NKyTribune staff
Oakland’s Kendrick Nunn, the nation’s second-leading scorer (26.4 points per game), was tabbed Horizon League Player of the Year on Wednesday, while Wright State’s Scott Nagy was voted Coach of The Year.
McDonald earned All-Horizon League first-team status for the second straight season. He was one of only two players in the Horizon to average a double-double in league play, pouring in 17.1 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. For the season, the Newport Central Catholic graduate has averaged 16.7 points and 9.4 rebounds. The junior posted 16 double-doubles in 30 games, leading the Horizon League and ranking 11th in the nation in the category.
Holland repeated his preseason all-league second-team accolade with a nod on the second team at season’s end. The Louisville native finished the regular season averaging 13.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game, making him the only player in the league to average at least 10 points, four rebounds and four assists. Holland is also the reigning Horizon League Tournament most valuable player, an honor he earned after leading NKU to the championship last season.
Tate, a redshirt freshman, was honored on both the all-freshman and all-defensive teams. The native of Pickerington, Ohio, drew the defensive assignment of opposing team’s top perimeter players through the year, keying NKU’s nationally ranked defense. With Tate’s length, athleticism and disruptiveness, NKU boasts the nation’s 25th-best scoring defense, allowing 65.2 ppg. The Norse also rank in the top 50 in 3-point field goal defense (9th), field-goal percentage defense (23rd), total steals (33rd) and steals per game (39th). Tate averaged 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
Illinois-Chicago’s Godwin Boahen, who averaged 8.6 points per game and sank 43 triples for the Flames, was tabbed the league’s Sixth Man of the Year. Nagy was voted Coach of the Year after helping Wright State to its second consecutive 20-win season under his tutelage and a second-place finish in the Horizon League.
Joining Nunn and McDonald on the first team were Khalil Small (Green Bay), Jalen Hayes (Oakland), and Grant Benzinger (Wright State). Earning a spot on the second team were Kameron Chatman (Detroit Mercy), Jeremiah Bell (Milwaukee), Holland, Love, and Cameron Morse (Youngstown State).
Tyree Appleby (Cleveland State), Jermaine Jackson Jr. (Detroit Mercy), Jalen Tate (Northern Kentucky), Love, and Naz Bohannon (Youngstown State) comprised the All-Freshman Team.
Making up the All-Defensive Team, which was voted upon by the league’s head coaches, was Small, Tate, Martez Walker (Oakland), Odiase, and Mark Hughes (Wright State).
Top-seeded NKU (22-8 overall, 15-3 Horizon League) begins play Saturday night at Motor City Madness in Detroit, where the Norse will meet the Youngstown State/Cleveland State winner. Youngstown State (the No. 9 seed) and Cleveland State (the No. 8 seed) play on Friday night.
NKU is the defending champion of the Horizon League Tournament and seeking to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Player of the Year: Kendrick Nunn, Oakland
Defensive Player of the Year: Tai Odiase, UIC
Freshman of the Year: Loudon Love, Wright State
Sixth Man of the Year: Godwin Boahen, UIC
Coach of the Year: Scott Nagy, Wright State
Khalil Small, Green Bay
Drew McDonald, Northern Kentucky
Jalen Hayes, Oakland
Kendrick Nunn, Oakland
Grant Benzinger, Wright State
All-League Second Team (alphabetical by school)
Kameron Chatman, Detroit Mercy
Jeremiah Bell, Milwaukee
Lavone Holland II, Northern Kentucky
Loudon Love, Wright State
Cameron Morse, Youngstown State
All-Freshman Team (alphabetical by school)
Tyree Appleby, Cleveland State
Jermaine Jackson Jr., Detroit Mercy
Jalen Tate, Northern Kentucky
Loudon Love, Wright State
Naz Bohannon, Youngstown State
All-Defensive Team (alphabetical by school)
Khalil Small, Green Bay
Jalen Tate, Northern Kentucky
Martez Walker, Oakland
Tai Odiase, UIC
Mark Hughes, Wright State