Explosive Performances in MVC and OVC

(St. Louis, MO) – Player of the Year candidates are putting on late season surges and not only helping their teams, but promoting their own post season credentials. With one week left in the season, both the Ohio Valley and Missouri Valley Conference races and individual awards are wide open.

Ohio Valley Conference

For the second year-in-a-row, John Murry is playing his best basketball near the end of the season. The 6’3 guard emerged during the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament last year, this year the Indianapolis native exploded a week before Music City Madness with a two-game explosion of 57 points, helping Austin Peay (10-18, 6-8) to a pair of wins. Murry’s heroics kept the Governors’ slim play-off hopes alive. For his dynamic production, Murry was named OVC ‘Co-Player of the Week’.

Pre-season ‘Player of the Year’ Evan Bradds is making a bid to win his second straight post-season edition. Last week the league’s leading rebounder led the Bruins (20-5, 14-1) to a pair of victories and to their fifth straight OVC East Division title by averaging 22 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Bradds earned his seventh double-double of the season and won his third ‘Player of the Week’ award by sharing it with Murry.

They can gift wrap the ‘Newcomer of the Year’ award for Murray State’s (14-14, 8-6) Jonathan Stark. The 6’ junior scored 45 points in the Racers’ two games and Stark was named this week’s ‘Newcomer of the Week’ and it was his seventh such award of the season. Stark is the OVC’s leading scorer averaging 21.2 points per game and is second in assists averaging 5.5 dimes per game.

Southeast Missouri’s improved play, they are tied for first in the West Division, has been sparked by freshman Denzel Mahoney. The 6’4 Florida native scored 17 points and grabbed five rebounds in the Redhawks’ (13-16, 8-6) only game. For his efforts, Mahoney picked up his fifth ‘Freshman of the Week’ award in the last six weeks.

Missouri Valley Conference

Illinois State (23-5, 15-1) continues to keep pace with Wichita State in the MVC race because of last week’s heroics by Deontae Hawkins. The 6’8 senior hit the game-winning free throws against Loyola on Sunday and the Redbirds’ leading scorer recorded a double-double at Missouri State. Hawkins, a ‘Player of the Year’ candidate, earned his first ‘Player of the Week’ award.

Alize Johnson has dominated the ‘Newcomer of the Week’ awards this season, and this week he received his sixth such award. The Missouri State junior picked up his second 20-20 game of the year when he scored 21 points and hauled in 21 rebounds at Drake. Johnson now has 15 double-doubles.

(See our story ‘Top 5 Newcomers of the Missouri Valley Conference‘)

Johnson leads the Valley in rebounding and ranks eighth in scoring. The Frank Phillips College transfer is also a candidate for ‘Player of the Year’.

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