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Michigan State's Tyson Walker Named To Wooden Award Midseason Watchlist

He's had an outstanding season thus far and is in the running for the most prestigious award in all of college basketball...
Matthew Lounsberry|
Michigan State's Tyson Walker Named To Wooden Award Midseason Watchlist
Michigan State's Tyson Walker Named To Wooden Award Midseason Watchlist

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Michigan State Spartans

When fifth-year senior Tyson Walker decided to forego the 2023 NBA Draft for another season at Michigan State, it solidified two things.

Firstly, that the Spartans would return one of the nation's top backcourts in 2023-24 and, secondly, that Walker would forever be beloved by the MSU faithful.

Through 15 games this season, Walker's play has only strengthened those assertions and gotten the attention of the most prestigious award committee in men's college basketball. On Thursday, Walker was named to the Wooden Award's Midseason Top 25 Watchlist alongside the top names in the sport.

Walker is averaging 20.6 points per game this season, which leads Michigan State and ranks 16th in the country. Despite some early-season shooting woes, the fifth-year senior has been the Spartans' most consistent offensive player. He's currently shooting a red-hot 49.1% from the field and 41.3% from 3-point range. Walker is also getting it done on the defensive end of the floor, leading MSU with 1.9 steals per game.

Michigan State has gotten off to a slower-than-expected start this season, with a 9-6 overall record and 1-3 mark in Big Ten Conference play heading into a tonight's matchup with No. 10 Illinois. Walker's consistency on offense helped keep the Spartans' head above water early in the year and, when the senior elevated his play even further of late, has been a major factor in MSU winning five of its last six games.

The other 24 players listed in the Wooden Award Midseason Watchlist can be viewed below:

  • G Max Adams (Sr.) — Texas
  • F/C Armando Bacot (Sr.) — North Carolina
  • G L.J. Cryer (Sr.) — Houston
  • G Johnell Davis (Jr.) — Florida Atlantic
  • G RJ Davis (Sr.) — North Carolina
  • C Hunter Dickinson (Sr.) — Kansas
  • C Zach Edey (Sr.) — Purdue
  • C Kyle Filipowski (So.) — Duke
  • C PJ Hall (Sr.) — Clemson
  • F David Jones (Sr.) — Memphis
  • G Dalton Knecht (Sr.) — Tennessee
  • G Tyler Kolek (Sr.) — Marquette
  • F Jaedon LeDee (Sr.) — San Diego State
  • G Caleb Love (Sr.) — Arizona
  • G Kevin McCullar Jr. (Sr.) — Kansas
  • G Tristen Newton (Sr.) — Connecticut
  • G Antonio Reeves (Sr.) — Kentucky
  • G Baylor Scheierman (Sr.) — Creighton
  • G Mark Sears (Sr.) — Alabama
  • G Reed Sheppard (Fr.) — Kentucky
  • G KJ Simpson (Jr.) — Colorado
  • G Isaiah Stevens (Sr.) — Colorado State
  • G Wade Taylor IV (Jr.) — Texas A&M
  • G Ja'Kobe Walter (Fr.) — Baylor

For more coverage of Michigan State Athletics:

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Matthew Lounsberry
MATTHEW LOUNSBERRY

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