Tennessee basketball awards

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Ron Slay, the 2003 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2002-03 University of Tennessee basketball team at the squad’s annual postseason awards banquet. Slay, who was named a third team All-America by the Associated Press, became the first Vol to lead the SEC in scoring since 1993 when he averaged 21.2 points per game. The Nashville native finished his career 13th on UT’s career scoring lists with 1,569 career points. In addition to earning MVP honors, Slay also received the Chairman of the Boards Award as the team’s top rebounder. The consensus first team All-SEC selection led the Vols in rebounding and ranked third in the SEC in rebounding with 7.8 rebounds per game. His 6.24 defensive rebounds per game were the most in the SEC. Slay was also given the Burchfield-Moss Most Courageous Award in honor of Ricky Burchfield and David Moss. He cameback from a serious knee injury that caused him to miss the final 15 games of his junior season to receive All-America honors as a senior and was named “Comeback Player of the Year” by ESPN analyst Dick Vitale. The Lowell Blanchard Most Improved Player Award went to sophomore forward Brandon Crump. The Houston, Texas, native improved from 7.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game as a freshman to 11.0 points and 5.9 rebounds as a sophomore. Jon Higgins, a native of Shaker Heights, Ohio, earned the Coach’s Award as the best defensive player on the team. One of Tennessee’s best perimeter defenders during his career, Higgins ranks ninth all-time at Tennessee with 130 steals. Thaydeus Holden received the Free Throw Shooting Award as the team’s best free throw shooter. The 6-foot senior from Silsbee, Texas, led the Vols by making 82.8 percent of his free throws. One of his best performances at the line came in UT’s win at Arkansas when he went 10-of-12 from the free throw line in a 17-point performance. Senior Zach Turner earned the Team Before Self Award as UT’s best team player. The Charlotte, N.C., battled players like Ron Slay and Marcus Haislip daily in practice, helping them to improve. When he got his first career start against Mississippi State he helped set the tone for UT’s win by getting an early rebound. Freshman C. J. Watson brought home the Assists Award as the team leader in assists. An unanimous selection to the SEC’s All-Freshman team selected by the league’s coaches, the Las Vegas, Nev., native ranked third in the SEC with 5.52 assists per game. His 5.44 assists per game in SEC games led the league and his 160 assists ranks seventh all-time on UT’s single-season charts and is the second-best effort ever by a Vol freshman.