing the rock. Watts ended the night with six assists, including a sick alley-oop to Gabe Brown. Most impressive is his ability to rebound as a Guard. Expect big things from Watts in the tournament this year.

MSU’s next basketball game is against Virginia Tech on Nov. 25 at 5 P.M. You can catch this game on ESPN2.

Stay locked on SpartansWire for more basketball coverage to come.

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Cassius Winston addresses Michigan State crowd after win over Charleston Southern

Michigan State’s Cassius Winston thanked the Spartan crowd for their support after the loss of his brother Zachary Winston.

Michigan State’s star point guard has had an emotional month. Last weekend, he lost his brother, Albion Basketball player Zachary Winston. Of course, all of Spartan Nation has expressed nothing but support for Cassius Winston, Khy Winston, and their entire family as Zachary was also a member of the Michigan State family. After today’s big win over Charleston Southern, Cassius Winston addressed the MSU crowd to show his appreciation for the support they showed him after the loss of his brother.

You can watch the video below:

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MSU vs. Charleston Southern basketball: Three Things To Watch

Michigan State welcomes Charleston Southern to the Breslin Center tomorrow. Here are three things to watch in this game.

Michigan State welcomes Charleston Southern basketball to the Breslin Center tomorrow for a 6:30 P.M. game. Charleston Southern is 1-3 fresh off of a loss to Dayton, 90-61. Michigan State, on the other hand, is 2-1 comes off a close 76-73 victory over Seton Hall.

Here are three things to watch in this game:

Dontrell Shuler

Dontrell Shuler is without a doubt the best player on the Charleston Southern basketball roster. The 6″2 sophomore guard has seemingly made a leap after last year. In the 2018 season, Shuler only averaged 10.9 points. So far, he’s averaging 20 points on the year.

If you remember, Seton Hall guard Myles Powell gave Michigan State fits. Granted, Powell is a senior and looked like one of the best players in all of college basketball. It is possible for Shuler to also be a problem. He is another small guard and can lure Winston into foul trouble early.

Watch the matchup Tom Izzo puts out against Shuler. I predict Rocket Watts will get a ton of minutes guarding Dontrell Shuler. This could be a good test for Watts on the defensive end.

Newcomer Success

All year, fans have wondered who would be the impressive newcomer. Malik Hall filled this role against Seton Hall and went absolutely bananas. Hall played 19 minutes and made the most of each. He ended the game with 17 points and went 7-7 from the field including three shots from beyond the arc.

It is highly likely Malik Hall gets even more minutes against Charleston Southern. It is highly unlikely he is 100% perfect from the field again, but,he can still contribute well. Especially if his three-point shooting persists. MSU needs a big man that can space the floor.

Guard Depth

Rocket Watts is slowly developing his confidence whereas Foster Loyer looks a bit timid. Outside of Winston, MSU seems to lack Guard depth. Kyle Ahrens just does not look right out on the floor. The Spartans need a Guard to step up in this game, who will it be?

Fans have been hard on Foster Loyer given that he was so good in high school. I think he can still grow this year. Against Seton Hall, Loyer looked a bit more confident. He hit a nice three early in the game and later converted on a layup with the defense draped all over him.

I’m still high on Rocket Watts as well. He ended the Seton Hall victory with eight points, shooting 3-8 from the field. He also grabbed five boards and two steals. Right now, Watts should keep shooting and focus on defensive production. Worst case scenario, he misses shots but comes up with multiple steals in each game.

You can catch this game on Big Ten Network at 6:30 P.M. tomorrow. Cheer on the Spartan Dawgs during this game.

Stay locked on SpartansWire for more coverage to come.

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Game Recap: MSU basketball Squeaks Out Win Over Seton Hall 76-73

Michigan State basketball barely won against Seton Hall 76-73 in an absolutely heart-stopping game. Here is a quick recap of this game.

Michigan State basketball barely won against Seton Hall 76-73 in an absolute barn burner. Seton Hall PG Myles Powell put on an absolute show but could not lead his team to victory. Instead, the Spartans walked away with a well-fought win.

Here is a quick recap of this game:

First Half

Cassius Winston got the Spartans going early on in this game. He scored a beautiful three with space and it was the first three for MSU. Winston also swung a beautiful pass to Thomas Kithier who then buried a three himself.

