Michigan State University Athletics
Three Spartans Receive All-Big Ten Honors
3/9/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Complete All-Big Ten Teams & Awards
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Three members of Michigan State's men's basketball team earned All-Big Ten honors when the all-conference teams were announced Monday, March 9. Senior Branden Dawson was named Second Team All-Big Ten, while senior Travis Trice and junior Denzel Valentine were each named Third Team All-Big Ten. Dawson also earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team.
Dawson has posted nine double-doubles on the season, including a conference-best eight in Big Ten games. He's averaging 9.3 rebounds, including 9.8 in conference games, becoming the first player 6-foot-6 or shorter to lead the Big Ten in rebounding in conference games since 1988. He also has proven to be a force defensively. Dawson is the only Big Ten player to rank in the Top 10 in the conference in steals (10th), blocks (8th), and defensive rebounds (2nd).
Trice leads the team in scoring at 14.8 points per game. He ranks second in the Big Ten in assists (5.4 apg) and first in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.4), ranking fifth in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio. He has scored 21 points or more in eight games, including seven Big Ten contests. Over the last games, he's averaging 20.8 points and 5.2 assists.
Valentine has proven to be MSU's most versatile player. He's started all 31 games for the Spartans and is second on the team in scoring (14.5 ppg), rebounding (6.1 rpg) and assists (4.2 apg). He is the only Big Ten player to rank in the top 15 in scoring (12th), rebounding (13th) and assists (8th), while also ranking in the Top 15 in 3-point field-goal percentage (7th), 3-point field goals made (2nd), assist-to-turnover ratio (11th), defensive rebounds (7th) and minutes played (10th).
Trice was also named MSU's recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky was voted Player of the Year, while Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell was voted Freshman of the Year. They were joined by Indiana's Yogi Ferrell and Iowa's Aaron White on the All-Big Ten First Team. Maryland's Melo Trimble was voted to the first team by the media, while his teammate Dez Wells was voted to the first team by the coaches.
Wisconsin's Bo Ryan was voted Coach of the Year by league's coaches, while Maryland's Mark Turgeon was honored by the media. Purdue's Rapheal Davis was voted Defensive Player of the Year, and Iowa's Gabe Olaseni was named Sixth Man of the Year.
