Kalin Lucas Named Team MVP At Awards Banquet

 

 

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Senior Kalin Lucas was named team MVP by both the media and the team at the 2011 Men’s Basketball Awards Banquet on Sunday, March 6. Senior Mike Kebler and junior Draymond Green led all recipients on the night with three awards each.

 

For Lucas, this marked the third-straight season he has earned MVP honors as he received both team and media votes following his sophomore season as well as the team vote his junior season. The Detroit, Mich., native becomes the first Spartan to receive MVP recognition in three-straight years since Mateen Cleaves (1998-2000), and only the eighth overall to win it three times. Lucas has led MSU on the year with a career-best 17.0 points per game while averaging a personal-high 33.1 minutes per game and 2.1 rebounds a contest.

 

Green earned the Jumping Johnny Green Chairman of the Boards Award for the second year in a row. Green is one of eight players in the nation to lead his team in rebounding and assists as he is averaging 8.3 rebounds a contest and 3.9 assists a game. Green’s rebounding average is good enough for third in the conference while his assists rank him ninth.

 

Junior Delvon Roe joined Green as the Antonio Smith Glue and Guts Award recipients. The classmates were both honored for their intangibles and toughness they have displayed this season. This is Green’s second time receiving the award.

 

Green’s final honor of the night came when he picked up the Stephen G. Scofes Inspirational Player Award.

 

Freshman Keith Appling was named the team’s John E. Benington Best Defensive Player Award honoree. Appling becomes only the fourth freshman in program history to receive the honor, and the first since Kelvin Torbert and Alan Anderson shared the honor in 2002 as freshmen.

 

Kebler earned the team’s Most Improved Player Award after seeing career bests in nearly every statistical category. After seeing action in only 17 contests his first two seasons, Kebler was a key defensive substitute late in the 2009-10 season. This season, Kebler has averaged a personal-best 8.9 minutes per game, playing 10 minutes or more in the last 11 contests and starting the last five games. Kebler has also seen his offensive output improve from 0.2 points a game his first three seasons to 1.4 his senior year.

 

Kebler also received both the Scholar-Athlete Award as well as the Unsung Player Award. This is the third-straight season Kebler was the Scholar-Athlete recipient.

 

Junior Anthony Ianni was the recipient of the Tim Bograkos Walk-On Award. Jamie Curtis, Brett Ferguson, Billy Schrage and Ben Setas were honored with the Senior Manager Award.