MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2002 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Gordon, Carmichael, Smith, Nunnelee, Jackson, Chamberlin, Walls, Tollison, Dearing, Minor, Robertson, Burton
A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING POPULAR OLE MISS SENIOR POINT GUARD JASON HARRISON ON HIS RECORD-SETTING COLLEGE BASKETBALL CAREER.
WHEREAS, 5'5" Senior Point Guard Jason Harrison, a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, is one of the most popular basketball players in Ole Miss history; and
WHEREAS, the diminutive Harrison is the leader of the 2001-2002 Ole Miss Basketball Team which won all eight of its SEC games at Tad Smith Coliseum this season and went 13-1 overall, with Harrison's 3-pointers leading his team to a huge win over Southeastern Conference Champion Alabama, 84-56, on Senior Day in front of 80 family members; and
WHEREAS, Jason's basketball accomplishments during his career are a matter of record: has played in a school-record 131 career games; is a candidate for the 2002 Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, which is given annually to the top senior player 6-feet tall and under; has won 86 games in a Rebel uniform, the second-most victories by a four-year senior class in Ole Miss basketball history; is the 26th player in Ole Miss history to score over 1,000 points in a career; currently has 1,066 career points and is No. 24 on the Rebel career scoring chart; has 421 career assists and is No. 3 on the Ole Miss all-time assists chart (trailing only Sean Tuohy's 830 assists and Rod Barnes' 456 assists); is only the third player in Ole Miss history to record 100 or more assists in three straight seasons (115 as a sophomore, 104 as a junior, 114 as a senior); Sean Tuohy and Rod Barnes are the other two Rebels to do so; has 170 steals, which is No. 3 on the Rebel career assists chart (trailing only Jason Smith's 211 steals and Eric Laird's 179 steals); has hit 161 three-pointers, which is No. 3 on that all-time list (trailing only Keith Carter's 249 three-pointers and Joe Harvell's 214 treys); is only the second player in Ole Miss basketball history to have over 1,000 points and 400 assists in a career (Rod Barnes is the other player to do so); named to All-Southeastern Conference third team in the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons; hit what many Rebel fans consider the biggest shot in Ole Miss basketball history when his three-pointer found the bottom of the net with only 51 seconds left versus Notre Dame in the 2001 NCAA Tournament second round; the shot gave Ole Miss a 57-55 lead and the Rebels went on to win 59-56; and
WHEREAS, Ole Miss Coach Rod Barnes said of Jason: "He is proof that if you work hard and believe in what you are doing, then you can be successful in life. He is a great player and a great person. He is Ole Miss Basketball"; and
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize the legendary career of this student athlete who has proved that heart counts more than hype and has brought honor to his university and to the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Ole Miss Senior Point Guard Jason Harrison on his record-setting college basketball career, and wish him continued success in his future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Jason Harrison and his family, be forwarded to the Chancellor of the University of Mississippi, and be made available to members of the Capitol Press Corps.