Michigan State point guard AJ Hoggard selected all-tournament in East Region

On3 imageby:Paul Konyndyk03/25/23

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Michigan State point guard AJ Hoggard was named to the NCAA East Region All-Tournament Team on Saturday, shortly after Florida Atlantic defeated Kansas State 79-76 to advance to the Final Four. Michigan State fell to Kansas State in overtime in the Sweet 16.

Hoggard joins Markquis Nowell (Kansas State), Keyontae Johnson (Kansas State), Johnell Davis (FAU), and Vladislav Goldin (FAU) on the East Regional All-Tournament Team. Nowell, who set an NCAA tournament record with 19 assists against Michigan State, was named Most Outstanding Player of the East Regional.

Hoggard led Michigan State in scoring against Kansas State with 25 points on 7-for-14 shooting. He added six assists in the loss and went 10-for-11 at the free-throw line in the loss.

“I was just being aggressive,” Hoggard said after the loss. “My teammates rallied around me and told me to be aggressive, so that’s what I was trying to do.”

Hoggard averaged 12.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game as a junior while playing just over 30 minutes per game as a 30-game starter in his third season at Michigan State.

A third-team All-Big Ten selection this season, Hoggard has shown significant improvement each year he has been in the Michigan State program. As a junior, Hoggard established himself as one of the top point guards in the Big Ten.

Michigan State was at its best this season when Hoggard looked to set the tone as a facilitator, while taking on a larger role as a scorer when needed. In each of Michigan State’s three NCAA Tournament games, Hoggard effectively balanced the responsibilities of his position. In wins over Southern Cal and Marquette, Hoggard effectively managed to use his strength and ability to penetrate to get into the lane and convert critical baskets in the second half. Against Kansas State, Hoggard continued to get down hill off the dribble and convert at the rim.

Hoggard is one of four point guards from the Tom Izzo era to have 200 or more assists in a season. With his 201 assists as a junior, Hoggard finished two assists short of tying Scott Skiles for the 10th best single-season assist total in program history. Other Izzo era point guards to record 200 plus assists in a season include Mateen Cleaves (twice), Cassius Winston (twice), and Denzel Valentine.  

Hoggard scored in double figures in each of Michigan State’s final eight games as a junior. During that stretch, Hoggard scored 20 points or more three times. As a junior, Hoggard reached double figures in assists in three games.

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