Foster Loyer saw more minutes than usual due to Winston’s early foul trouble. With eight minutes left in the first half, Winston committed another bad foul. As a result, Loyer came into the game and took over some extra PG minutes. Coach Tom Izzo was irate with Loyer before a TV timeout early on.  Later on, Loyer had a nice layup with a defender draped over his back.

Seton Hall came to play. Myles Powell played tonight despite his severe ankle sprain and he started off hot. Plus, he received a few favorable foul calls. Powell has limitless range even while absolutely smothered. He lead the game with 13 points at the half. Michigan State ended the half leading only by 3 points, 30-27.

Note, Aaron Henry appeared to roll his ankle before the end of the first half. Luckily, he came back to play in the second half and seemed okay.

Second Half

Early in the second half, Xavier Tillman recorded his third foul. The game was tied 40-40 until Malik Hall scored his first points as a Spartan with a beautiful three-pointer. Hall followed that up with another bucket, this time at the rim.

Myles Powell came back and scored on multiple possessions to increase his total to 21 on the night. Malik Hall did not care. Hall hit another three which is huge for Michigan State. They really need some three-point shooting beyond just Winston.

Things got dicey for the Spartans with 10 minutes left in the game. Powell took a flamethrower to the Michigan State defense. Every shot from Powell went in. He even hit an off-balance three. Lucky for the Spartans, Malik Hall continued to pour it on with a dunk and an open three. The game still tied, now at 55-55.

In the last ten minutes, there were multiple lead changes. Myles Powell remained a walking bucket. He hit multiple threes to bring Seton Hall out in front. Rocket Watts hit a transition three to bring Michigan State within two. Two plays later, Winston hit his own transition three to pull the Spartans ahead.

With less than 25 seconds left, Malik Hall finished at the rim with contact. One may argue he deserved an and one. Seton Hall could not score as Tillman blocked Sandro Mamukelashvili at the rim. Winston was fouled and missed his free throw. Luckily, he had a chance later and hit two free throws in a row, giving MSU a three-point victory over Seton Hall.

Winston lead MSU in points with 21 on the night and Powell lead Seton Hall with 37. Michigan State basketball plays again on Nov. 18 against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers. You can catch this game on the Big Ten Network.

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Cassius Winston posts emotional send-off for brother Zachary on Instagram

Cassius Winston lost his brother over the weekend and late last night he penned an emotional send-off to Zachary on Instagram.

This weekend, Michigan State Basketball’s star point guard Cassius Winston lost his brother Zachary. Cassius still played Sunday against Binghamton in what I think may have been the most emotional basketball game in MSU history, despite the low stakes during the game itself. Last night, Winston took to Instagram to give his brother a very emotional send-off.

Cassius Winston never ceases to amaze me, and this post, which was beautiful, enlightening, and extremely powerful brought tears to my eyes a few times. In particular, this section really got to me:

“I love you so much, if I could carry yo pain I would wear it on my shoulders just to see you happy and wouldn’t think twice. I understand it was to much, I understand I really do and yo story won’t end here. I can promise you that, the next time I run into someone in your situation ima save them, cause that’s wha you would want me to do.”

Anyway, you can read the post below:

 

View this post on Instagram

Ima put this on here cause I need you to read it, and I feel like this the best way for it to get to you. I love you bro, w everything I have in my entire body. I love you so much, if I could carry yo pain I would wear it on my shoulders just to see you happy and wouldn’t think twice. I understand it was to much, I understand I really do and yo story won’t end here. I can promise you that, the next time I run into someone in your situation ima save them, cause that’s wha you would want me to do. I wish it was a term that goes deeper then brother, cause that’s what’s you are to me, 1/3 of my heart. And I’m struggling because there is nothing that can replace that Smoothie. I need you, I miss you. But I’m so proud of you, bro you fought every demon w everything you had in you. You went to war w yourself every single day not knowing if you could win that battle. And you won time after time. You stood tall and you let your family love you, you gave me everything I asked for, just one day you didn’t have enough strength. And that’s ok man, that’s really ok, ppl can’t go through wha you went through, you are the strongest, wisest, kindest, most caring person. The best brother/ gang member I could ever ask for. And I wouldn’t replace you or change any single thing about you. Not one. I don’t like doing these cause I feel like they for show, but I need to you to read this Smoothie and I need you to know, that I love you and I care for you. And the only reason I can sit here and still stand is because I know you not in no more pain. The only reason I’m still standing. After that bro we really got beef, and when I see you again I’m beating yo ass. Cause it’s no way you got me out here trying to adjust to life w out you bro. This shit so deep bro we suppose to see all this out together. But we’ll have that convo the next time I see you Smoothie Bean. Rest up my baby and keep watching over us, save me a seat. And when it’s all said and done ima have so much to tell you. You gone already know but ima tell you anyway. Love you Gang memberđŸ–€ wish your story coulda had a diff ending, it’s ok tho enjoy it up there. Ima see you soon enough #LuvSmoothieđŸ–€

