LANSING - Top NCAA Tournament seeded MSU hopes that it will receive more hardware within the next week, after fairing well with coveted team awards at its annual Basketball Bust Monday night.
Eight Spartan players were recognized for their efforts throughout the regular season, with eight awards voted on by team members.
Senior forward Andre Hutson- who earned five awards - and sophomore guard Jason Richardson were voted the team’s most valuable players.
Hutson, who battled pneumonia earlier this year, and senior guard Charlie Bell, who had bouts with the flu this year, earned the media’s MVP award.
Both seniors shared the team’s Best Defensive Player Award, with Hutson also sharing the Antonio Smith Glue and Guts Award - named after the former MSU center. The award honors a Spartan player’s toughness, leadership and work ethic. Hutson shared the award with sophomore forward Al Anagonye.
MSU assistant coach Mike Garland described both Hutson and Anagonye’s play as “warrior-like.”
“Those guys are truly what Spartan spirit and toughness is all about,” Garland said at the ceremony, which was held at the Holiday Inn South-Convention Center, 6820 S. Cedar St. “They give it there all on the court and in practice every day and are workhorses. They are both kids that truly depict what this program is all about.”
Many notable figures were in attendance including university trustees, cheerleaders, the Spartan Brass, MSU Motion, Gov. John Engler, athletics director Clarence Underwood, head hockey coach Ron Mason and head football coach Bobby Williams.
Redshirt freshman center Jason Andreas won arguably the most treasured award of the night, nabbing the team’s Scholar-Athlete Award for his 3.6 overall grade point average.
Andreas, who also won the team’s Most Improved Player Award, had a straight 4.0 GPA during MSU’s championship run last spring semester.
“This is really a credit to the players, coaches and the staff at the Clara Belle Smith (Academic Support) Center,” Andreas said of the honor.
“They all do so much for us to help us fair well academically as well as athletically.”
Freshman center Zach Randolph shared the team’s Chairman of the Board Award, for the team’s best rebounders, with Hutson.
Senior guards David Thomas’ and Brandon Smith’s spirited play in games and practice earned them both the Inspirational Player Award.
MSU president M. Peter McPherson attended the function and reminisced to a packed crowd about the continuous success of the basketball program.
“I remember four years ago when Coach Izzo and I were on our way back from a roadtrip and we were talking about elite basketball programs across the country,” he said. “It’s amazing what has happened since then. There is no question now that MSU is a nationally known program and a special one as well.”
