Western Illinois University’s 7-23 season was reflected in the Summit League’s postseason awards.
Senior guard Matt Lander, who was in the top 10 in the conference in scoring and assists, was only an honorable mention selection. Forward Kaimarr Price, who was in the top 10 in rebounding and blocked shots and in the top 20 in scoring, was left off the all-conference and all-newcomer teams.
The Leathernecks lost their last 13 games of the season, and the reality in all-conference voting is losing teams don’t see individual honors unless someone has a season that can’t be ignored.
Lander averaged 17 points per game, ranking seventh in the conference, and his 2.7 assists per game rank ninth. He led the team in scoring in 23 games, and scored in double figures in every game but one.
Price, bothered by a sore right knee for most of the season, averaged 10.8 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds.
Not surprisingly, Oakland’s Keith Benson was named the conference’ player of the year and defensive player of the year.
Benson was joined on the all-conference first team by teammate Reggie Hamilton, IUPUI’s Leroy Nobles and Alex Young, Oral Roberts’ Dominique Morrison and South Dakota State’s Nate Wolters.
The second team was IPFW’s Ben Botts, UMKC’s Jay Couisnard, Oakland’s Will Hudson, South Dakota State’s Clint Sargent and North Dakota State’s Michael Tveidt.
Lander was joined on the honorable mention list by Oral Roberts’ Damen Bell-Holter and Warren Niles, IPFW’s Frank Gaines, and UMKC’s Spencer Johnson.
South Dakota State’s Jordan Dykstra, a freshman from Rock Valley, was named to the all-newcomer team. He was joined by Oral Roberts’ Steven Roundtree, the conference’s newcomer of the year, Oakland’s Travis Bader, UMKC’s Reggie Chamberlain and IUPUI’s Stephen Thomas.