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Cassius Winston had to take over for Michigan State to rally past Rutgers

LSJ columnist Graham Couch, Freep beat writer Chris Solari and Freep columnist Shawn Windsor analyze MSU's chances against U-M Graham Couch and Chris Solari and Shawn Windsor, Lansing State Journal

EAST LANSING — Roles are redefining. All but one.

Cassius Winston remains Michigan State basketball’s leading man.

It took a sluggish first half in which the 10th-ranked Spartans learned to cope in their first game without Nick Ward and some halftime adjustments and admonishments for them to rally past Rutgers to a 71-60 win Wednesday night at Breslin Center.

It also took coach Tom Izzo giving his star point guard a direct order.