March 8, 2009

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - On Saturday, it was Senior Day for the Tigers' trio of Antonio Anderson, Robert Dozier and Chance McGrady with pregame ceremonies. Well, the celebration continued for the three seniors on Sunday at the team's annual banquet, which was held at The Peabody hotel.

Anderson led the individual award winners with three, taking home the Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year and Playmaker Award honors. Dozier received the team's Strength and Conditioning award, and shared the Leading Rebounder award with Shawn Taggart. In addition to sharing that honor, Taggart received the Most Improved Player award.

Anderson, Dozier, Taggart and McGrady all shared the team's Academic Award. All four Tigers will earn their bachelor's degrees this May and will walk at commencement at FedExForum.

Freshman Tyreke Evans was a double winner with the Newcomer and Leading Scorer awards.

Junior Doneal Mack earned the third-annual Charlie Cleaves Best Teammate Award, which was named for the late Charlie Cleaves who passed away during the 2006-07 campaign. Other single-award winners were: Wesley Witherspoon (Versatility Award), Roburt Sallie (Sixth Man Award) and Willie Kemp (Perseverance Award). Pierre Henderson-Niles, C.J. Henry and Preston Laird shared the team's Coaches Award.

The Tigers' No. 1 Fan Award went to Mrs. Elaine Springer.

Memphis (28-3, 16-0 C-USA), ranked No. 5 in the Associated Press poll and No. 3 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll, returns to action in the quarterfinal round of the Conference USA Tournament on Thursday, Mar. 12. The Tigers will meet the East Carolina-Tulane first round winner in the 6 p.m. (CT) quarterfinal game on Thursday.

Memphis clinched the 2008-09 Conference USA regular season title with a perfect 16-0 record. It was the fourth-straight C-USA regular season title for the Tigers, and also the third-consecutive year that Memphis won the crown with a perfect 16-0 league mark.

The following are the award winners from the Tigers' annual banquet:

Academic Award - Antonio Anderson, Robert Dozier, Chance McGrady, Shawn Taggart
Coaches Award - Pierre Henderson-Niles, C.J. Henry, Preston Laird
Charlie Cleaves Best Teammate Award - Doneal Mack
Strength and Conditioning Award - Robert Dozier
Versatility Award - Wesley Witherspoon
Sixth Man Award - Roburt Sallie
Most Improved Player Award - Shawn Taggart
Perseverance Award - Willie Kemp
Newcomer Award - Tyreke Evans
Playmaker Award - Antonio Anderson
Leading Rebounder Award - Robert Dozier, Shawn Taggart
Defensive Player of the Year - Antonio Anderson
Leading Scorer Award - Tyreke Evans
Most Valuable Player Award - Antonio Anderson
No. 1 Fan Award - Mrs. Elaine Springer