2016-17 Men's Basketball Roster
Roster
Ward, Nick
G/F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG/F
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
Jersey Number 44
Nick Ward
- Position:
- F
- Height:
- 6-8
- Weight:
- 250
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- Gahanna, Ohio
- High School:
- Lincoln
Bio
• Career Stats
• 2016-17 Game-by-Game Stats
• 2017-18 Game-by-Game Stats
THE WORD
Powerful, long lefty post who can create space and score with good touch on the interior • Very crafty with both hands around the rim • Excellent offensive rebounder • Among the best in the nation at drawing fouls.
2017-18
A Big Ten honorable mention selection by the coaches, Third Team honoree by the media • Recipient of MSU’s Jumping Johnny Green Chairman of the Boards Award • Appeared in all 35 games, starting 34 • Averaged 12.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 18.9 minutes per game • Led the team with eight double-doubles • Had 20 games with double figure scoring • Collected at least 10 rebounds in 10 games • Third on the team in scoring and led the team in rebounding • Ranked 28th in the Big Ten Conference in scoring and tied for seventh in rebounding • Led the Big Ten in field goal percentage, connecting on 64.8 percent of his shots from the field (162-of-250) • Tied for seventh in the Big Ten with 1.3 blocked shots per game • Tied for third in the league in offensive rebounds, grabbing 2.7 per game • Tallied first double-double of the season against Stony Brook (11/19), collecting a team-leading 22 points and 11 boards • Tied a season-high 22 points in Big Ten opener against Nebraska (12/3) • Attempted and drained his first career 3-point field goal against Southern Utah (12/9) • Registered nine field goals (9-for-9) against Houston Baptist (12/18), tying a career-high; Ward also tied a season-high four blocks in that same game • Tallied seven offensive rebounds against Cleveland State (12/29), collecting a double-double with 22 points and 15 rebounds while going 7-of-8 from the floor and 8-of-12 from the line • Recorded his fourth double-double of the season against Savannah State (12/31) with a team-high 21 points adding 10 rebounds • Earned Big Ten Player of the Week Honors (1/2) after averaging 21.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in 20.5 minutes while connecting on 94.1 percent of his shots (16-of-17) in wins over Cleveland State and Savannah State • Collected his seventh double-double of the season, with 12 points and 11 rebounds while also adding a season-high five blocks against Wisconsin (1/26) • Scored 15 points and had 10 rebounds in come-from-behind win at Northwestern (2/17).
2016-17
Appeared in 35 games, including starting 21, averaging 13.9 points and 6.5 rebounds in 19.8 minutes · All-Big Ten Honorable Mention · Earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors on Feb. 27, becoming the only conference freshman during the season to win the honor and first Spartan freshman to earn POW honors since Delvon Roe in 2009 · Four-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week (12/5,12/26, 1/2 and 2/27) · Co-recipient of MSU's Most Improved Player Award · Ranked 16th in the Big Ten in scoring (13.9 ppg), 12th in rebounding (6.5 rpg), third in field goal percentage (.592) and tied for fifth in blocked shots (1.5 bpg) · Ranked second in the nation in both fouls drawn per 40 minutes (8.8) and offensive rebounding percentage (17.5%) according to KenPom.com · Scored in double figures in 25 of the last 29 games, and in 26 games overall · Had six games of 20+ points and had at least nine rebounds in each of those games; MSU was 5-1 when he scored 20 or more points · Posted four double-doubles on the season, including three with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds · Grabbed double-figure rebounds in five contests, and totaled nine rebounds or more in 13 contests · His 54 blocked shots led the team and were the second most by a freshman in MSU history, trailing only Deyonta Davis 64 in 2015-16 · Established a MSU freshman record with 181 field goals · His 485 points were the second most in a season by a freshman in MSU history, trailing Magic Johnson's 511, while his 13.9 scoring average ranked fourth-best among freshman in school history · Also ranks among the all-time Spartan freshman leaders in free throws (2nd, 123), free throws attempted (2nd, 200), rebounds (4th, 227) and rebound average (5th, 6.5 rpg) · Started his first career game vs. Oakland (12/21), scoring a season-high 25 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the field · Totaled 24 points and 10 rebounds in 26 minutes against Oral Roberts (12/3) · Recorded a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds in his Big Ten debut at Minnesota (12/27) · Scored 20 points vs. Nebraska (2/23) and joined Miles Bridges as the first freshman duo at Michigan State to score 20+ points in the same game since Earvin "Magic Johnson" and Jay Vincent in 1978 · Posted a double-double at Maryland (3/4) by pulling down a season-high 16 rebounds, while his 22 points matched the most he scored in a Big Ten game · Led all scorers with 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the floor to go along with seven rebounds in his first NCAA Tournament game vs. Miami (3/17) · Averaged 17.1 points and 8.3 rebounds in the seven games Miles Bridges missed with an ankle injury in December.
