EAST LANSING — It’s one game. In November. Out of at least 30.

Yet as time expired Monday night, Michigan State basketball players walked off the court stunned, hands on heads. Their James Madison counterparts lifted theirs in victory, flashing Ls with their fingers to the suddenly silent Breslin Center crowd.

The fourth-ranked Spartans got upset on their home floor by the unranked Dukes, 79-76. It was Tom Izzo’s first home-opening loss in his 29 seasons as head coach, the program’s first since 1976.

And come March, it still will represent less than 3.3% of MSU’s resume.

“My thing has always been about the big picture, not the small picture,” Izzo said Wednesday, with his team preparing to face Southern Indiana on Thursday night (7 p.m./BTN). “I’m not worried about what people are thinking. I’m disappointed that we didn’t win the game, and I’m disappointed at the way we shot. And I’m a little disappointed because I didn’t think we showed the passion that is needed to compete.”

Izzo found things to build on from his team’s shocking loss. He felt the Spartans “did a decent job defensively” in limiting JMU to 36.8% shooting and 8-for-29 from 3-point range, even though his players were a dismal 1-for-20 from deep and made 36.1% overall. They drew 32 fouls, despite making just 23-of-37 at the free-throw line. They grabbed 17 offensive rebounds despite getting outrebounded, 51-48. They turned 15 Dukes turnovers into 19 points while limiting their own giveaways to 11.

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That’s not to say the Spartans shouldn’t be worried. Because there is plenty beyond “our epic loss,” as Izzo termed it, on the opening night of college basketball. He pointed toward himself, his coaching staff and his seniors — particularly point guard A.J. Hoggard — in correcting those concerns.

“I don’t like our leadership right now. That’s gotta get better,” Izzo said. “I talked to a couple of the seniors about it. I think they’ve done a better job in leading over the summer, that’s the ironic part. They’ve done an unbelievable job with our freshmen. But then they didn’t do that the other night, and some of that’s going to fall on A.J., it really is. And he knows it. We spent a couple nights talking about it. He’s done a better job in the summer. He’s gotta now do a better job in the fall.”

Hoggard battled cramps in his 34 minutes and finished with nine points and three assists, missing all four of his 3-point attempts and shooting 2-for-11 overall. Izzo had him on the bench for the final play of overtime, when Tyson Walker had the ball stripped after crossing midcourt before attempting a 3-pointer to try and tie the game.

“You always are going to put a lot of pressure on your point guard. And he gives me reason to,” Izzo said. “But he also has given me reason to feel pretty good about some things he’s done. I think the biggest thing I’m looking for from him is can he consistently do the things you need to do? And that’s defend the hell out of people, push the ball, not worry about his 3-point shot. Get other people involved in a game — that is his job. And he’s gonna have to do that job better than we did it the other night.

“And that’s not controversy. That’s fact. As he always says to me, those are facts.”

Walker finished with 35 points, but he also missed three 1-and-1 free-throw front ends and was an uncharacteristic 11-for-17 at the line. He missed all five 3-pointers and shot 12-for-26 overall. Izzo said the senior guard has been battling shin splints, and Walker turned his right ankle and left the game for a spell with left leg issues Monday.

“I don’t know what he’ll do today, I’m not sure what he’ll do tomorrow,” said Izzo, who added that Walker took part in MSU’s walk-through Wednesday morning. “I’m expecting him to play. But I’m not pushing the envelope on anything right off the bat.”

There also is the concern that two other starters, junior Jaden Akins and senior Malik Hall, went a combined 4-for-22 and missed eight 3-pointers. Izzo contemplated making changes in the immediate aftermath Monday, but Walker’s injury issues could complicate that.

Should Walker miss Thursday’s game against Southern Indiana, which lost 75-63 at Saint Louis on Monday, Izzo said he could replace him either sophomore Tre Holloman or freshman Jeremy Fears Jr. at guard or possibly slide Akins to shooting guard and start freshman swingman Coen Carr on the wing.

“I felt like some guys didn’t maybe do the things they needed to do. And so we’re gonna challenge some people in different ways. If not in the lineup than in the minutes, and we’ll see what happens,” Izzo said. “I’m not panicking over anything. I’m sure some people want to, I’m not. But I am disappointed that a team that has already shown what they can do a year ago came out (Monday).”

Contact Chris Solari:[email protected]. Follow him @chrissolari.

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Next up: Screaming Eagles

Matchup: No. 4 Michigan State (0-1) vs. Southern Indiana (0-1).

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Thursday; Breslin Center, East Lansing.

TV/radio: Big Ten Network; WJR-AM (760).