State Boasts Three Finalists for Howell/Gillom Trophies
March 02, 2020 | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball
by Josh Lively, Assistant Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State captured three of the six finalist nominations for the 2020 C Spire Howell and Gillom Trophies announced Monday.
The trophies are awarded annually to the best male and female college basketball players in the Magnolia State. Reggie Perry is MSU's men's nominee while Rickea Jackson and Jessika Carter represent the women's program. Winners will be announced during a luncheon at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in Jackson on March 9.
Mississippi State has dominated the two awards recently. Last year, Quinndary Weatherspoon brought home the Howell Trophy for the second-straight season, while Teaira McCowan earned the women's program its fifth Gillom Trophy in a row.
Perry is joined by Ole Miss' Breein Tyree and Ledarius Woods of Tugaloo vying for the men's award. Carter and Jackson are joined the women's side by Delta State's Quantesha Patterson. Fans can vote for their winner at http://howellgillomvoting.hscampaigns.com/. The fan vote will count for 10 percent of the final tally while statewide sports media members will account for the other portion of the vote.
Currently posting one of the best freshman seasons in program history, Jackson is one of the top newcomers in all of college basketball. The three-time SEC Freshman of the Week selection dominated during conference play, ranking fifth among all players with 16.5 ppg and eighth in field goal percentage (.480) while being the team's second-leading rebounder at 5.4 rpg. From an offensive standpoint in conference play, Jackson scored more and at a higher clip than reigning National Freshman of the Year Rhyne Howard (14.5 ppg, 42 FG%) did last season.
While being the focal point of every team's defense, Jackson was still able to account for 22 percent of State's scoring during SEC play. Six of her 12 double-digit scoring efforts during league play eclipsed the 20-point margin, and she was the only freshman in the conference that scored 30 points in a game this season, notching a career-best 34 points in MSU's win at Auburn.
Carter posted a breakout season and is considered one of the most improved players in the country. She leads State in rebounding (8.9 rpg), blocks (1.8 bpg), field goal percentage (.601) and double-doubles (11) and is second in scoring (13.9 ppg). The forward significantly increased her scoring (10.7 ppg) and rebounding (5.8 rpg) as a sophomore compared to her freshman year.
During SEC play, Carter averaged 13.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and shot a league-best 65 percent from the field. She notched six of her 11 double-doubles during SEC play, including a 21-point, 11-rebound effort against Arkansas. She scored in double figures 22 times, which leads the team, and posted 13 games with 15 or more points. On the other end of the floor, she had 17 games with multiple blocks, highlighted by a season-high five blocks against South Carolina. For the year, Carter ranks inside the top 15 in the SEC in offensive rebounding (2nd), field goal percentage (3rd), rebounding (4th), blocks (6th), free throw percentage (11th) and scoring (12th).
Perry, a SEC Player of the Year candidate, is already a top 10 finalist for the Karl Malone Award which is awarded to the nation's top power forward by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He will look to follow two-time Howell Trophy recipient Quinndary Weatherspoon (2018-2019) and make it three consecutive Howell winners for State which would match the program's longest streak accomplished by Jamont Gordon (2008) and Jarvis Varnado (2009-2010).
Perry is one point shy of becoming the 17th player in program history to reach 500 points during a season. He is set to join Jim Ashmore (1954-55), Bailey Howell (1956-57), Rickey Brown (1976-77), Jeff Malone (1980-81), Mario Austin (2001-02) and Jamont Gordon (2006-07) as the only players in MSU history to accomplish the feat during their sophomore season or earlier.
Perry is the only SEC player to rank among the league's top 10 in points (17.4 – 6th), rebounds (9.7 – 1st) and blocks (1.2 – 10th). He has piled up all 10 of his 20-point performances where the Bulldogs have posted an 8-2 record since 12/30. Perry has secured a SEC-leading 15 double-doubles this season highlighted by 11 double-doubles over his last 18 games since 12/22. The 15 double-doubles also are fourth among Power 5 players this season and tied for sixth-most by a MSU player since 1972-73. Eight of his double-doubles have been of the 20-plus point, 10-plus rebound variety. The eight 20-10 games also are fourth among Power 5 players this season and tied for third-most by a MSU player dating back to 1972-73. Perry's 24 career double-doubles are tops among SEC active players, and the most by a MSU player during their freshman and sophomore seasons since 1972-73 when freshmen become eligible to play college basketball.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men's and women's basketball programs. Fans also can follow the programs on its social media outlets by searching 'HailStateMBK' and 'HailStateWBK' on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State captured three of the six finalist nominations for the 2020 C Spire Howell and Gillom Trophies announced Monday.
