First, Teaira McCowan of Mississippi State won the Gillom Trophy, while Q Weatherspoon was awarded the Howell Trophy for the best female and male college basketball players in Mississippi. McCowan beat Anriel Howell and Jordan Danberry, while State players were the Gillom finalists for a second year. Weatherspoon beat Cortez Edwards from Southern Miss and Breein Tyree at Ole Miss. All six players were pivotal to a successful Magnolia State basketball season. The highlight of the season was Vic Schaefer’s State women’s basketball team which won both the Southeastern Conference regular-season championship and the SEC Tournament Championship. This is the first time in school history. State will enter the NCAA Tournament with a record of 30-2. The Bulldogs secured a No. With Sunday’s defeat of Arkansas, the Bulldogs were crowned the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament Championship. Monday’s speakers praised the success of all the Magnolia State men’s basketball teams. To name a few: * Weatherspoon led Bulldog men to a 22-9 record during Ben Howland’s fourth season in State coaching. State was 10-8 in SEC play and has secured a spot in the NCAA Tournament. This will be the first time since 2009. * Ole Miss’s record of 20-11 (10-8 SEC), was set by Tyree, who led the team to an impressive 14th place finish in the 14-team SEC. This is Kermit Davis Jr.’s first season as head coach. Experts predict Ole Miss to be in the NCAA Tournament field. * Edwards was instrumental in helping Southern Miss achieve a record of 19-11 and tie for second in Conference USA. Edwards has been an integral part of USM’s improvement over the last four seasons under Doc Sadler. This week, the Golden Eagles will attempt to make it into the NCAA Tournament at Frisco, Texas. Tim Floyd, a Hattiesburg native who was formerly a NBA coach, said that Doc “inherited the worst situation I have ever seen for a coach” when he arrived at Southern Miss. He has rebuilt it back and he’s done so the right way.” Floyd is close to Davis, Sadler and Howland and he was proud of their work this season. Floyd appointed Davis to his first college job in Idaho at age 24. Two years later, Floyd left Idaho and Davis was named the head coach. Floyd and Howland have been friends for over three decades. They met when Floyd was head coach at Southern Cal, and Howland at UCLA. Their bitter rivalry has evolved into a long-lasting friendship. Floyd and Sadler were both head coaches at UTEP. Floyd believes that Sadler could have won Conference USA Coaches of the Year any of the three previous seasons. Floyd, who was a UTEP coach last season, said that he had seen each of these coaches over the years. “The success they are enjoying now is no surprise for me at all.” Floyd is the son of Lee Floyd, Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame coach (246-147 in 2 different USM stints). He now lives in Franklin, Tenn. and has a “fishing house” in Poplarville. Floyd stated, “I have enjoyed watching all these guys this season as a fan.” “Miss Mississippi basketball is in the most enviable shape I can remember.” Floyd said. It’s a credit these guys.” Floyd joked about how he had watched all three men coaches (and Schaefer at State) enough to know that “y’all need tone it down with you sideline demeanor.” Floyd was well-known for his sideline antics. Schaefer actually recalled as a young assistant coach at Sam Houston State when his team was playing Floyd in Huntsville, Texas. Schaefer stated, “I was a young impressionable coach learning all I could about coaching. I also knew everything about Tim Floyd.” I was eager to see his team play and learn from them. The game begins and he immediately disputes a call, bumps into a referee, and is thrown out of it. Tim, we’ve all seen you in action. “x000D_We’ve all seen your action.”