- LOUIS – Missouri State men’s basketball standouts Isiaih Mosley and Gaige Prim were named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference first team, the league announced Tuesday.
The announcement marks the first time since the Bears joined the league for the 1990-91 season that Missouri State has boasted two first-team All-Valley selections.
Mosley (So., Columbia, Mo.) became the first MSU player to lead the MVC in scoring after he posted 20.0 points per game this season. He also leads the conference in minutes played (33.7), and ranks second in free throw percentage (.847), seventh in assists (3.3) and 10th in rebounds (6.1). A three-time MVC Player of the Week this season, Mosley scored in double figures 19 times this season, including 13 games of 20 points or more and 12 times leading the Bears in scoring.
Prim (Sr., Aurora, Colo.) is the conference’s top rebounder (9.0 per game) and leads The Valley in field goal percentage (.629) headed into this weekend’s Arch Madness Tournament in St. Louis. He ranks third in the league in scoring (16.8), just behind Mosley and Indiana State’s Tyreke Key (17.4). A two-time MVC Player of the Week this season, Prim is also among the conference leaders in blocks (5th) and assists (8th). He has scored in double figures in 20-of-22 games this winter with seven double-doubles and nine 20-point games. He also led the Bears in rebounding 15 times and in assists nine times.
As the squad leader in blocked shots, steals and rebounds, Prim also earned a spot on the MVC All-Defensive Team in Tuesday’s announcement.
Also joining Mosley and Prim on the All-MVC first team are Loyola’s Cameron Krutwig, Drake’s Roman Penn, and Indiana State’s Key. Mosely finished third in this year’s Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year voting, behind Krutwig and Penn.
The other Bear to be honored in the first round of postseason awards by the Missouri Valley Conference was guard Demarcus Sharp (Jr., Charleston, Mo.). Sharp was named to the MVC All-Newcomer Team after an impressive debut campaign in 2020-21 for MSU. He started the last 10 games of the season, averaging 8.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while also making a reputation as a top-shelf defender. Sharp ranks fifth in the MVC in assists, seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio and 15th in minutes per game (30.4). The transfer from Colby (Kan.) Community College led the Bears in assists seven times in his 10 starts.
Missouri State (16-6) is the No. 3 seed for this weekend’s Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Enterprise Center in St. Louis. The Bears will take on sixth-seeded Valparaiso on Friday evening at 8 p.m., with the winner advancing to a 3 p.m. semifinal on Saturday. The MVC Championship game will be played Sunday at 1 p.m.
For additional Arch Madness info, please visit ArchMadness.com.