HIGH SCHOOL
Averaged 21.0 points and 8.5 rebounds as a senior, playing for Coach Tony Staib at Gahanna Lincoln High School · Shot 64 percent from the field · 2016 Associated Press Division I All-Ohio honoree · Led Gahanna Lincoln to a 25-3 record and an appearance in the regional finals · Ohio Division I-II North-South All-Star Game MVP, totaling 31 points and eight rebounds · 2016 Ohio-Kentucky All-Star · Columbus Dispatch All-Metro team honoree · 2016 Ohio Capital Conference-Ohio Division Co-Player of the Year · Three-time OCC-Ohio champion · Averaged 18 points, eight rebounds and two blocks as a prep junior · 2015 Third-Team Associated Press All-Ohio honoree, while also earning first-team all-league and first-team Associated Press Central Division I All-District accolades · Named to the All-Junior Team and All-State Division I Third Team by PrepHoopsOhio.com · Played AAU basketball with All-Ohio Red · Rated among the Top 50 players in his class by ESPN 100 (#39), Rivals.com (#41), Scout.com (#48), and 24/7 Sports (#49), resulting in a 24/7 Sports Composite ranking of #41.
PERSONAL
Born Sept. 2, 1997 · Son of Jeff and Stephanie Ward · Communication major.
• 2016-17 Game-by-Game Stats
• 2017-18 Game-by-Game Stats
THE WORD
Powerful, long lefty post who can create space and score with good touch on the interior • Very crafty with both hands around the rim • Excellent offensive rebounder • Among the best in the nation at drawing fouls.
2017-18
A Big Ten honorable mention selection by the coaches, Third Team honoree by the media • Recipient of MSU’s Jumping Johnny Green Chairman of the Boards Award • Appeared in all 35 games, starting 34 • Averaged 12.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 18.9 minutes per game • Led the team with eight double-doubles • Had 20 games with double figure scoring • Collected at least 10 rebounds in 10 games • Third on the team in scoring and led the team in rebounding • Ranked 28th in the Big Ten Conference in scoring and tied for seventh in rebounding • Led the Big Ten in field goal percentage, connecting on 64.8 percent of his shots from the field (162-of-250) • Tied for seventh in the Big Ten with 1.3 blocked shots per game • Tied for third in the league in offensive rebounds, grabbing 2.7 per game • Tallied first double-double of the season against Stony Brook (11/19), collecting a team-leading 22 points and 11 boards • Tied a season-high 22 points in Big Ten opener against Nebraska (12/3) • Attempted and drained his first career 3-point field goal against Southern Utah (12/9) • Registered nine field goals (9-for-9) against Houston Baptist (12/18), tying a career-high; Ward also tied a season-high four blocks in that same game • Tallied seven offensive rebounds against Cleveland State (12/29), collecting a double-double with 22 points and 15 rebounds while going 7-of-8 from the floor and 8-of-12 from the line • Recorded his fourth double-double of the season against Savannah State (12/31) with a team-high 21 points adding 10 rebounds • Earned Big Ten Player of the Week Honors (1/2) after averaging 21.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in 20.5 minutes while connecting on 94.1 percent of his shots (16-of-17) in wins over Cleveland State and Savannah State • Collected his seventh double-double of the season, with 12 points and 11 rebounds while also adding a season-high five blocks against Wisconsin (1/26) • Scored 15 points and had 10 rebounds in come-from-behind win at Northwestern (2/17).
