MSU’s Foster Loyer ignored criticism, stayed confident en route to breakout game

CHICAGO -- It was easy to see Foster Loyer’s confidence when he was one of the top 3-point shooters in Michigan high school basketball history, as he regularly pulled up from long range and hit as he led Clarkston to back-to-back state titles.

It's been more difficult to see that confidence this year, when Loyer has seen sparse minutes as Michigan State's backup and struggled to find that shot. Coming into Friday, Loyer was 4-for-20 on the season from 3-point range.

But Loyer insists the confidence was always there, fueled by the work he did behind the scenes more so than his results on gameday.

"I know I put the work in in able to be confident in myself," Loyer said.

That work finally paid off on Friday, as Loyer scored a career-high 14 points in Michigan State's 77-70 Big Ten quarterfinal win over Ohio State.

The performance was akin to a floodgate opening. Loyer had scored just two points in his team's last 14 games and nine in his team's 20 Big Ten games. He had hit just one 3-pointer since Dec. 29.

On Friday, the Loyer everyone got used to seeing in high school finally reappeared.

"Maybe Foster thinks he's back in East Lansing at Breslin in the state tournament where he averaged 40 per game," Spartans coach Tom Izzo joked.

When Cassius Winston committed his third turnover with 13:53 left in the first half, Izzo signaled to Loyer to head to the scorers' table. A minute later, Kenny Goins set a screen for him and Loyer rose up and nailed a 3-pointer from in front of the Ohio State bench.

While he had confidence entering the game, Loyer said seeing that first shot fall didn't hurt, either.

"It was nice to see one go through the net," Loyer said. "As soon as that started happening, I felt good about my shot, I was going to keep looking for it. I was glad to see it went through."

That was the first of three in the first half. Loyer said Ohio State's collapsing defense on Michigan State's big men and on its guards who drove into the paint helped open things up for perimeter shooters, and he was able to take advantage.

As he watched from the bench, Winston was thrilled to see his backup's work pay off. Izzo called Winston Loyer's "biggest cheerleader in the game."

"I see the work he puts in, I see how much he goes through," Winston said. "He just had that little moment, it might be a whole turning point for him."

Loyer said he knew entering this season that he would have a learning process in front of him. At 6-foot, 170 pounds, learning to defend guards far bigger than him has been an emphasis from the coaching staff all season.

But while Loyer has stayed confident through the process, his lack of production has led to questions from the outside about if he's cut out to play in the Big Ten. Loyer said he hears little of that, as he stays off social media. What he does hear, he's able to brush off.

"Peoples' comments aren't going to bother me," Loyer said. "I know I can play, I know what I have inside me, I know what I can do."

Those comments will likely be less as Loyer put together his long-awaited breakout game in the Spartans' postseason opener.

“I’ve always known I had it in me,” Loyer said.

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