A post shared by CashđŸ–€ #LuvSmoothieđŸ–€ (@cassiuswinston5) on

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MSU basketball steamrolls Binghamton: Three Key Takeaways

Michigan State basketball absolutely steamrolled the Binghamton Bearcats last night. Here are three key takeaways from this game.

Michigan State basketball steamrolled the Binghamton Bearcats yesterday 100-47. This game was fresh on the heels of the emotional passing of Zachary Winston, brother of Cassius Winston. Cassius had an absolutely impressive showing as did a few other Spartans.

Here are three key takeaways from this game:

Cassius Winston Is Truly Special

You really cannot say enough about the talent of Cassius Winston. Excellent ball-handling abilities, premier court vision, and a high basketball IQ. Now, you truly cannot say enough about Cassius Winston the human being. Winston played with his teammates less than 24 hours after Zachary’s passing. All the while, his family was in attendance cheering him on.

Not only did Winston play but he did so exceptionally well. He ended the game with 17 points and 11 assists. Not to mention he had a few highlight-reel moves out on the court. This reminded me of NBA player Isaiah Thomas in the 2017 playoffs. Isaiah’s sister tragically passed away in a car accident. Thomas responded with 33 points and nine assists.

I cannot even speak to the strength Winston showed yesterday. The internal fortitude on display was absolutely impressive. Best of all, the Spartans rallied around Winston. I’ll be honest, I was misty all throughout the pregame ceremony.

Marcus Bingham Jr. Is Here

Marcus Bingham ended last year’s season with 23 total points. Through two games, Bingham has tallied up 20 points. Last year, he ended the season with 21 total shots. Through two games, Bingham has totaled 15 shots. So Bingham’s role has clearly grown from one year to the next.

Bingham is certainly taking advantage of his playing time and opportunities. He already has four blocked shots, 12 rebounds, and one assist to boot. Best of all, he brings so much energy to the game. Hustle points near the rim are absolutely invaluable in modern basketball games. He put up 13 points off of the bench and this type of contribution is huge for MSU. Glad to see Bingham thriving in a more prominent role.

Players Finding Their Groove

Three players stood out in this game beyond Cassius and Bingham. This includes Gabe Brown, Rocket Watts, and Thomas Kithier. Kithier was near the rim at all of the right times. This lead to 10 total points for sophomore Forward from Clarkston, MI. Likewise, Gabe Brown looked formidable and made the most out of his 13 minutes of game time.

Now, I know I’m all on the Rocket Watts hype train but I’m here for a reason. Watts only shot 2-9 from the floor, however, taking more shots is the best game plan. Rocket was definitely intimidated by Kentucky’s strong guard rotation. Against Binghamton, he was smooth and calm. His shot will fall as time goes on. The best thing he can do is to just keep shooting.

The most notable player finding his groove was Aaron Henry. Henry ended the night with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists. Meanwhile, he was guarding almost every position on the other team. Henry needs to do a lot for MSU to go far this year and that is not to discredit the team. Instead, it highlights his importance on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

Michigan State plays next on Thursday, Nov. 14 against Seton Hall. The game starts at 8:30 P.M. and you can watch the action on FS1.

As always, stay locked on SpartansWire for more coverage to come.

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MSU star Cassius Winston shares emotional message to brother on Instagram (Spartanswire)

MSU star Cassius Winston shared an emotional message to his brother, Zachary, who died by suicide Saturday night.

MSU star Cassius Winston shared an emotional message to his brother, Zachary, who died by suicide Saturday night.

Locked On Spartans Podcast: A wild sports weekend in East Lansing

Wil and Matt recap the crazy sports weekend that was in East Lansing

Wil Hunter and Matt Sheehan talk about the emotional night in the Breslin Center and how amazed they are by Cassius Winston. Then they discuss the epic collapse from MSU football, how Mark Dantonio’s post game comments weren’t good enough and play a game of “take thermometer.”

You can find the episode on iTunes, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

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