In a year of ups and down, the 3 men that have been constants for this basketball team all season were acknowledged as such yesterday afternoon. The SEC coaches announced their All-SEC teams yesterday, and MSU F Arnett Moultrie and G Dee Bost were on the 1st Team. Freshman forward Rodney Hood also received much deserved attention as he was named to the SEC All-Freshman team.
Arnett Moultrie, who came out of seemingly nowhere this year to lead the Bulldogs in the low post, finished the regular season averaging 16.1 points per game and 10.7 rebound per game, with the rebounds being the highest average in the SEC. Moultrie is considered by many to be a sure-thing top 15 pick in this year's NBA Draft. He also took home the C Spire Howell Trophy Monday night, given annually to the state's best collegiate cager.
Dee Bost, who has captained the Maroon and White vesselsince the 2008-09 season, finished the season averaging 15.8 points per game and and 5.3 assists per game, which like Moultrie's rebounding was tops in the conference. Bost too has received favorable draft ratings, and is also expected to be a 1st-2nd round draft choice come June.
Rodney Hood, who was a highly touted freshman coming in and hasn't disappointed, finished the regular season averaging 10.5 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game. More importantly, Hood was able to give the Bulldogs 32.8 minutes per game this season, which it turned out we needed every bit of. I, along with many other MSU fans, are excited that we'll be seeing Rodney back in an MSU uniform for several years. He is the rare combination of talent, dedication and character that only comes along every so often.
Although these awards weren't that surprising to those who watched this trio play this season, it is still nice to see them receive the accolades that they deserve. Although Hood will be back in an MSU uniform for at least one more season, Bost and Moultrie have seen their last regular season games as Bulldogs and we will no doubt miss them tremendously next year. Sure there's a chance Arnett passes up the money and comes back for his senior season, but who are we kidding, we wouldn't do that if we were him. Throughout his long tenure at State, I've very much enjoyed watching Dee Bost lead this team. And although Arnett has only been with us one season, he has given enough in that time to be remembered in Bulldog history as one of the best big men to pass through.
And let's hope when those two, coupled with Mr. Hood and the others, take the court for the final time these next several weeks, that they provide a season finish that we Bulldog fans will (want to) remember for a long time.