Semoball

Southeast Missouri State basketball players honored by OVC

Southeast Missouri State men's basketball guard Denzel Mahoney earned first team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors, freshman Ledarrius Brewer was named to the OVC All-Newcomer team, and two Southeast women's players earned Player of the Year awards, the league announced Tuesday.

It's the first time in program history the SEMO men have had first team All-OVC performers in consecutive seasons. Antonius Cleveland made the team last year.

Mahoney, who was named OVC Freshman of the Year and a second-team All-OVC performer last season, was second in the conference in scoring with 19.3 points per game in becoming the eighth Southeast men's player to earn All-OVC first team.

Brewer was Southeast's second-leading scorer, averaging 14.5 ppg and making a team-high 71 3-pointers.

Murray State guard Jonathan Stark was tabbed as OVC Player of the Year.

On the women's side, junior guard Adrianna Murphy was named OVC Defensive Player of the Year, and guard Tesia Thompson garnered the OVC Freshman of the Year award.

It's the first time a Southeast women's player has won either award.

Murphy was 19th in the nation with 3.2 steals per game. With Murphy leading the way, the Redhawks had the third-best scoring defense in the conference.

Thompson was also named to the All-OVC second team and All-Newcomer team. In conference action, she averaged 15.1 ppg on 46 percent shooting from the field, including 43 percent on 3-pointers, plus 5.3 rebounds per game.

Murray State's Ke'Shunan James was named OVC Player of the Year.

ALL-OVC

Men

First team -- Belmont's Dylan Windler, Belmont; Amanze Egekeze, Belmont; Austin Luke, Belmont; Averyl Ugba, Austin Peay; Terry Taylor, Austin Peay; Denzel Mahoney, Southeast Missouri; Nick Mayo, Eastern Kentucky; Terrell Miller, Murray State; Ja Morant, Murray State; Jonathan Stark, Murray State

Second team -- Christian Mekowulu, Tennessee State; Curtis Phillips Jr., Tennessee Tech; Jalen Henry, SIU Edwardsville; Malcolm Drumwright, Jacksonville State; Montell Goodwin, Eastern Illinois

All-Newcomer -- Averyl Ugba, Austin Peay; Terry Taylor, Austin Peay; Ja Morant, Murray State; Ledarrius Brewer, Southeast Missouri; Jason Burnell, Jacksonville State; Mack Smith, Eastern Illinois

Player of the Year -- Jonathan Stark, Murray State

Defensive Player of the Year -- Christian Mekowulu, Tennessee State

Freshman of the Year -- Terry Taylor, Austin Peay

Coach of the Year -- Matt Figger, Austin Peay

Women

First team -- Ke'Shunan James, Murray State; Darby Maggard, Belmont; Sally McCabe, Belmont; Kylee Smith, Belmont; Tia Wooten, Tennessee State; Kendall Spray, UT Martin; Donshel Beck, SIU Edwardsville; A'Queen Hayes, Eastern Kentucky; Miranda Crockett, Morehead State; Eriel McKee, Morehead State; Brianne Alexander, Austin Peay

Second team -- Tesia Thompson, Southeast Missouri; Lauren White, SIU Edwardsville; Jenny Roy, Belmont; Bria Bethea, Murray State; Ashton Feldhaus, UT Martin

All-Newcomer -- A'Queen Hayes, Eastern Kentucky; Tessia Thompson, Southeast Missouri; MacKenzie Coleman, Tennessee Tech; Chelsey Perry, UT Martin; Taylor Roberts, Tennessee State

Player of the Year -- Ke'Shunan James, Murray State

Freshman of the Year -- Tesia Thompson, Southeast Missouri

Defensive Player of the Year -- Adrianna Murphy, Southeast Missouri

Coach of the Year -- Bart Brooks, Belmont

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