Michigan State players have high hopes for the future of Spartan basketball program

Many of the players who brought Michigan State to the Sweet Sixteen this season won’t be here next season. Still, they have high hopes for the future of Tom Izzo and Spartans basketball as a whole, believing their run is the start of something special.

Three of the program’s biggest stars, A.J. Hoggard, Tyson Walker and Joey Hauser, sat at the podium dejected after falling to Kansas State by a score of 98-93 in overtime. Nevertheless, they mustered up the courage to give some fascinating insight into how they believe their run will translate to future success for the Spartans.

“I mean, when you come to Michigan State, you’re supposed to do things like this. I’m just so happy I could do it with this group of guys,” stated Hoggard, who scored a team-leading 25 points on Thursday. “It’s definitely hope around the corner, but just right now just can’t even think about the future.”

Continuing, Walker echoed Hoggard’s sentiments, and praised the recruiting class that Michigan State has coming to town.

“You know, Coach is coach; he makes runs,” Walker added. “He’s got a good group of guys coming in, good guys still here. I won’t be surprised if he does it again and goes even further.”

As for Hauser, he believes the Sweet Sixteen was only the beginning, and the Spartans can make it even further next season.

“Yeah, same thing. Coach is coach. Like he knows how to win these games. I’m glad that we got a little bit of a taste of it,” elaborated Hauser. “But these guys got an incredible team coming back next year, so definitely they’ll try and make a run and get even farther.”

Indisputably, the trio holds Tom Izzo and the Michigan State program in high regard, and for them to look towards the future while the sting of their season ending was still so fresh says a lot about the mindset the program instills in players. While it remains to be seen what happens next in their basketball careers, Hoggard, Walker and Hauser are just excited for the Spartans.

After coming so close to the Elite Eight, Tom Izzo and Michigan State will watch as Kansas State takes on Florida Atlantic with a trip to the Final Four in Houston on the line. Regardless, the Spartans have to be proud of the exhilarating run they made, as they earned the respect of their fans, peers and enemies.