Cassius Winston posts double-double a day after his brother's death

Michigan State Spartans guard Cassius Winston came into Sunday’s game against Binghamton with a heavy heart. His brother, Zachary Winston, died Saturday night when he stepped in front of an Amtrak train, according to the Detroit Free Press.

While some expected Cassius to sit out Sunday, he decided to play. Winston started for the No.1-ranked Spartans, and notched a double-double early in the second half.

Winston, 21, was the focus point of Michigan State’s offense. He went 7-of-16 from the field, scoring 17 points in the 100-47 win. Winston also added 11 assists for a double-double.

Prior to the start of the contest, Michigan State held a moment of silence for Zachary Winston.

Zachary, 19, was a sophomore at Albion College in Michigan. He played basketball at Albion, where he averaged 2.6 points per game as a freshman. Scott Kipp, the Albion Public Safety chief, told the Battle Creek Enquirer Zachary intentionally stepped in front of the train.

Before taking the court Sunday, Cassius received a pep talk from his coaches, including Tom Izzo.

Cassius then ran past the first row of fans, tapping the tops of the spectators’ hands. After he was done, he turned, ran onto the court and led the Spartans to a win.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik

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