Michigan State Basketball: How the Spartans reached the Final Four

By Brian Rauf | Apr 2, 2019

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates with his teammates after a basket against the Duke Blue Devils during the first half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

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EAST LANSING, MI – FEBRUARY 20: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans gives instructions to his teammates during a game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Breslin Center on February 20, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

Key players this season for Michigan State

What wasn’t (necessarily) expected for the Spartans this year was Winston’s transformation from a star into a superstar – and it couldn’t have happened at a better time for this squad. Winston saw his scoring average take another huge leap forward (12.6 ppg as a sophomore to 18.9 as a junior) while maintaining his playmaking prowess, averaging a career-high 7.6 apg. Those numbers may have been good enough for him to win Big Ten Player of the Year on their own, but Winston’s leadership solidified that award.

As Langford missed virtually the entire season due to injury, Winston emerged as this team’s heart and soul. He was the driving force behind everything they did offensively and defensively, elevating the play of everyone else on the roster in the process. Of course, Winston didn’t do it all by himself. McQuaid had a career year moving full-time into the starting lineup and Langford’s backup, Kyle Ahrens, proved to be a crucial piece in his 30 games.

Ahrens also missed a number of games with various injuries, however, including every game in the NCAA Tournament. Those injuries to Langford and Ahrens thrust freshman swingman Aaron Henry into a much larger role that Michigan State was expecting and he delivered, providing solid play on the wing. Henry’s skill set was on full display in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament as his career game against LSU – 20 points, eight rebounds, six assists – sent the Spartans to the Elite Eight.

In reality, every player on the roster proved to be vital and stepped up at one time or another this year, but these four players had the biggest impact in keeping Michigan State at the top of the standings.

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