INDIANAPOLIS -- Cassius Winston, Joshua Langford and Nick Ward had combined for 210 games played and 156 starts over the last three seasons for Michigan State.
Yet in some ways, Tuesday night's season opener was still a first.
That trio has been dubbed Michigan State's "big three" by Spartans coach Tom Izzo this preseason. With the departures of Miles Bridges and Jaren Jackson Jr. to the NBA, Izzo has made it clear that Michigan State will look to Winston, Langford and Ward to be the team's primary weapons in its quest for a repeat Big Ten title and deeper run in the NCAA Tournament.