BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference has recognized Texas Southern forward Aaric Murray as its Southwestern Athletic Conference Player and Defensive Player of the Year.
Southern swept the final three accolades with Tre’Lun Banks receiving Freshman of the Year honors along with teammate Calvin Godfrey earning Newcomer of the Year while head coach Roman Banks was tabbed Coach of the Year.
All honors including first and second team selections were voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
Murray led the SWAC in scoring for the entire regular season averaging 21.7 points per game while hauling in 7.7 rebounds per contest. He was TSU’s leading scorer in 17 of their 29 games on the year. Earlier in the year, Murray became the first NCAA Division I player taller than 6’10 to score 48 points in over a decade while also becoming the first player to connect on 20+ field goals in a game since 2011. Defensively, he blocked a league best 69 shots for an average of 2.4 per outing.
Freshmen T. Banks led SU in assists and had a 1.4 assists to turnover ratio. He notched a career high of 21 points twice and scored in double figures on 10 occasions.
In his first season at SU, Godfrey averaged 13 points per game and was ranked second in the league with nine rebounds per contest. The center shot a league leading 56 percent from the field and is ranked fourth in the conference with a total of 46 blocked shots.
R. Banks was named SWAC Coach of the Year after guiding the Jaguars 19-11 overall record going 15-2 in league play. His team claimed the 2013-14 SWAC regular season championship. Banks and the Jaguars won the 2013 SWAC Basketball Tournament and made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Joining Murray and Godfrey on the All-SWAC Men’s Basketball First Team include guards LeAntwan Luckett (Alcorn State) and Antwan Scott (Grambling State) along with forward DaVon Haynes (Arkansas-Pine Bluff).
The second team is highlighted by Jamel Waters (Alabama State) and Brandon West (Jackson State). Waters is ranked 13th nationally in assist (6.0) out of 100 Division I players. Up until last week, West was the only player in the SWAC averaging a double-double.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Roman Banks - Southern
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Aaric Murray - Texas Southern
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Aaric Murray - Texas Southern
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Calvin Godfrey - Southern
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Tre'Lun Banks - Southern
FIRST TEAM
Position Player School
Guard Antwan Scott Grambling State
Guard Malcolm Miller Southern
Forward LeAntwan Luckett Alcorn State
Forward Calvin Godfrey Southern
Center Aaric Murray Texas Southern
SECOND TEAM
Position Player School
Guard Jamel Waters Alabama State
Guard Julysses Nobles Jackson State
Forward DaVon Haynes Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Forward Bobby Brown Alabama State
Center Brandon West Jackson State
Courtesy: http://www.swac.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27400&ATCLID=209430572