Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State Basketball Hands Out Awards At Annual Bust
3/12/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 12, 2001
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State Men's Basketball Bust was held Monday evening (March 12) at the Holiday Inn South in Lansing, Mich. Senior forward Andre Hutson (Trotwood, Ohio) and sophomore swingman Jason Richardson (Saginaw, Mich.) shared the Chicago Tribune Award as the team MVP, while Hutson and senior guard Charlie Bell (Flint, Mich.) earned the Charles S. Philips Award as the Most Valuable Player as voted by the media.
Richardson is the team's leading scorer (15.5 ppg) and third-leading rebounder (5.9 rpg). In addition, he leads MSU and ranks fifth in the Big Ten in 3-point field goal percentage (42.2%). He earned All-Big Ten First-Team honors by both the media and coaches in 2001. In 27 games, Hutson is averaging 13.5 points and a team-best 7.4 rebounds. Hutson, who ranks second in the Big Ten in field-goal percentage (60.7%), earned All-Big Ten Second-Team honors by both the coaches and the media. Bell leads MSU and the Big Ten in assists (5.43 apg) as well as ranks second at MSU in scoring (13.9 ppg).
Bell and Hutson also shared the Best Defensive Player Award. It is the fourth consecutive year that Bell has earned the honor. He shared the award with Mateen Cleaves and Antonio Smith in 1998 and won it outright in 1999 and 2000.
Senior guard/forward David Thomas (Brampton, Ont.) earned the Unsung Player Award. Thomas is averaging 4.8 points and 4.4 rebounds in 28 games this season. Thomas also leads the team in steals (34) and is third in blocked shots (17). Thomas and senior guard Brandon Smith (Rochester, N.Y.) shared the Inspirational Player Award.
Redshirt freshman center Jason Andreas (Sugar Creek, Ohio) was the team's Scholar-Athlete Award winner and recipient of the Most Improved Player award. Andreas has appeared in 21 games, averaging 0.6 points and 1.1 rebounds.
The Antonio Smith Glue and Guts Award was give to Hutson and sophomore forward Aloysius Anagonye (Southfield, Mich.). Anagonye has started 19 of 28 games this season and is averaging 4.9 points and 3.1 rebounds.
Zach Randolph (Marion, Ind.) and Hutson share the Chairman of the Board Award. Hutson leads MSU and ranks sixth in the Big Ten in rebounding (7.4 rpg). Meanwhile, Randolph is second at MSU and ninth in the Big Ten in rebounding (6.8 rpg), despite averaging under 20 minutes per game.
The winner of this year's Distinguished Alumni Award is Johnny Green (1956-59). A three-year letterwinner, the former walk-on still stands second all-time in Spartan history in career rebounds with 1,036. He ranks both first (392, 1957-58) and second (382, 1958-59) on the single-season rebounds chart.
Standing at 6-foot-5, Green smashed the single-season rebound record as a junior, averaging 17.8 rebounds per game. He also hauled down a single-game best 29 rebounds against Washington on Dec. 30, 1957. Horace Walker, who earned MSU's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2000, is the only other Spartan to equal that mark.
The two-time All-Big Ten First-Team honoree averaged 16.9 points and 16.4 rebounds for his career. He earned All-America honors as a senior in 1959. His No. 24 jersey now hangs from the Breslin Center rafters.
2001 MSU Basketball Bust Awards
Scholar-Athlete Award: Jason AndreasUnsung Player Award: David ThomasMost Improved Player Award: Jason AndreasInspirational Player Award: Brandon Smith and David ThomasBest Defensive Player Award: Charlie Bell and Andre HutsonThe Antonio Smith Glue and Guts Award: Aloysius Anagonye and Andre HutsonChairman of the Boards Award: Zach Randolph and Andre HutsonCharles S. Phillips Award (Media MVP): Andre Hutson and Charlie BellChicago Tribune Award (Team MVP): Andre Hutson and Jason RichardsonDistinguished Alumnus Award: Johnny Green
