Michigan State’s Nick Ward has some fellow undergraduates to thank as he tries to make his mark on this year’s NCAA Tournament.
During the Spartans’ Round of 32 game against Minnesota on Saturday, CBS reporter Dana Jacobson told the story of how the junior forward, who broke his left hand in February, got a boost from Michigan State’s engineering department. Jacobson said that the students created a carbon fiber wrap for Ward’s hand, one that he continues to wear for the tourney. The wrap, which helped Ward return to action quicker, was the product of a 3D model that determined how much pressure and intensity would be going on the hand.
Perhaps you've noticed the object on @IamNickWard's hand in recent games.
Well, as @DanaJacobson found out, Nick can credit the Michigan State Engineering Department for the assist in his recovery. pic.twitter.com/G5FF6Nnqj2
— March Madness TV (@MarchMadnessTV) March 24, 2019
Ward, who is averaging 13.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game this season, was able to return in time for the Big Ten Tournament, which the Spartans won. Now his interior presence off the bench is proving valuable to Michigan State as they look to make a deep March Madness run.
We saw something very similar happen in last year’s tournament as well, and it just goes to show how March means that all hands are truly on deck.
