Michigan State's Cassius Winston earns consensus second-team All-American honors

For the second straight season, Michigan State’s Cassius Winston has earned consensus second-team All-American honors.

That was assured on Tuesday when Winston was named to the second team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. It followed similar second-team All-American designations from the Associated Press, the Sporting News and the United States Basketball Writers Association.

Winston is just the second Michigan State player to be named a consensus All-American more than once, joining Mateen Cleaves, who was a consensus first-teamer in 1999 and a consensus second-teamer in 1998 and 2000.

"It's crazy," Winston said in a statement released by Michigan State. "There's no way I could have done this without my teammates and my coaches. These last four years playing with them have been great. To be one of only two players from Michigan State along with Mateen Cleaves is humbling and I'm thankful for the experience I've had here."

Last season, Winston earned first-team All-American honors from the Associated Press and the Sporting News while being named to the second team by the NABC and the USBWA.

A first-team All-Big Ten selection for the second straight season, Winston ranked third in the Big Ten in scoring at 18.6 points per game, which also was a team best. He handed out 5.9 assists per game and led the Big Ten in 3-point field goal percentage at 43.2%. Winston was one of only seven Division I players averaging at least 18 points, 5.5 assists and two rebounds per game.

Winston finished with 1,969 points, the sixth-most in Michigan State history, and his 890 assists are the most in program and Big Ten history. He is one of only four players in Division I history to score at least 1,900 points and hand out at least 850 assists.

The NA BC first team included Kansas center Udoka Azubuike, Iowa center Luka Garza, Marquette guard Markus Howard, Oregon guard Payton Pritchard and Dayton forward Obi Toppin. Winston was joined on the second team by Kansas guard Devon Dotson, San Diego State guard Malachi Flynn, Gonzaga forward Filip Petrusev and Seton Hall guard Myles Powell.

mcharboneau@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @mattcharboneau