Michigan State Basketball: End of Season Awards
Michigan State men’s basketball finished its season last Saturday in a 85-69 loss to North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
A preseason No. 4 ranking set a high standard for the Spartans in 2023-24, but a 4-5 start quickly changed expectations. MSU got back on track by beating No. 6 Baylor, Oakland and Indiana State before entering the heart of Big Ten play, but the Spartans had just a 10-10 record and finished in seventh place in the conference standings.
While Michigan State struggled with inconsistency and failed to live up to the preseason hype, there were some memorable moments throughout the season. With the season now over, it’s time to hand out a few “end of season awards”.
Team MVP: Tyson Walker
This seems pretty unanimous if you’ve watched Michigan State all season. Walker, a second team All-Big Ten selection, finished the season averaging 18.4 points and 2.8 assists per-game. Transferring to MSU from Northeastern in 2021, he finishes his college career with over 2,100 points and 542 assists. While Walker’s shooting percentage was down from last season, his volume was up as he established himself as the true leader of this team.
Even when the Spartans struggled offensively this season, Walker mostly held his own. In the season-opening loss to James Madison, Walker had a career-high 35 points and kept MSU in the game. His best outing was against Baylor, where he finished with 25 points went 4-for-4 from 3-point land. Walker’s determination to win kept this team moving forward and competitive in every game and, while the Spartans didn’t meet preseason expectations, he will be remembered positively.
Defensive Player of the Year: Tyson Walker
This could have gone many different ways, but I gave Walker defensive player of the year as well. Jaden Akins and Malik Hall have compelling cases for this honor, but Walker always did what his team needed him to do. Even at six feet tall, Walker averaged 2.9 rebounds per game but his best defensive quality was his quick hands. Walker led Michigan State with 1.9 steals per game, and wreaked havoc with both his on-ball and help defense, usually while defending the opponent's best guard.
Walker’s best defensive game was also against Baylor, where he swiped five steals and added a block against one of the best offensive teams in the country. In the two NCAA tournament games this season, he totaled five steals and only three fouls while guarding All-Conference and All-American point guards. Many will look to Walker’s scoring as his biggest contribution for MSU, but his defense and slowing opponents down was equally as important.
Most Improved Player: Malik Hall
This year we saw Malik Hall transform into the guy many fans expected to see – a leader who could do everything and be a more consistent scorer. Hall did exactly that, finishing his last season averaging 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, while shooting over 52% from the field to end the season. From January onward, Hall averaged 14.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, and his consistent play (along with Walker’s) got the Spartans into the NCAA tournament for the 26th consecutive year.
There are several compelling options for which game was Hall’s best this season. In Michigan State’s first game against Penn State he had 24 points, going 9-of-12 from the field and 2-for-2 from deep. In the second matchup with the Nittany Lions, Hall had 29 points and 10 rebounds. However, his best performance was on ‘Senior Day’, where he recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 15 points and 17 rebounds. Michigan State's biggest flaw this season was rebounding, but Hall was reliable on the glass most nights.
Freshman of the Year: Xavier Booker
I think Coen Carr has a very compelling case for being this team’s freshman of the year, but Booker showed at the end of the season why he was a five-star. While he fought to make the rotation, Booker made every second count while he was on the floor. In just over nine minutes per game, he averaged 3.7 points and showed he is a stretch forward that could take a big jump next season.
While fans were frustrated all season at Booker’s limited minutes, he remained patient and capitalized on his opportunities. His most memorable game this season was his first career start against Ohio State where he scored seven points and added three rebounds and three blocks. While the Spartans lost, it was an opportunity for Booker to prove why he should be getting more minutes. He followed that game with an 11-point performance against Purdue, racking up his career-high in scoring.
In the transfer portal era, there was constant speculation about Booker leaving the program after the season, but the freshman has already announced he’ll be back in East Lansing next season. Booker is very likely to be a starter for MSU next season, and should see a significant jump in his minutes. He could be the frontcourt piece the Spartans desperately need.
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