The trophies are awarded annually to the best male and female college basketball players in the Magnolia State. Reggie Perry is MSU's men's nominee while Rickea Jackson and Jessika Carter represent the women's program. Winners will be announced during a luncheon at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in Jackson on March 9.
Mississippi State has dominated the two awards recently. Last year, Quinndary Weatherspoon brought home the Howell Trophy for the second-straight season, while Teaira McCowan earned the women's program its fifth Gillom Trophy in a row.
Perry is joined by Ole Miss' Breein Tyree and Ledarius Woods of Tugaloo vying for the men's award. Carter and Jackson are joined the women's side by Delta State's Quantesha Patterson. Fans can vote for their winner at http://howellgillomvoting.hscampaigns.com/. The fan vote will count for 10 percent of the final tally while statewide sports media members will account for the other portion of the vote.
Currently posting one of the best freshman seasons in program history, Jackson is one of the top newcomers in all of college basketball. The three-time SEC Freshman of the Week selection dominated during conference play, ranking fifth among all players with 16.5 ppg and eighth in field goal percentage (.480) while being the team's second-leading rebounder at 5.4 rpg. From an offensive standpoint in conference play, Jackson scored more and at a higher clip than reigning National Freshman of the Year Rhyne Howard (14.5 ppg, 42 FG%) did last season.
While being the focal point of every team's defense, Jackson was still able to account for 22 percent of State's scoring during SEC play. Six of her 12 double-digit scoring efforts during league play eclipsed the 20-point margin, and she was the only freshman in the conference that scored 30 points in a game this season, notching a career-best 34 points in MSU's win at Auburn.
Carter posted a breakout season and is considered one of the most improved players in the country. She leads State in rebounding (8.9 rpg), blocks (1.8 bpg), field goal percentage (.601) and double-doubles (11) and is second in scoring (13.9 ppg). The forward significantly increased her scoring (10.7 ppg) and rebounding (5.8 rpg) as a sophomore compared to her freshman year.
During SEC play, Carter averaged 13.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and shot a league-best 65 percent from the field. She notched six of her 11 double-doubles during SEC play, including a 21-point, 11-rebound effort against Arkansas. She scored in double figures 22 times, which leads the team, and posted 13 games with 15 or more points. On the other end of the floor, she had 17 games with multiple blocks, highlighted by a season-high five blocks against South Carolina. For the year, Carter ranks inside the top 15 in the SEC in offensive rebounding (2nd), field goal percentage (3rd), rebounding (4th), blocks (6th), free throw percentage (11th) and scoring (12th).
Perry, a SEC Player of the Year candidate, is already a top 10 finalist for the Karl Malone Award which is awarded to the nation's top power forward by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He will look to follow two-time Howell Trophy recipient Quinndary Weatherspoon (2018-2019) and make it three consecutive Howell winners for State which would match the program's longest streak accomplished by Jamont Gordon (2008) and Jarvis Varnado (2009-2010).
Perry is one point shy of becoming the 17th player in program history to reach 500 points during a season. He is set to join Jim Ashmore (1954-55), Bailey Howell (1956-57), Rickey Brown (1976-77), Jeff Malone (1980-81), Mario Austin (2001-02) and Jamont Gordon (2006-07) as the only players in MSU history to accomplish the feat during their sophomore season or earlier.
Perry is the only SEC player to rank among the league's top 10 in points (17.4 – 6th), rebounds (9.7 – 1st) and blocks (1.2 – 10th). He has piled up all 10 of his 20-point performances where the Bulldogs have posted an 8-2 record since 12/30. Perry has secured a SEC-leading 15 double-doubles this season highlighted by 11 double-doubles over his last 18 games since 12/22. The 15 double-doubles also are fourth among Power 5 players this season and tied for sixth-most by a MSU player since 1972-73. Eight of his double-doubles have been of the 20-plus point, 10-plus rebound variety. The eight 20-10 games also are fourth among Power 5 players this season and tied for third-most by a MSU player dating back to 1972-73. Perry's 24 career double-doubles are tops among SEC active players, and the most by a MSU player during their freshman and sophomore seasons since 1972-73 when freshmen become eligible to play college basketball.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men's and women's basketball programs. Fans also can follow the programs on its social media outlets by searching 'HailStateMBK' and 'HailStateWBK' on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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