Cassius Winston, Michigan State Crush Michigan, Extend Winning Streak to 7 Games

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

The Michigan State Spartans extended their season-long winning streak to seven games thanks to Sunday's 87-69 victory over the No. 12 Michigan Wolverines.   

Currently ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press Top 25, Michigan State looked sluggish out of the gate this season with a 4-3 record in its first seven games. Head coach Tom Izzo has gotten his team back on track thanks in large part to a defense that has allowed 58.7 points per game over the past six games. 

The Spartans had everything working on both sides of the ball. Cassius Winston had a career-high 32 points and had nine of the team's 16 assists. Xavier Tillman had his fourth double-double in the past seven games. 

Michigan couldn't find a rhythm on offense and made just five of its 23 attempts from three-point range. The team had nearly as many turnovers (10) as assists (14) in the loss. 

Notable Game Performances

• Cassius Winston (MSU): 32 points (11-of-19), 9 assists, 2 rebounds
• Xavier Tillman (MSU): 20 points (5-of-11), 11 rebounds
• Aaron Henry (MSU): 6 points (3-of-6), 8 rebounds
• Jon Teske (MICH): 15 points (6-of-12), 5 rebounds, 2 blocks
• Zavier Simpson (MICH): 14 points (6-of-18), 8 assists
• Brandon Johns Jr. (MICH): 12 points (4-of-9), 2 rebounds

Winston, Tillman Shine in Spartans' Win

When Michigan State was trying to find its identity early this season, one problem was the health of Joshua Langford. The senior star ranked second on the team with 15.0 points per contest, but a left foot injury limited him to 13 games. 

The Spartans announced Dec. 19 that Langford would miss the entire 2019-20 season after having surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left foot. They were starting to round into form prior to their star scorer being ruled out, but they've hit their stride over the last four games. 

Winston has taken on an increased role with at least 20 points in five of the last six games. He was all over Michigan's defense in this game, getting to the rim seemingly at will. 

CBS Sports CBB @CBSSportsCBB

Cassius Winston straight to the hoop 🔥

@MSU_Basketball https://t.co/uN6TQemZue

CBS Sports CBB @CBSSportsCBB

Sheeessshhh… Cassius Winston in traffic 😱

@MSU_Basketball https://t.co/r4n7DcZcF5

The Spartans have one of the nation's best offenses, averaging 81.4 points per game entering Sunday and tied for second with 20.0 assists per game. That ability to spread the ball around makes it difficult for teams to commit all their attention to Winston. 

Ryan Schuiling @RyanSchuiling

Cassius Winston is the smoothest Michigan State player I've watched since Steve Smith. He's that good, that composed, that mature, that refined. He's like a top-shelf scotch. Pure greatness. Unflappable. Consistent.

CBS Sports CBB @CBSSportsCBB

Winston Tillman = A DUO. 🔥

@MSU_Basketball https://t.co/Ip7n9AgBIv

Winston's ability as a playmaker also opens up opportunities for his teammates. Tillman has taken off with at least 14 points in nine of the last 10 games and remains a strong presence on the defensive end. 

Jeff Borzello @jeffborzello

Impressive offensive first half for Michigan State — shot better than 50% from the floor and took 17 free throws. Had some opportunities in transition. Cassius Winston and Xavier Tillman were superb, Tillman at both ends of the floor.

Izzo has routinely used the regular season to figure out his roster and have them peaking late in the year for the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments. It looked like the start of this season would require him to piece things together yet again, but now, the Spartans look like one of the best teams in the nation. 

Defensive Woes Continue to Hurt Michigan

First-year head coach Juwan Howard has seen his team fall off on the defensive end of the court during this current 3-4 stretch dating back to Dec. 3. 

The offense has been effective with at least 70 points in 12 of its first 14 games. Center Jon Teske had another strong outing Sunday with 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting.  

One big problem for the Wolverines on Sunday was the absence of Isaiah Livers. The team's second-leading scorer (13.6 points per game) missed his second straight game due to a groin injury. 

Dylan Burkhardt @umhoops

The Isaiah Livers injury really hurts Michigan on offense. Johns missed an early three and has passed up several more looks. Livers is a major threat in those spots.

Another, more significant issue for Howard is the performance of his defense since starting 7-0. Michigan entered this rivalry game ranked 111th in the nation with 63.7 points allowed per game. 

Since Dec. 6, a span of six games, the only teams that Michigan has held under 70 points are Presbyterian and UMass Lowell. 

Michigan State's offense put on a clinic against the Wolverines:

Dylan Burkhardt @umhoops

Michigan State's offense scoring 1.24 points per trip with no sign of slowing down. https://t.co/8OXr971Ja6

Compounding the problems for Michigan, the offense didn't have any answers for what the Spartans were throwing at them. Their 36.2 shooting percentage was the second-worst of the season (25.9 percent vs. Louisville). 

If the Wolverines aren't going to shoot a high percentage, their defense has to step up in games like this to keep things close. There's still plenty of time for Howard and his coaching staff to figure things out, so it's not yet panic time in Ann Arbor. 

What's Next?

Michigan will head back to Ann Arbor to host Purdue on Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. ET. Michigan State will wrap up its five-game homestand when Minnesota visits the Jack Breslin Student Events Center on Jan. 9 at 9 p.m. ET.