Michigan State basketball handles EMU, 83-67, as Foster Loyer makes most of surprise start
EAST LANSING — The lineup caught people by surprise.
Not Joshua Langford’s return. Not even Thomas Kithier taking Xavier Tillman’s vacancy.
Foster Loyer got the start at point guard. And he immediately put on a show for the Michigan State fans watching at home.
The junior took the spot of beloved, graduated star Cassius Winston and put together a start to silence his doubters with a career game — in the first half. Loyer finished with a career-best 20 points and six 3-pointers to lead the 12th-ranked Spartans to an 83-67 victory over Eastern Michigan in Wednesday’s season-opener at Breslin Center.
The game also marked the return of Joshua Langford, and the fifth-year senior started and looked sharp after missing his first three shots to finish with 10 points, two rebounds and an assist.
MSU hosts Notre Dame on Saturday at Breslin (8 p.m./BTN) in a better test.
[ How Michigan State prepared for Eastern Michigan ... without Tom Izzo ]
Call a Loyer
The night belonged to Loyer, the much maligned 6-foot first-time captain from Clarkston who made the most of his second career start.
Loyer got a good look on MSU’s first possession and clanged one off the back iron. His second attempt was pure, and he went on to connect on 5 of 7 3-point attempts and hit a pair of free throws for 17 points by the break.
Loyer’s previous career best was 16 points against Western Michigan on Dec. 29, 2019, which was his only other start coming into this season when he replaced a banged-up Winston. That also was his previous high with 21 minutes.
Loyer took all 10 of his shots from 3-point range and added two rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes.
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Langford back
If it wasn’t for Loyer, Wednesday would have belonged to Langford.
The 6-foot-6, 210-pound Langford played his first game since Dec. 29, 2018, when he suffered his first of two foot injuries that each required surgery and ended the past two seasons. The Birmingham, Alabama, native did not play last season.
Langford missed his first three shots in his first game playing with the 3-point line that was extended before lasts season. He also had four of MSU’s 18 turnovers.
But Langford settled in and finished 3 of 8 overall, including 2 of 7 from deep, and showed flashes of his old self by slicing into the paint and moving the ball around the perimeter. More importantly, he played 21 minutes and looked healthy.
Moving parts
It also was the debut of junior forward Joey Hauser, who shook off a slow start to finish with 15 points and nine rebounds on 6 of 9 shooting. Hauer looked more active in the second half with 11 of his points and six of his boards after intermission.
Rocket Watts came off the bench after starting 16 games last season, and the sophomore struggled. He made just 1 of 6 shots for two points while backing up both Loyer and Langford.
Swingman Aaron Henry made 2 of 3 shots for six points, but he added a game-best seven assists with four rebounds. Fellow junior Gabe Brown got hot late and finished with 12 points on 4 of 6 shooting from beyond the arc.
It is hard to gauge just what this means for MSU moving forward, partly because EMU’s 2-3 zone is a defense the Spartans seldomly face and partly because the Eagles had just eight players available. However, MSU finished shooting 42.9% from 3-point range (12 of 28) and 54.5% overall and had 27 assists on 30 made baskets.
Yeikson Montero and Ty Groce led EMU with 14 points apiece. The Spartans held the Eagles to just 19% shooting (4 of 21) from 3-point range.
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Read more on the Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Spartans newsletter.
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Read more on the Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Spartans newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State basketball handles EMU in surprise Foster Loyer start
