Michigan State basketball: The good, great, bad, and ugly from JMU loss

Great: Tyson Walker

I don’t want to ever hear Izzo refer to the transfer portal as a bad thing again. If it weren’t for the portal, Michigan State would be without the best player on this Final Four-contending roster. Tyson Walker was nothing short of incredible on Monday night. Walker easily lead the team with 35 points and an eye-popping six steals. Both offensively and defensively, Walker put everything he had into this season opener. Even fighting through an apparent injury at one point, which is something to keep an eye on. 

Walker has faced James Madison before. Before transferring to Michigan State basketball, Walker played for the Northeastern Huskies. During his two seasons as a Husky, Walker played against JMU twice, averaging 19 points per game. He definitely has James Madison’s number, and that showed again Monday night. Tyson was excellent in the Spartan’s season opener. Besides Coen Carr’s 14 points, Walker was effectively the only player who could score. There were multiple Michigan State runs throughout the game that were only contributed to by Walker. 

If there was any downfall to Walker’s game Monday night, he, like the rest of the team, struggled from deep and from the free throw line. Tyson would finish the night 0-for-5 from downtown and 11-for-17 from the charity stripe. In a game that went to overtime, you wish to have even one of those back but you truly could not have asked for anything more from your fifth-year senior.