Kansas Basketball: Spartans have been problematic in Champions Classic
By Mike Norris
Michigan State and Kansas will field a ton of talent on the court on Tuesday, but it comes in different flavors. The Jayhawks have many new faces while the Spartans return 60 percent of their starting lineup from a 30-5 team a year ago.
Kansas returns two starters from last year’s Final Four squad, although senior wing Lagerald Vick is a bit of a surprise after announcing his decision to enter the 2018 NBA Draft (where he went undrafted).
It remains to be seen what he will bring this year, but early reports from his teammates are that he is as ready as ever to lead. Junior big man Udoka Azubuike returns as well, and could have a potentially monster season after flirting with leaving for the draft a year ago.
Three starters — in addition to seven rotation players — return for the Spartans led by preseason All-Big Ten selections Cassius Winston and Nick Ward. Winston, a junior guard, averaged 12.6 points and 6.9 rebounds last year while Ward, a junior forward, put up 12.4 points and 7.1 board per contest.
Fellow junior guard Joshua Langford is no slouch himself, coming off a season where he poured in 11.7 points and grabbed 3.0 rebounds per game. Rounding out the starting unit for Michigan State should make Kansas fans shutter, as McQuaid, who hit the dagger three-pointer as a freshman, returns for his senior season.