Foster Loyer drew the ire of many Michigan State basketball fans during the 2019-20 season. This year, Loyer made statistical improvements and increased his shot volume within and beyond the arc. Unfortunately, he also struggled on defense against larger sized guards and the elite Big Ten teams.
Foster Loyer’s struggles on the defensive side of the ball are quite similar to teammate Thomas Kithier. Simply put, Loyer is undersized when matching up against opposing guards. His smaller size also causes problems down in the lane. Loyer is not a complete wash on defense as he has strong instincts for the ball.
Defensive struggles for Foster were exacerbated by some really rough plays. This year, Loyer was on the bad end of a few brutal plays which stick in the mind of fans. I think we all remember the foul call involving Duke Guard Tre Jones. This type of play made Loyer an easy target for some unfair criticism.
Foster Loyer largely improved on the offensive side of the ball. Just not enough to make fans happy. He improved his points per game, steals per game, three-point shooting percentage along with three-point attempts, and overall shooting efficiency. These improvements are not necessarily jaw-dropping but certainly a step in the right direction.
Last season, Loyer scored in double digits twice. This season, he scored in double digits three times. This included games against Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, and Northwestern. Against better competition, Loyer struggled to score with any consistency. There is still plenty of room for improvement next year on both ends of the court.
Foster Loyer 2019-20 Season Grade: C
Foster Loyer 2019-20 Season Stats: 2.9 points per game, 0.9 assists per game, 44% from the field and 45% three-point shooting.
Personally, I think fans are a little too harsh on Loyer at times. He still has room to grow and may develop into a reliable backup PG option next year.
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