Michigan State's Tyson Walker looking for redemption in homecoming matchup vs. Rutgers

East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State guard Tyson Walker – a Westbury, New York, native – will play his second collegiate game at Madison Square Garden when the Spartans (14-8, 6-5) take on Rutgers (15-7, 7-4) on Saturday (12:00 p.m., FOX). 

As much as this is a homecoming game for Walker, it’s also a shot at redemption. His first collegiate game at Madison Square Garden was a 87-74 loss in the Champions Classic to eventual national champion Kansas on Nov. 9, 2021. 

Walker scored two points on 1-of-3 shooting that night. He also logged three assists, one rebound, one steal and three turnovers as the Spartans’ starting point guard. A.J. Hoggard – a sophomore then, who began the season coming off the bench – played six more minutes than Walker that game.

Walker fondly remembers the experience of playing in one of the most famous arenas in the world, but his performance that night is something he’s tried to forget. 

“It was cool,” Walker said of the experience. “But I played bad so I don’t really remember it.”

This season, Walker has proven to be one of Michigan State’s most important players. He’s a more confident version of himself, ready to put the team on his back when needed. 

Walker shot the ball five times or less in 12 games last season. That hasn’t happened once this season. 

“That was over 50 games ago, so it’s definitely changed,” Walker said of his growth since that night. “Back then, I didn’t even know what it was like playing for coach (Tom Izzo). So it’s definitely different.”

Walker has scored in double-figures 17 times this season. Playing off the ball, alongside Hoggard, has given him more freedom as a scorer. That was key for Walker coming into this season – being more aggressive and utilizing his natural scoring ability, whether it be off the dribble, in transition or otherwise. 

“I hear all the coaches say that I have to be more aggressive, which I think I am pretty aggressive now,” Walker said. “But it’s good to hear.

“I’ll just do anything. If I don’t get an assist and I score, or I get one hundred assists and don’t score, it doesn’t really matter. I just play.”

As Walker’s partner in the backcourt, Hoggard has witnessed first-hand the strides that Walker has made dating back to last season. He expects Walker to remain as confident as he’s been all season heading into the Rutgers game. 

“I think he’s more comfortable,” Hoggard said of Walker. “He gets a second shot to go back to MSG and redeem himself. It’s just going to be fun to see what he does when we get out there. It’s definitely a home game for him, so I think he’s going to be ready to go. 

“It was just an adjustment period that he was going through last year, and I feel he did a good job adjusting, so I think he’s ready to go.”

Walker had a tough time ranking Madison Square Garden among the plethora of unique venues that Michigan State has visited this season, though returning home is always a special feeling. 

“Being from New York, you always want to do that, play at MSG,” Walker said. “I get to play on the east coast and have my family come see me.”

Walker is no stranger to the venue, however. Aside from last season, Walker said he played a middle school tournament game there, among a handful of other contests. 

Not only is Walker looking to redeem his previous performance at the Garden, he’s also looking to play better than he did the first time Michigan State met Rutgers this season.

“I didn’t play that good against Rutgers the first time, so I’m just going to try to play better,” Walker said.

Walker scored 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting (3-of-5 from three) in Michigan State’s first matchup with the Scarlet Knights, a 70-57 home win on Jan. 19. He added three rebounds and four steals. 

For most, that’s a performance to be proud of. But Walker holds himself to a high standard, especially this year as a senior leader and primary scorer for the Spartans.

Walker and the other Spartans know how important every remaining game is to their season. Purdue stands alone at the top of the Big Ten, but the 2nd-9th place teams are all separated by a game or two. That includes Rutgers, which sits in third place with a 7-4 record, and Michigan State, whose 6-5 record places them eighth in the conference. 

“Winning a game and losing a game both have a big effect on you,” Walker said. “If you lose, you could drop eight spots, damn near. If you win, you move up higher. That’s in the back of my mind. We (Rutgers and Michigan State) both lost a couple of games in the last five games, so (we’re) just trying to play better.”

The five days off between Sunday’s 77-61 loss at Purdue and the upcoming matchup with Rutgers is the most Michigan State has had since its nine days off between the Oakland and Buffalo games in late December. Walker and Michigan State will look to use this short break as a launching pad for the rest of the Big Ten season. 

“We got to have practice to work on us (over the five days), and that’s always a good thing,” Walker said.