BURN THE HORSE
Senior point
guard D’Andre Williams was selected first team all-Sun Belt on Wednesday after
a poll of media members and coaches conducted on Monday. In addition, sophomore
forward Will Neighbour was named to the second team.
Williams
averaged 13 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4 assists. While Williams’ statistics aren’t
overwhelming in any one area, he was clutch at the end of games this season.
His driving layup beat Florida Atlantic late. And another driving layup tied
the Arkansas State game late.
Neighbour,
who separated his shoulder on Dec. 31 and has played in considerable pain
throughout Sun Belt play, averaged 10.8 points and 5.3 rebounds. He also shot
42 percent from the three-point line and 82 percent from the free throw line.
Last year, UALR's Solomon Bozeman was named player of the year. In recent years both Shane Edwards and Rashad Jones-Jennings were named first team all-Sun Belt.
Last year, UALR's Solomon Bozeman was named player of the year. In recent years both Shane Edwards and Rashad Jones-Jennings were named first team all-Sun Belt.
We’d stop
short of calling it a travesty, but Middle Tennessee’s Kermit Davis was named
Coach of the Year. No doubt he was worthy after his team compiled a 14-2 Sun
Belt record, East Division championship and No. 1 seed in the Sun Belt
Tournament.
But UALR
Coach Steve Shields was also worthy. Shields’ Trojans were picked fifth in the
preseason West Division poll before finishing 12-4 in the Sun Belt and wining
the West Division championship. It’s hard to believe Shields hasn’t won the
coach of the year award since his first year as the UALR head coach. He’s been
deserving two other times.
Middle
Tennessee’s LaRon Dendy beat out North Texas’ Tony Mitchell for player of the
year. Honestly, this one could have gone either way. Mitchell has better
numbers while Dendy is the best player on the best team. It sort of reminds of
the year Western Kentucky’s Courtney Lee and New Orleans’ Bo McCalebb were the
top two for the award. Denver’s Chris Udofia was the defensive player of the
year. And Mitchell was the freshman of the year.
The first
team was:
- LaRon Dendy, Middle Tennessee
- Tony Mitchell, North Texas
- Chris Udofia, Denver
- Augustine Rubit, South Alabama
- D’Andre Williams, UALR
