Daniel Northern named to All-OVC team, Kevin Murphy earns All-Newcomer spot
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. -- Tennessee Tech senior Daniel Northern was
named second-team all-conference and freshman Kevin Murphy earned a
spot on the league's all-newcomer team when the Ohio Valley
Conference anounced the annual men's basketball awards Thursday
night. The honors were announced on the eve of the OVC Tournament
semifinals in Nashville.
Northern, a 6-9 center from Warner-Robins, Ga., was a preseason
all-OVC selection and lived up to that billing with his selection
to the post-season squad. He led Tech and ranked 14th in the league
in scoring with 12.6 points per game, and was the conference leader
in blocked shots. He also ranked second in the conference in
rebounding and 10th in field goal percentage.
Murphy, a 6-6 forward from Fairburn, Ga., came on strong in the
second half of the season, averaging 9.6 points per game overall
and 10.2 against the conference. His scoring average was the
ninth-best scoring aveage in history for a Tech freshman, and the
highest in 21 years. The former Creekside High School standout
ranked 30th in the conference in scoring, third among all freshmen,
and was also listed fifth in the conference in 3-point
percentage.
For the second straight year UT Martin senior guard Lester Hudson
was tabbed Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year, in voting by
the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
Skyhawks coach Bret Campbell was named OVC Coach of the Year for
the first time.
The two other top award winners included Morehead State sophomore
center Kenneth Faried, who was named the inaugural OVC Defensive
Player of the Year, and Murray State forward Ivan Aska who was
tabbed OVC Freshman of the Year.
The 2008-09 All-OVC first-team includes Hudson, the Player of the
Year, and Faried, the Defensive Player of the Year. Joining them is
Austin Peay senior forward Drake Reed, Eastern Kentucky guard Mike
Rose and Morehead State senior forward Leon Buchanan.
Five individuals were named to the All-OVC second team including
Tennessee State sophomore guard Gerald Robinson, Jr. (an
All-Newcomer pick last season), Austin Peay junior guard Wes
Channels, Eastern Illinois junior guard Romain Martin (the 2007 OVC
Freshman of the Year), Murray State junior forward Danero Thomas
and Northern.
Six players were selected to the OVC All-Newcomer Team, which was
comprised of first-year players in the league. That included two
players from Murray State - Aska, who was named OVC Freshman of the
Year, and sophomore guard Isacc Miles (a transfer from Creighton).
The team also included UT Martin junior guard Delrico Lane,
Tennessee State freshman guard Parker Smith, Eastern Illinois
junior guard T.J. Marion and Murphy.
OVC Player of the Year: Lester Hudson, UT
Martin
OVC Defensive Player of the Year: Kenneth Faried,
Morehead State
OVC Freshmen of the Year: Ivan Aska, Murray
State
OVC Coach of the Year: Bret Campbell, UT
Martin
ALL-OVC FIRST TEAM
Lester Hudson, UT Martin
Mike Rose, Eastern Kentucky
Drake Reed, Austin Peay
Leon Buchanan, Morehead State
Kenneth Faried, Morehead State
ALL-OVC SECOND TEAM
Wes Channels, Austin Peay
Gerald Robinson, Jr., Tennessee State
Romain Martin, Eastern Illinois
Danero Thomas, Murray State
Daniel Northern, Tennessee Tech
ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM
Isacc Miles, Murray State
Delrico Lane, UT Martin
Parker Smith, Tennessee State
T.J. Marion, Eastern Illinois
Kevin Murphy, Tennessee Tech
Ivan Aska, Murray State
