Ware, Weatherspoon Named Finalists For C Spire Howell Trophy
February 29, 2016 | Men's Basketball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – As the 2015-16 regular season hits the homestretch, Mississippi State's Gavin Ware and Quinndary Weatherspoon were both named finalists for the C Spire Howell Trophy on Monday.
The award, named after former Bulldog great Bailey Howell and given annually to the cop collegiate male player in Mississippi, will be presented Monday, March 7 at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in Jackson.
The third finalist is Ole Miss' Stephan Moody.
Ware and Weatherspoon are the first Bulldogs to be named finalists since Arnett Moultrie and Dee Bost in 2011-12. Moultrie claimed the award that year as well.
This also marks the third time since the award's inception in 2004-05 that Mississippi State has produced multiple finalists.
Ware is having a career year in his final season as a Bulldog, tallying career-bests in points (421), scoring average (15.6), field goals made (167) and assists (24). Ware also leads the SEC in field goal percentage with a .619 clip, 14th nationally.
The former SEC Player of the Week recipient also ranks 20th in the nation in ESPN's player efficiency rating (29.02) and is second in the category in the conference behind LSU's Ben Simmons.
The Starkville, Miss., native currently stands 17th on MSU's all-time scoring list with 1,322 points and sixth on State's all-time rebounding chart with 857. Earlier in the season, Ware became the seventh player in school history to tally 1,000 points and 800 rebounds for a career.
Weatherspoon has put together a stellar freshman season, especially since the Bulldogs hit conference play. In SEC action, he leads the team with 14.8 points and 23 steals.
The two-time SEC Freshman of the Week honoree has also been making waves in the freshman record book. He stands sixth in scoring average (12.0), seventh in steals (37) and 3-point field goals made (36) and ninth in points scored (336) and field goals made (124).
Weatherspoon has also spent time on the national stage recently, landing at No. 1 in SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays for his buzzer-beating three to push MSU over Vanderbilt on Feb 16, and No. 2 for an electrifying dunk at Alabama on Feb. 20.
For tickets to the 2016 C Spire Gillom/Howell Trophy Presentation, visit www.msfame.com.
For more information and updates on Mississippi State men's basketball, fans can follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at HailStateMBK.
