Ole Miss guard Devonate Shuler is the winner of the 2021 C Spire Howell Trophy, given to the best men’s college basketball player in the state of Mississippi.
The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame announced the honor Monday. The First Team All-SEC guard became the fifth Rebel to earn the award, edging out finalists Tristan Jarrett (Jackson State) and D.J. Stewart Jr. (Mississippi State).
With Shuler becoming the latest recipient of the award, an Ole Miss Rebel has won the Howell Trophy six of the past nine seasons. Sebastian Saiz took home the honor in 2017 after Stefan Moody was a two-time Howell Trophy recipient (2015, 2016). In 2014, Jarvis Summers claimed the trophy. Before leading the Rebels to a SEC Tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth, Marshall Henderson was the winner of the 2013 Howell Trophy.
Shuler, who completed his final season as a Rebel, adds to his list of accomplishments. The Irmo, S.C., native earned First Team All-SEC accolades for the first time in his career, while also claiming honors for USBWA All-District IV and NABC Second Team All-District 20.
Shuler had his best season as a Rebel, leading the team in scoring (15.3 ppg) and assists (3.3 apg). His assists and steals (1.6 per game) ranked seventh in the SEC, while he was eighth in the conference with a 1.4 assist/turnover ratio and 2.0 three-pointers made per game. Shuler increased his scoring during SEC play, averaging 15.6 ppg for ninth in the conference rankings.
Throughout the season, Shuler recorded eight 20-point games. That included a 26-point night at Auburn (Feb. 6) in which he drilled a game-winning jumper at the buzzer in overtime. After that game, he collected SEC Player of the Week accolades for the first time in his career. One week later, after helping Ole Miss take down No. 10 Missouri, Shuler returned to his home state of South Carolina and scored a career-high 31 points to lead the Rebels to a victory over the Gamecocks (Feb. 13).
Over 124 career games, which included 99 starts, Shuler etched his name in the Ole Miss record books. He ranks third in career steals (180), eighth in career three-pointers made (178), 10th in career assists (329) and 20th in career points (1,319).
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