Michigan State University Athletics
Three Spartans Earn All-Big Ten Honors
3/5/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 5, 2001
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Big Ten Conference released its all-conference selections on Monday. Three Spartans found their way onto the honors list. Sophomore wingman Jason Richardson (Saginaw, Mich.) earned First Team All-Big Ten honors from both the league's coaches and media. He was joined on the media's first team by senior guard Charlie Bell (Flint, Mich.). Senior forward Andre Hutson (Trotwood, Ohio) rounded out the Spartan honorees, finding a spot on both the coaches and media's second team. Michigan State was the only school to have two first-team selections on either squad and was the only one to have three honorees on the top two teams.
"I'm really excited for those guys," said MSU head coach Tom Izzo. "For Charlie to make first team in one vote and second in another, Jason to make first team in both and Andre to make second team in both is quite an accomplishment. I still say that lately, Andre is the guy who really has come on, but it's a season long honor. To have three guys in the top two teams like that is impressive."
Richardson finished the regular season averaging a team-best 15.4 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per contest, third best on the team. He shot 53.6% from the field and led the Spartans with 24 blocked shots. Richardson is a finalist for the Naismith and Wooden Awards and has earned NABC All-District 11 first-team honors.
"It feels great to accomplish a goal that I've had in mind all season long," said Richardson. "I credit this to my teammates for helping me through all the season and helping us win games as a team. I knew that hard work pays off. When you work hard a lot of good things come to you and this reinforces my work over the summer."
Bell ranks second on the Spartans with a 14.1 points per game scoring average. A well-rounded guard, he leads the Big Ten at 5.41 assists per game while also grabbing 4.4 rebounds per contest. Bell currently ranks 11th on the MSU career scoring chart, eighth on the career assists list and will equal the Big Ten record for career starts with his next game started. Like Richardson, Bell is a finalist for the Naismith and Wooden Awards and has earned NABC All-District 11 first-team honors. Bell earned third-team All-Big Ten honors in 2000.
"I think it's a great honor," said Bell. "I've put a lot of work in over my four years here at Michigan State and to finally be honored as First Team All-Big Ten feels great. Hopefully, I can add a couple of more accomplishments to that both as an individual and as a team."
Hutson finished the regular season averaging 13.3 points per game, third best on the team. In conference play, he averaged a team second-best 13.8 points. He is the leading rebounder on the nation's best rebounding team at 7.3 boards per contest. Hutson also leads the Big Ten with a conference field-goal percentage of 62.4%. He has already earned NABC All-District 11 second-team honors.
"It's nice that people thought of me that highly," said Hutson. "I had a lot of teammates to help me out. When you win you get a lot of recognition. It was good for us to get a championship and put me in that position."
Illinois' Frank Williams was selected as the Player of the Year by both the media and coaches. Richardson, Ohio State's Ken Johnson and Indiana's Kirk Haston were first-team honorees by both the media and coaches. Bell earned the final spot on the media's ballot, while Penn State's Joe Crispin was the fifth player on the coaches' first team.
Indiana's Jared Jeffries was named Freshman of the Year on both ballots. The Big Ten coaches selected Ken Johnson as the Defensive Player of the Year. The media named Ohio State's Jim O'Brien Coach of the Year.
ALL-BIG TEN COACHESFirst TeamJoe Crispin, Penn StateKirk Haston, IndianaKen Johnson, Ohio StateJason Richardson, MSUFrank Williams, Illinois
Second TeamCharlie Bell, MSULaVell Blanchard, MichiganReggie Evans, IowaAndre Hutson, MSUJared Jeffries, Indiana
Third TeamRoy Boone, WisconsinBrian Cook, IllinoisMarcus Griffin, IllinoisTitus Ivory, Penn StateDean Oliver, Iowa
Honorable MentionJohn Allison, PurdueBrian Brown, Ohio StateGyasi Cline-Heard, PSULuke Recker, Iowa
Player of the YearFrank Williams, Illinois
Freshman of the YearJared Jeffries, Indiana
Defensive Player of the YearKen Johnson, Ohio State
ALL-BIG TEN MEDIAFirst TeamCharlie Bell, MSUKirk Haston, IndianaKen Johnson, Ohio StateJason Richardson, Michigan StateFrank Williams, Illinois
Second TeamLaVell Blanchard MichiganBrian Cook, IllinoisJoe Crispin, Penn StateReggie Evans, IowaAndre Hutson, MSU
Third TeamBrian Brown, Ohio StateGyasi Cline-Heard, Penn StateJared Jeffries, IndianaDean Oliver, IowaTitus Ivory, Penn State
Honorable MentionRoy Boone, WisconsinCory Bradford, IllinoisMarcus Griffin, IllinoisMike Kelley, WisconsinLuke Recker, Iowa
Player of the YearFrank Williams, Illinois
Freshman of the YearJared Jeffries, Indiana
Coach of the YearJim O'Brien, Ohio State
