MSU plots to get Nick Ward on the front burner again

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo talks about preparing for No. 14 seed Bucknell in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, on Friday at Little Caesars Arena.

East Lansing — Michigan State has had plenty to work on since it last played a game.

Since falling in the Big Ten tournament semifinals to Michigan roughly a week-and-a-half ago, the Spartans have worked on ball-screen defense, moving the ball on offense and refocusing on the details on both ends of the floor.

But as Michigan State continued to prepare this week for Friday’s 7:10 p.m. tip-off against Bucknell in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Little Caesars Arena, there was one aspect that Tom Izzo made clear had been a…