Michigan State's Tyson Walker named Second-Team All-Big Ten; Hoggard Third-Team, Hauser honorable mention
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State senior guard Tyson Walker was named Second Team All-Big Ten on Tuesday by Big Ten coaches and media.
Junior guard A.J. Hoggard was voted Third Team All-Big Ten by the media, and honorable mention by the coaches.
Senior forward Joey Hauser of Michigan State was named honorable mention All-Big Ten by coaches and media.
Walker, a 6-1 guard from Westbury, N.Y., leads Michigan State in scoring at 14.8 points per game. He is shooting 42.9 percent from 3-point range.
Walker broke the 20-point mark on six occasions this season, including a 30-point performance against Purdue on Jan. 16, and 31 points against Iowa on Feb. 25.
The parity of the Big Ten was demonstrated within three all-league teams. Eleven different teams were represented on the First, Second or Third All-Big Ten teams.
Michigan had the most players represented with three. Illinois, Indiana and Northwestern had two players each.
Michigan State, Iowa, Penn State, Purdue, Maryland, Nebraska and Rutgers had one player each.
Walker, who transferred to Michigan State from Northeastern two seasons ago, has helped Michigan State to a 19-11 record. Michigan State is a No. 4 seed in the Big Ten Tournament this weekend.
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When Walker was honored during Senior Day festivities following Michigan State’s 84-78 victory over Ohio State on Saturday, Spartan fans chanted “One more year!” at Walker and fellow senior Malik Hall. Even Spartan head coach Tom Izzo led a few more choruses of that cheer when he took the microphone.
Walker has the option of returning next season as a fifth-year senior. He said last week he has not thought deeply about the decision and plans to make up his mind after the season comes to an end.
But he appreciated the chants from the crowd on Saturday.
“It’s definitely a good feeling, everybody cheering for me,” Walker said. “I don’t think there is anything like it. I enjoyed it.
“I always enjoy myself. It was cool. The whole thing was cool for me.
“It was fun to hear that I’m wanted.”
Michigan State has a double-bye this weekend at the Big Ten Tournament. On Friday, Michigan State will play Iowa, Wisconsin or Ohio State, depending on who survives the Wednesday and Thursday games.
“We have a big task at hand,” Walker said. “We have to put some games together back-to-back-to-back. We just have to play as hard as we can.”
What about a deep Michigan State run into the March tournaments?
“We think it’s very realistic,” Walker said. “That’s why we keep saying it. I think it comes from us knowing that we haven’t put a whole game together yet.
“We’re letting people score a little too much lately. We have to get that back under control.”