2016-17
Appeared in 35 games, including starting 21, averaging 13.9 points and 6.5 rebounds in 19.8 minutes · All-Big Ten Honorable Mention · Earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors on Feb. 27, becoming the only conference freshman during the season to win the honor and first Spartan freshman to earn POW honors since Delvon Roe in 2009 · Four-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week (12/5,12/26, 1/2 and 2/27) · Co-recipient of MSU's Most Improved Player Award · Ranked 16th in the Big Ten in scoring (13.9 ppg), 12th in rebounding (6.5 rpg), third in field goal percentage (.592) and tied for fifth in blocked shots (1.5 bpg) · Ranked second in the nation in both fouls drawn per 40 minutes (8.8) and offensive rebounding percentage (17.5%) according to KenPom.com · Scored in double figures in 25 of the last 29 games, and in 26 games overall · Had six games of 20+ points and had at least nine rebounds in each of those games; MSU was 5-1 when he scored 20 or more points · Posted four double-doubles on the season, including three with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds · Grabbed double-figure rebounds in five contests, and totaled nine rebounds or more in 13 contests · His 54 blocked shots led the team and were the second most by a freshman in MSU history, trailing only Deyonta Davis 64 in 2015-16 · Established a MSU freshman record with 181 field goals · His 485 points were the second most in a season by a freshman in MSU history, trailing Magic Johnson's 511, while his 13.9 scoring average ranked fourth-best among freshman in school history · Also ranks among the all-time Spartan freshman leaders in free throws (2nd, 123), free throws attempted (2nd, 200), rebounds (4th, 227) and rebound average (5th, 6.5 rpg) · Started his first career game vs. Oakland (12/21), scoring a season-high 25 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the field · Totaled 24 points and 10 rebounds in 26 minutes against Oral Roberts (12/3) · Recorded a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds in his Big Ten debut at Minnesota (12/27) · Scored 20 points vs. Nebraska (2/23) and joined Miles Bridges as the first freshman duo at Michigan State to score 20+ points in the same game since Earvin "Magic Johnson" and Jay Vincent in 1978 · Posted a double-double at Maryland (3/4) by pulling down a season-high 16 rebounds, while his 22 points matched the most he scored in a Big Ten game · Led all scorers with 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the floor to go along with seven rebounds in his first NCAA Tournament game vs. Miami (3/17) · Averaged 17.1 points and 8.3 rebounds in the seven games Miles Bridges missed with an ankle injury in December.
HIGH SCHOOL
Averaged 21.0 points and 8.5 rebounds as a senior, playing for Coach Tony Staib at Gahanna Lincoln High School · Shot 64 percent from the field · 2016 Associated Press Division I All-Ohio honoree · Led Gahanna Lincoln to a 25-3 record and an appearance in the regional finals · Ohio Division I-II North-South All-Star Game MVP, totaling 31 points and eight rebounds · 2016 Ohio-Kentucky All-Star · Columbus Dispatch All-Metro team honoree · 2016 Ohio Capital Conference-Ohio Division Co-Player of the Year · Three-time OCC-Ohio champion · Averaged 18 points, eight rebounds and two blocks as a prep junior · 2015 Third-Team Associated Press All-Ohio honoree, while also earning first-team all-league and first-team Associated Press Central Division I All-District accolades · Named to the All-Junior Team and All-State Division I Third Team by PrepHoopsOhio.com · Played AAU basketball with All-Ohio Red · Rated among the Top 50 players in his class by ESPN 100 (#39), Rivals.com (#41), Scout.com (#48), and 24/7 Sports (#49), resulting in a 24/7 Sports Composite ranking of #41.
PERSONAL
Born Sept. 2, 1997 · Son of Jeff and Stephanie Ward · Communication major.
Tom Izzo | Men's Basketball Press Conference | Apr. 16 2025
Wednesday, April 16
Tom Izzo | Men's Basketball Press Conference | Mar. 25 2025
Tuesday, March 25
Tom Izzo | Men's Basketball Press Conference | Mar. 18 2025
Tuesday, March 18
Tom Izzo | Men's Basketball Press Conference | March 16, 2025
Sunday, March 16
