EAST LANSING— The 2021-22 Michigan State men’s basketball team is shaping up to look quite a bit different than the 2020-21 squad.

On Monday evening,  junior point guard Foster Loyer became the fourth Spartan to enter the transfer portal after guards Rocket Watts and Jack Hoiberg and forward Thomas Kithier.  Hoiberg (UT-Arlington) and Kithier (Valparaiso) have since recommitted to new schools.

In 86 career games, including nine starts, Loyer averaged 2.6 points per game along with 1.2 assists while shooting 37.6% from the floor.  The 2020-21 season saw Loyer average a career-high 4.2 points per game, along with 2.3 assists. Despite flashes of elite shooting ability during the 2020-21 season, Loyer struggled in conference play and gradually relinquished playing time to Watts and freshman AJ Hoggard. A shoulder injury ended Loyer’s season in mid-February after only 19 games, the first time he didn’t reach the 30-game threshold in his career.

Loyer set a career-high in points scored with 20 against Eastern Michigan back on Nov. 25, 2020. In that game, he made six 3-pointers, which propelled the Spartans to an 83-67 win.

Loyer also scored 16 points and collected six assists against Western Michigan in 2019.  The Clarkston native and team captain spent the majority of his career as the primary backup to current NBA player Cassius Winston. His probable departure gives the Spartans two open scholarship spots but a lack of experience at the point guard position.

Currently, only Hoggard will enter next season with starting point guard experience at the Big Ten level, although transfer Tyson Walker started 48 games at Northeastern.