To get the Spartans a Big Ten title, or to reach their goals of winning a National Championship, MSU coach Tom Izzo said he thinks point guard Cassius Winston has to be the man to step up.

“It’s hard to be a leader,” Winston said. “It’s hard to be the man, demand things of people when you’re not doing them all the time yourself. That can be a big thing. Once I get better at that, me being consistent at what I’m doing, how I’m playing, then it’s easy to direct people.”

Izzo said Winston was MSU’s unsung hero in its 68-65 win against then-No. 3 Purdue Feb. 10. 

The 6-foot sophomore from Detroit scored 10 points to go with 10 assists in 36 minutes — which tied a career high set against DePaul on Nov. 23.

Izzo said Winston’s showing against the Boilermakers was “his best game as a Spartan,” between key plays defensively, but he is looking to get more out of Winston as postseason play nears.

“I’m hard on Cassius,” Izzo said after the game against Purdue. “I’m hard on my point guards, I always have been and I always will be. But he’s starting to learn how to respond. He came over, he’s talking to me, giving me plays that he thinks would work. I mean, I sometimes forget he’s only a sophomore, it’s just that I don’t have time for him to only be a sophomore because I think we got a team good enough to do some damage.”

Even teammates think Winston’s growth has been apparent. 

Behind sophomore wing Miles Bridges, Winston is averaging the most time on the floor, with 27.1 minutes, to go with 12.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists. 

At 53.2 percent, he’s also the best 3-point shooter in the conference.

Winston, who averaged 6.7 points and 5.2 assists in 35 games and only started five games for MSU last season, has done an “unbelievable” job improving. senior point guard Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr. said.

“As a point guard you have to be (a leader),” Nairn said. “Even if you’re not like that, you’re forced to be like that, especially playing at Michigan State. He came in quiet, and now he’s talking more, and more active now. And that’s the way we need him to continue to be.” 

Teammates agree Winston has been more vocal this season and helpful in helping the underclassmen understand their roles on the floor. 

“Instead of just yelling at you to get you to do something, he’s going to explain where he wants you on the floor and positioning, because as a point guard he’s smart,” freshman forward Jaren Jackson Jr. said. ”Even as a point guard, he’s smart. Smarter than most point guards, where he can tell me why he wants me in this spot or why he wants me to turn like this on a screen for some other player. He doesn’t even have to know that.

“He leads us in so many different ways on and off the court. He’s just a smart guy in his passing ability. He likes to make sure everyone gets the ball, because he can score. Honestly, he’s a really good scorer if you told him to go out there and score, but he makes sure to get everybody involved because he knows he has a lot of good people around him.”

Between a news cycle that included the retirement of former MSU Athletic Director Mark Hollis, the resignation of former university president Lou Anna K. Simon and reports that suggested Izzo mishandled sexual violence and assault charges against previous players dating back to 2010, Winston said he’s been trying to find consistency in the way he carries himself on and off the court.

And he acknowledges he still has work to do.

“The dudes on my team — they trust me,” Winston said. “That’s a big thing, they trust me. They trust what I have to say, they know I wouldn’t steer them wrong in any way. It’s easier to voice out what I thing, and my opinion, and they listen and hold onto it.”

After Nairn graduates, Winston said he’s aware he’s going to have to be the player to be the captain of the team, but until Nairn’s departure Winston is going continue to learn.

But the clock keeps ticking.

“Sooner or later, that’s going to be my role with this team,” Winston said. “Tum is here right now. Tum is the captain of this ship, but it’s pretty evident that’s going to be my role with this team. 

“Right now I’m learning as much as I can. Learning how the greats before me did it, and I’m going to follow suit.”