ST. LOUIS — Led by a pair of All-Missouri Valley Conference first-team selections, four Missouri State men’s basketball standouts were honored Tuesday (March 1) with the announcement of the league’s first round of postseason awards.
Gaige Prim (Sr., Aurora, Colo.) and Isiaih Mosley (Jr., Columbia, Mo.) were both named All-MVC first-team honorees for the second year in a row, making them the first teammates to earn first-team honors in back-to-back years since 2015-16.
Prim is averaging 16.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots per game, while converting 57.2 percent of his field goal attempts this season. He ranks fourth in the MVC in scoring, second in rebounding and first in blocked shots. Likewise, his league-best FG percentage ranks 23rd nationally, while his 10 double-doubles ranks 36th among all Division I players.
Mosley is averaging 20.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game while converting 50.6 percent of his field goals, 43.4 percent of his 3-pointers and 90.9 percent of his free throws. He leads The Valley in free throw shooting and ranks second in scoring and fifth in rebounding. His scoring average currently ranks 23rd nationally, while his FT percentage is seventh.
Joining Prim and Mosley on the All-MVC first team are Bradley’s Terry Roberts, Loyola’s Lucas Williamson and Northern Iowa’s A.J. Green. Green was named MVC Player of the Year, Roberts was named MVC Newcomer of the Year, and Williamson was honored as MVC Defensive Player of the Year. Drake’s Tucker Devries, an All-MVC second-team selection, earned MVC Freshman of the Year distinction.
Mosley received 17 first-place votes in the Larry Bird Player of the Year voting and finished second behind Green.
The Bears were also honored with an MVC All-Defensive Team selection in junior Donovan Clay (G/F, Alton, Ill.). One of the top lock-down defenders in the league, Clay has compiled 32 blocks and 20 steals on the season and is tied for fourth in the conference in blocked shots (1.0) and tied for fifth in rebounding average (6.2). The transfer from Valparaiso has started all 31 games this season and is averaging 8.0 points with an impressive 53.5 FG percentage.
Fellow Bears newcomer Isaac Haney (G, Springfield, Mo.) was also recognized Tuesday as a member of the MVC All-Freshman Team. The local product became the first Bear since 2013 (Marcus Marshall) to earn a spot on the list of the league’s top freshman players. In 29 appearances and just 15.4 minutes per game, Haney has racked up 112 points, 72 rebounds, 23 assists and 20 steals in his rookie campaign.
Coach Dana Ford‘s Bears (22-9) enter this weekend’s State Farm MVC Tournament at Enterprise Center in St. Louis as the No. 2 seed, the squad’s top seed at Arch Madness since 2011. MoState will play the winner of the 7-10 game between Valparaiso and Evansville on Friday at 6 p.m. A win would put the Bears in the semifinals for a third straight season with a date against Southern Illinois or Drake on Saturday at 5 p.m. The championship game is slated for Sunday at 1 p.m.
For tickets and other tournament information, please go to ArchMadness.com.
