Ward was tasked with guarding 7-foot center Udoka Azubuike, who ended the night with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, and was the leading scorer with 13.0 points last season during KU’s run to the Final Four. Many of those points, however, came late in the game when Ward had four fouls, one shy of fouling out.

Azubuike forced Ward to turn the ball over once and blocked two of Ward’s shots within the first four minutes. The Spartans kept trying to foot the ball inside, resulting in a man coming over to double-team Ward, and keeping the 6-foot-9 junior 0-for-5 from the floor in the first half.

“I didn’t expect them to double team me,” Ward said. “I didn’t expect that at all. We expected a little bit of zone … I was surprised when I saw Dedric Lawson coming over to help."

“I felt like I did good against them defensively. He (Azubuike) got a couple of buckets on me because I couldn’t afford another foul."

Kansas coach Bill Self appreciated the effort and growth from Ward since Kansas last played MSU in the 2017 NCAA Tournament, where KU advanced with a 90-70 victory in the second round.

“That’s two big bodies banging against each other,” Self said of Ward and Azubuike. “There were no easy baskets — (Azubuike) didn’t get any angles, he had to score through (Ward).”

Ward’s first-half struggles translated into a woeful 34.6 percent clip from the floor as a team before shifting emphasis to perimeter shooting and transition offense. The Spartans turned a 50-36 halftime deficit into a three-point game with 34 seconds left. However, MSU also shot an uncharacteristic 65.7 percent from the free-throw line and turned the ball over 18 times, which accounted for an additional 20 points for Kansas.

Though a big adjustment was made in the second half.

Ward, along with junior guards Cassius Winston and Joshua Langford combined for 15 points and combined for 2-of-12 shooting in the first half. After shooting 51.5 percent in the second half, Langford finished with a team-high 18 points and four threes and Winston scored 13 to go with 11 assists. MSU shot 52.2 percent (12-of-23) from beyond the arc for the game.

“We didn’t feel like they could guard ball screens very well, so that was more of our focus,” said sophomore Xavier Tillman, Ward’s primary backup at the four/stretch-five position. “In practice (Ward)’s been showing a real patience when he gets it in the post and reads the double teams well, so I have confidence that he's going to bounce back."

Winston said opening up the floor was what kept the Jayhawks on their heels.

“Getting out on the break, making shots, everyone has to play better,” Winston said. “Maybe tonight just wasn’t his (Ward) night, but we’re still going to go to him and we’re still going to use him, he’s our best option.”

Despite the outcome, MSU coach Tom Izzo said he thought Ward handled the double teams well, given Ward’s struggle with it in previous years.

“Nick Ward and I were like the Hatfields and the McCoys most of last year,” Izzo joked. “He’s been so good. And it was like he was going to prove everything in one night and just did some things … but he'll be OK."

“He just got out of character a little bit and reverted back.”

Ward was MSU’s leading rebounder a season ago and was third in team scoring. He, along with Winston, were the only Spartans to earn preseason All-Big Ten honors and those from Izzo down feel confident Ward will find his stride as the season progresses.

His next chance will come Sunday when the Spartans host Florida Gulf Coast at 6 p.m. at the Breslin Center. 

“I didn’t get a lot of shots to fall, but that’s what happened,” Ward said. “So I’m gonna keep pushing, keep my head up.”