Michigan State men's basketball has had a frustrating 2023-24 season, and the Spartans' lack of diversified offense has been a major reason why.
It seems one of two things happen on most of MSU's possessions — either the Spartans get a good look or attack the basket early in the shot clock, or they dribble out most of the possession and rely on someone to hit a contested jumper, usually senior guard Tyson Walker.
At times, Walker excels in those situations, but it's a difficult way to put the ball in the basket consistently, even for Michigan State's leading scorer. The fifth-year senior has put on some memorable performances over his three seasons in East Lansing, but there is one glaring statistic that illustrates the Spartans need for more consistent help from Walker's teammates.
In his six highest-scoring games at MSU, in which Walker has scored 26 points or more, Michigan State is 0-6 in those outcomes. Here's a list of those performances:
- Feb. 22, 2022 - Opponent: Illinois; Walker: 26 pts; Outcome: 79-74 L
- Jan. 16, 2023 - Opponent: Purdue; Walker: 30 pts; Outcome: 64-63 L
- Feb. 25, 2023 - Opponent: Iowa; Walker: 31 pts; Outcome: 112-106 L OT
- Nov. 6, 2023 - Opponent: James Madison; Walker: 35 pts; Outcome: 79-76 L OT
- Jan. 7, 2024 - Opponent: Northwestern; Walker: 27 pts; Outcome: 88-74 L
- March 10, 2024 - Opponent: Indiana; Walker: 30 pts; Outcome: 65-64 L
This is one of those "crazy but true" statistics, and it puts an even bigger microscope on Michigan State's glaring overreliance on Walker when an offensive set breaks down.
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