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ST. LOUIS, Mo. - University of Northern Iowa senior point guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe (Oakdale, Minn./Tartan HS) earned first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors and was named the league's Defensive MVP as announced by the league office on Tuesday.
UNI sophomore guard Lucas O'Rear (Du Bois, Ill./Nashville HS) garnered a spot on the league's All-Defensive team.
Ahelegbe, who has started 104 consecutive games in his Panther career, led the squad this season with 14.0 points per game. He also led the team in free throws made (129) and assists (90). Ahelegbe was a three-time MVC Player of the Week honoree in 2010-11. He had nine 20-plus scoring effort games this season. Ahelegbe was a second-team all-MVC pick in 2008-09 and an honorable mention honoree in 2009-10. Ahelegbe is the 14th Panther to earn first-team all-MVC honors since UNI joined The Valley.
Ahelegbe was named to the MVC's All-Defensive squad for the third consecutive season.
James began the season coming off the bench but secured a starting spot in the fourth game of the season and has started the final 28 games since. James leads the Panthers with 148 made field goals, while shooting 51.6 percent from the field. James ranks second on the team in scoring at 12.6 points per contest. James tallied 20 double-digit scoring games, including four 20-plus point games. James poured in a career-high 25 points in an 80-70 win over Bradley, a game in which he buried 6-of-7 from beyond the 3-point arc.
O'Rear earned a spot on the league's All-Defensive team despite missing the final seven games of the season after breaking his right ankle Feb. 2 vs. Illinois State. O'Rear led the Panthers with a 5.7 rebounds per game average. Prior to his injury, O'Rear posted a pair of double-doubles including a career-high 18 points and 10 rebounds in a 72-52 win over Southern Illinois (1/15). With O'Rear in the Panthers' lineup, UNI gave up only 56.6 points per game and posted a record of 17-6 overall.
Missouri State's Kyle Weems was named the MVC's Player of the Year. Creighton's Doug McDermott was named the MVC's Newcomer of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Wichita State's Ben Smith was named the MVC's Sixth Man of the Year.
Joining Ahelegbe on the MVC first team were McDermott, Weems, J.T. Durley (Wichita State) and Andrew Warren (Bradley).
The MVC second team consisted of Will Creekmore (Missouri State), Colt Ryan (Evansville), Jermaine Mallett (Missouri State), Toure' Murry (Wichita State) and Antoine Young (Creighton).
In addition to James he was joined in the honorable mention class by Carlton Fay (Southern Illinois), Jake Odum (Indiana State), Rayvonte Rice (Drake) and Carl Richard (Indiana State).
UNI (19-12 overall, 10-8 MVC) will begin play in the 2011 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Friday at 2:30 p.m. against Creighton (18-13 overall, 10-8 MVC).
2011 All-Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball TeamFirst Team Yr. Pos. Ht. Hometown
Kwadzo Ahelegbe, UNI Sr. G 6-2 Oakdale (Minn.) Tartan High
J.T. Durley, Wichita State Sr. F 6-8 Pittsburg (Texas) High
Doug McDermott, Creighton Fr. F 6-7 Ames (Iowa) High
Andrew Warren, Bradley Sr. G 6-6 Indianapolis (Ind.) Brebeuf Jesuit Prep
Kyle Weems, Missouri State Jr. F 6-6 Topeka (Kan.) Highland Park HighSecond Team
Will Creekmore, Missouri State Sr. C 6-9 Tulsa (Okla.) Edison High
Colt Ryan, Evansville So. G 6-5 Batesville (Ind.) High
Jermaine Mallett, Missouri State Sr. G 6-3 Jackson (Miss.) Wingfield High
Toure' Murry, Wichita State Jr. G 6-5 Houston (Texas) Klein Forest High
Antoine Young, Creighton Jr. G 6-0 Bellevue (Neb.) West HighHonorable-Mention Selections
Carlton Fay, Southern Illinois Sr. F 6-8 Hennepin (Ill.) Putnam County High
Kwadzo Ahelegbe, UNI Sr. G 6-2 Oakdale (Minn.) Tartan High
Gregory Echenique, Creighton So. C 6-9 Guatire (Venezuela) St. Benedict's (N.J.) HS
Jermaine Mallett, Missouri State Sr. G 6-3 Jackson (Miss.) Wingfield High
Lucas O'Rear, UNI Sr. F 6-6 Du Bois (Ill.) Nashville High
Jake Odum, Indiana State Fr. G 6-4 Terre Haute (Ind.) South Vigo High
