Michigan State basketball: 3 things I want to see vs. Gonzaga

Nov 7, 2022; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard A.J. Hoggard (11) drives the ball to the basket against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks in the second half at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports /

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MSU’s Tyson Walker draws a foul against Northern Arizona Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, during the season-opener at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. MSU won 73-55.Img 1089 /

2. Tyson Walker getting on track

It’s hard to say anything bad about Tyson Walker because he was so good in the second half of last season and his defense looked great in the opener against Northern Arizona as well as the exhibition against Grand Valley, but ever since that second half of the preseason game, he’s been ice-cold offensively.

Walker was hot in the first half of the Grand Valley game and had a ton of open shots in the second half and couldn’t hit anything. He was also just 3-for-11 against Northern Arizona and 0-for-4 from deep. And with AJ Hoggard on the floor, he gets a ton of open looks.

If Michigan State wants to pull off the upset on Friday, Walker is going to need to make his open shots at least at a 40-50 percent clip because 30 percent just won’t cut it against Gonzaga.

He’s likely to slide open into the corner a few times and he needs to make a couple of those shots along with some mid-range jumpers that he seemed to be automatic with last year.

I just want to see him get back on track.

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