Deschon Winston contributes consistency off the bench to fuel Chippewas in road win over Western Michigan
Deschon Winston brings the ball up the court against Western Michigan on Feb. 1 at Read Fieldhouse.
KALAMAZOO — Junior guard Deschon Winston laid on his back and awaited a teammate to help him off the hardwood.
Fans inside Western Michigan's Read Fieldhouse shouted their disapproval of an offensive foul called against the Broncos' Titus Wright. Winston, who took the charge, simply smiled as he rose to his feet and walked back toward his bench.
Winston played 27 minutes in the Chippewas' 85-78 win over the Broncos on Saturday, scoring a season-high 18 points. He played in place of Devontae Lane, who left with an injury to his right leg, for a majority of the second half. Once Lane was able to return, Chippewa coach Keno Davis elected to stick with Winston for the remainder of the game.
"We talked early that our chance to win was going to be our depth," Davis said. "Not because we play eight, nine, ten players, but because those players, you could make a case for some of those guys playing more."
As the team's backup point guard, Winston is expected to provide the team with performances like his against Western Michigan on any given night. The unpredictability of basketball when it comes to foul trouble and injuries makes a good backup point guard very valuable.
"When we go to our bench, we're really going to other starters," Davis said. "Other teams, when they have to rest some of their starters, you can see a drop off with their team."
To this point in the season, Winston has helped his team immensely while on the floor. He holds a +97 in the +/- category, meaning that the Chippewas have outscored their opponents by nearly 100 points during his time on the floor this season. His +97 mark is highest on the team.
This season, Winston has scored an average of 7.3 points per game. He's also dished out 49 assists, a number that ranks second behind only Lane.
"Deschon's one of those guys that keeps improving," Davis said. "It's nice to have him part of our program and it's going to be nice to see how he can continue to improve."
Though he came into Saturday's game shooting 33 percent from beyond the arc and 40 percent from the field, Winston demonstrated an offensive assertiveness that he has rarely displayed over the course of the season. He scored seven consecutive points at one point in the first half and continued to facilitate throughout.
"I just kind of play basketball and (take) whatever is in the flow of the game," Winston said. "I was open and Kevin (McKay) found me a couple times when he was posting up. I just play in the flow of the game."
Winston has played an important role in his team's climb to first place in the MAC West. If he can continue to contribute performances similar to his effort on Saturday, it could go a long way toward keeping his team on top.
