Michigan State Guard Joshua Langford Out For The Rest Of The Season

Michigan State will have to contend for the Big Ten title without Joshua Langford as the junior guard will miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury he suffered in December. Below is Coach Tom Izzo’s statement.

“It’s with great sadness that I have to announce that after numerous studies, rehabilitation and an attempt at return, it has been determined that Josh will miss the remainder of the season,” Izzo said. ”Josh has a stress injury that we caught fairly early and we had hoped that, with treatment and rest, he would recover. He has not, and will likely need surgery to prevent problems in the future.”

Langford was an integral part of the 2018-19 team. He averaged 15 points per game, shot 40.3 percent from three-point range, and provided some of the best defense on the team. The Spartans have managed to do well in the eight games so far that he’s missed. They are 7-1, but some cracks in depth showed in their loss to Purdue this past weekend.

Expect more minutes for senior Matt McQuaid and freshman Aaron Henry. Both are capable defenders, and McQuaid is one of the best three-point threats in all of the conference. Henry has struggled in his past two games, turning it over six times. He will need to be more consistent and play within the system. Freshman Gabe Brown is also an option, but only averages 2.7 points per game.

This is no doubt a big loss for the Spartans, who were hoping to get Langford back in time for a March run to the Final Four. Those goals are still obtainable, but the Spartans will need some consistent and reliable play from some of its youngest members.