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Michigan State Basketball: Simple issues are causing Spartans’ demise

By Jack Williams

Michigan State Spartans basketball players huddle on the court Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, during a game vs. the Iowa Hawkeyes at Breslin Center. Iowa won, 88-58.Msu Iowa huddle team spartans michigan state
Michigan State Spartans basketball players huddle on the court Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, during a game vs. the Iowa Hawkeyes at Breslin Center. Iowa won, 88-58.Msu Iowa huddle team spartans michigan state /
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Michigan State’s Foster Loyer, center, passes the ball between Iowa’s Joe Wieskamp, left, and Jordan Bohannon during the first half on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.210213 Msu Iowa 043a
Michigan State’s Foster Loyer, center, passes the ball between Iowa’s Joe Wieskamp, left, and Jordan Bohannon during the first half on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.210213 Msu Iowa 043a /

Foster Loyer problems

Foster Loyer, former Michigan Mr. Basketball, has been the starting point guard for Michigan State basketball for most of this season. In high school, he was known as an explosive scorer, dropping 40 points in the state title at the Breslin Center. In his last two games, he has played 45 minutes. Do you know how many points he has scored in both of those games combined?

Zero. Foster Loyer has scored zero points in 45 minutes of playing basketball over the last two games. I don’t think there’s a way to quantify this, but that has to be the worst point-per-minute production of a starting point guard in Spartan basketball history. There are a lot of things that you can say about Tom Izzo’s coaching, but to me, continuing to give this man minutes at the point guard spot is a shameful move.

There’s no rationalizing this. Loyer has never been an elite passer and has a distinct ceiling as a playmaker. He’s a shooter and he needs to make shots. If he’s not taking shots and not making shots, he has no place on the court. He’s definitely not a good enough defender to make up for any of these things, that’s not even a discussion. He’s listed at 6-foot-0, but I’ve seen him on campus. He’s 5-foot-10 on a good day, he doesn’t have the physical attributes to play defense in this league.

My intent is not to call out a student athlete, but rather call out Izzo for continuing to do something that doesn’t work. I’m not saying that I have a solution, but Loyer has proven to be the worst possible choice at point guard. Change something, please.

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