NCAA Basketball: Carey, Winston lead National Player of the Year race

By Brian Rauf | Jan 10, 2020

EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN - DECEMBER 03: Vernon Carey Jr. #1 of the Duke Blue Devils looks on while playing the Michigan State Spartans during the second half at the Breslin Center on December 03, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. Duke won the game 87-75. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

9 of 10

EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 05: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

player. 486. . . Previous: 3rd. Cassius Winston. 2

Stats: 18.2 ppg, 5.9 apg, 2.1 rpg

Cassius Winston began the season as the overwhelming National Player of the Year favorite following Michigan State’s Final Four run a year ago. He dropped considerably following the Spartans’ underwhelming 5-3 start of the season that included decisive losses to Kentucky and Duke, along with an upset loss to Virginia Tech.

Winston understandably was not playing his best basketball, either. He was dealing with the unexpected death of his brother and had his mind on other things.

Since that Duke loss, however, Winston and the Spartans have looked more like who we thought they’d be in the preseason.

They’re 8-0 in this stretch, including 5-0 in Big Ten play with blowout wins over Rutgers, Illinois, and Michigan. Winston missed one game (Western Michigan) due to injury yet has scored at least 21 points in six games during this run, headlined by a vintage 32-point, nine-assist performance against the Wolverines.

Winston is so good that his production is going to be there. His biggest value to the Spartans is as a leader and his uncanny ability to elevate everyone else around him. Because of that, his candidacy will be measured by victories more than the other candidates. Winston has a very real (and even likely) chance to rise to No. 1 if Michigan State continues to win.

Home/NCAA Basketball News