The injury isn't Langford's first, however. While in the seventh grade, he contracted bacterial meningitis, a serious infection of the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord and could have severely impeded his growth and development as a basketball player. 

Compared to what he went through earlier in his life, Langford said he has faith in what his future holds.

"Obscurity can be scary sometimes, but that’s when what you believe in kicks in," Langford said. "I know what I believe, which what I believe in is God, says that everything's gonna work out for my good."

Regardless, the blow has long- and short-term implications for the Spartans (18-4, 9-2 Big Ten), who have lost two in a row for the first time this season. Langford hadn't missed a game before leaving against Northern Illinois on Dec. 29. In 13 games, he averaged 15.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 44.3 percent from the floor.

Though Langford won't be able to directly impact the game with his play, he's been a vocal part of MSU's bench since sustaining the injury. Coach Tom Izzo even went as far to name Langford a de facto assistant coach.

"Even if I'm not on the floor, I can just be the guy everybody can lean on and also be the guy that gets on some people because I can see the game differently," Langford said. As it relates to seeing the game differently from the sideline. "Sometimes you can get caught up in the game and the emotions of the game that you can kind of forget about the task at hand. You have to realize you can’t let your emotions get the best of you. You still have a game to play."

Freshman Aaron Henry has been the primary recipient of playing time since Langford's injury, along with redshirt junior Kyle Ahrens. Ahrens has started seven games but has battled a back injury since mid-January, while Henry has six starts and is averaging 18.2 minutes a game.

Though the loss of Langford seems profound on the surface, he said he'd rather the team learn to play without him now, than going through those growing pains in the middle of a postseason play when the season is at stake.

"It speaks volumes to how we are as a unit," he said. "A lot of time teams crumble when things aren’t going their way and adversity comes. But this team took on adversity and met it head-on. Everybody understood they had to take up more roles and do more. 

"... Everybody thinks because we lost a couple of games it’s the end of the world, it’s not the end of the world. We still have a long season and still, have a lot to learn. It’s good for us to have this happen now, rather than March. I’m not saying I want to lose, but I’d rather get caught up with it now and pinpoint the things we have to get better with now."