March 5, 2013
Marshall Bio/Stats | Downing Bio/Stats | Complete MVC Release
ST. LOUIS -- Missouri State University's Marcus Marshall (G, St. Paul, Minn.) has been named Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year, the league office announced Tuesday (March 5) as part of its postseason awards release.
Marshall, who is also the only freshman on the 2013 MVC All-Newcomer Team, is averaging 10.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game with a team-best 38 3-pointers for the Bears. He is just 21 points shy of Blake Ahearn's school freshman scoring record (346 points), set in 2003-04. Ahearn is the only other MSU player to ever earn the Valley's top freshman honor.
The MVC has also recognized the Bears' only senior player, Anthony Downing (G, Atchison, Kan.) on the prestigious All-MVC Team as an honorable mention selection. He is leading MSU in scoring this season with 13.7 points per game and has logged more minutes (1062), rebounds (138), assists (85), and steals (35) than any other Missouri State player.
"This is a great honor for both players," said MSU head coach Paul Lusk. "For Marcus, it really speaks to the future of our program and his potential moving forward. To be recognized as Freshman of the Year and on the All-Newcomer Team is quite an accomplishment.
"For Anthony, it's a tribute to him and how hard he has worked. He has been a consistent and stabilizing presence for us this year, and he's very deserving of this recognition."
The MVC will release its All-Bench Team and Most-Improved Team, as selected by the league's beat writers, on Wednesday. The MVC Scholar-Athlete team will be released March 12.
Lusk's squad will play the No. 10 seed Southern Illinois in the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, starting at approximately 8:30 p.m., Thursday. Tickets for Arch Madness are available through TicketMaster by calling (800) 745-3000.
The team's first pep rally in St. Louis will start Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at The Hangout at Union Station, just inside the South Plaza Entrance.
-MSU-
2013 All-Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Team
First Team Yr. Pos. Ht. Hometown
Jackie Carmichael, Illinois State Sr. F 6-9 Manhattan (Kan.) South Kent Prep
Cleanthony Early, Wichita St. Jr. F 6-8 Middletown (N.Y.) Sullivan (N.Y.) CC
Doug McDermott, Creighton Jr. F 6-8 Ames (Iowa) High
Jake Odum, Indiana State Jr. G 6-4 Terre Haute (Ind.) South Vigo High
Colt Ryan, Evansville Sr. G/F 6-5 Batesville (Ind.) High
Second Team
Tyler Brown, Illinois State Sr. G 6-4 Owensboro (Ky.) Apollo / Marshalltown CC
Carl Hall, Wichita State Sr. F 6-8 Cochran (Ga.) Northwest Florida State
Anthony James, UNI Sr. G 6-0 St. Louis (Mo.) Normandy High
Walt Lemon, Jr., Bradley Jr. G 6-3 Chicago (Ill.) Julian High
Ben Simons, Drake Sr. F 6-8 Cadillac (Mich.) High
Honorable-Mention Selections
Malcolm Armstead, Wichita St. Sr. G 6-0 Florence (Ala.) Chipola College / Oregon
Anthony Downing, Missouri St. Sr. G 6-1 Atchison (Kan.) High / Independence CC
Gregory Echenique, Creighton Sr. C 6-9 Guatire (Venezuela) St. Benedict's (N.J.) HS
Grant Gibbs, Creighton Sr. G 6-5 Marion (Iowa) Linn-Mar High / Gonzaga
Desmar Jackson, S. Illinois Jr. G 6-5 Warren (Ohio) Warren G. Harding / Wyoming
All-Newcomer Team
Malcolm Armstead, Wichita St. Sr. G 6-0 Florence (Ala.) Chipola College / Oregon
Cleanthony Early, Wichita St. Jr. F 6-8 Middletown (N.Y.) Sullivan (N.Y.) CC
Desmar Jackson, S. Illinois Jr. G 6-5 Warren (Ohio) Warren G. Harding / Wyoming
Marcus Marshall, Missouri State Fr. G 6-3 St. Paul (Minn.) Johnson High
Tyshon Pickett, Bradley Jr. F 6-6 Passaic (N.J.) Dodge City (Kan.) CC
All-Freshman Team
D.J. Balentine, Evansville G 6-2 Kokomo (Ind.) High
Anthony Beane, Southern Illinois G 6-2 Normal (Ill.) High
Joey King, Drake F 6-9 Eagan (Minn.) Eastview High
Marcus Marshall, Missouri State G 6-3 St. Paul (Minn.) Johnson High
Egidijus Mockevicius, Evansville C 6-10 Kursenai (Lithuania) Lithuanian U. of Educational Sciences
RICK KINDHART
Assistant Director of Athletics, Communications
Missouri State University
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