MSU's Joshua Langford not feeling sorry for himself:  “I am still a captain of the team.”

DES MOINES, Iowa – There have been days when Joshua Langford has cried about his situation. Days when he looked at the boot on his foot and the bike he’s had to ride around and thought about the contributions he could be making on the court for Michigan State’s basketball team.

“I’m human,” Langford said. “I want to play basketball. It’s something I’ve been playing since I was five years old. It’s hard to lose something that you love.”

But those gloomy days, they have been few and far between for the junior guard recovering from foot surgery. The more typical days are ones like Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

While junior point guard Cassius Winston kept the game on a string, and sophomore big man Xavier Tillman gobbled up rebounds by the fistful, there was Langford: on the edge of the bench but right in the middle of every huddle. Pumping up teammates. Giving small pieces of wisdom. Encouraging. Believing.

And after Michigan State’s 70-50 blowout win over Minnesota, there he was smiling in the locker room and celebrating the trip to the Sweet 16, knowing he played a role in it.

 “I am still a captain of the team,” Langford said. “I can’t completely abandon the ship."

“For me to only think about myself would be kind of selfish. I may not be able to play on the court. I may not be able to put a jersey on. But I still have some piece that I bring to this team.”

The No. 2-seeded Spartans will play No. 3 LSU on Friday in Washington, D.C. The red bike that Langford has been riding around the past few weeks? It won’t be making the trip.

Saturday was Langford’s first game since surgery where he was ambling around the court in a walking boot, a small milestone in a long journey back. 

“Even though I didn’t really want to be on this (bike), I still learned a lot from it," Langford said. "I’m actually thankful for this bike. It allowed me to better myself and refine myself more as a person.”     

That positive, mature approach to a challenging situation is something that's defined Langford. 

Even before his injury, Langford embraced the idea that his value to the team would extend far beyond a box score. While some upperclassmen make the freshmen earn their place at the table, he invited Gabe Brown, Marcus Bingham Jr. and Aaron Henry to be his roommates.

Henry, in particular, has leaned on Langford’s guidance as he tries to fill the injured veteran's spot on the court.

“He’s hurt, but he’s still part of this team and a huge part of it,” Henry said. “Verbally. Physically. You know Josh is there. He’s going to tell you right from wrong. What to do. What not to do. He’s a huge part of my development and my maturation process. I wouldn’t be here without him.”

Langford's wisdom and his strength, largely, comes through his faith. He speaks like a pastor with phrases such as, “You take your opposition and use it as opportunity,” and, “It’s not a stumbling block, it’s a stepping stone," and, “You can’t get a testimony without a test.”

But, he’s also not someone who wastes words. He’s thoughtful. Charismatic. Direct. When he says something, teammates listen.

Some of his most important words came during the lowest point of the season. The Spartans tumbled during a three-game mid-season lull. It was a moment that could have derailed the Big Ten championship hopes or sent the Spartans flailing into dysfunction.

But instead of being defined by the struggles, they became defined by how they worked through them.

“He really deserves all the credit for keeping us up,” senior forward Kenny Goins said. “When we had that three game slip, he was the one who got us out of it through talking to us.”

Those trying mid-season moments are far in the rear-view mirror. Now, as the Spartans prepare for the Sweet 16, Langford has one more thing to say. 

“I never got out of the first weekend in my career being here,” Langford said. "It was really special to be a part of this and go on to the Sweet 16. But we’re not finished yet. Everyone's mindset is on winning it all.”

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Contact Mike DeFabo at mdefabo@lsj.com Follow him on Twitter @MikeDeFabo.