ESPN News Services11:56 PM ET3 Minute Read
Michigan State leads Indiana in emotional 1st game at MSU
Tyson Walker leads all scorers by 23 points as Michigan State defeats No. 17 Indiana 80-65.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo looked teary-eyed at the crowd just before his team played its first home game since a mass shooting on campus killed three students and hospitalized five others.
“It was one of those moments where I just said, ‘I’m a lucky guy,'” Izzo recalled, his voice cracking with emotion. “I said to myself, ‘I hope we can pull through for you.'”
The Spartans did.
Tyson Walker shrugged off a slow start, scoring 23 points and lifting Michigan State to an 80-65 win over No. 17 Indiana on Tuesday night, eight days after the shooting ended lives, endangered others and startled an entire community.
“It was definitely emotional,” Walker said. “Everyone was involved in some way because everyone is on campus. So it was definitely good to go out there and play well for everyone.”
The Spartans (17-10, 9-7 Big Ten) took the lead late in the first half after Walker started from the field with 3 points after a 0-for-4 start, and led by double figures for most of the second half.
“Izzo’s teams play great. They play hard,” said Indiana coach Mike Woodson. “They force you to play hard. If you don’t fulfill that, you will lose.”
The Hoosiers (19-9, 10-7) relied heavily on Trayce Jackson-Davis as usual, and he had 19 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists.
The Michigan State men’s basketball team had its previous home game against Minnesota postponed after the shooting and continued to play on the road with a loss to rival Michigan on Saturday night. The Spartans women’s team returned to their home court Saturday with a loss to Maryland.
The victims, survivors and first responders of the shooting were recognized with pre-game remarks Tuesday night. There was also a moment of silence, broken by the Michigan State Band playing “MSU Shadows” as Izzo looked left, right, up and down at the fans in the stands.
“I wish I could have run to the top row and thanked the people that were there,” Izzo said.
In the front row of the student section, white shirts were placed on eight seats for the eight students who were shot on campus. The funeral for the last of the three students killed was the previous Tuesday.
The Spartans got off to a slow start after the emotional prelude before turning the game around with 3-pointers, defense and rebounds.
Michigan State’s AJ Hoggard had three turnovers early in the game, then didn’t have another turnover and finished with 22 points and five assists. Joey Hauser and Malik Hall each scored 10 points for the Spartans, who have won three of their last four games.
Jalen Hood-Schifino scored 16 and Trey Galloway had 11 points for the Hoosiers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.