EAST LANSING — The Michigan State Spartans didn’t have to go very long to see what life without Nick Ward was like.
Ward, who played five minutes against Louisiana Monroe, made his return from a sprained right ankle Sunday in a 101-33 victory over Tennessee Tech. Coach Tom Izzo said on his pregame radio show he wouldn’t have let Ward play if he hadn’t practiced fully the day before.
And in his return from a short absence, Ward made his presence known early and often. He scored MSU’s first eight points, the Spartans feeding him low as he scored seemingly at will.