All-Southland Conference Men's Basketball Teams Announced

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March 7, 2005

PLANO, Texas - After finishing the regular season ranked among the top 12 in seven different statistical categories, Sam Houston State University's Joe Thompson has been voted Southland Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year. Student-athletes from 10 different universities occupy the top 11 spots of the three All-SLC teams as voted by the league's head coaches, sports information directors and a panel of media members. Southeastern Louisiana University is the lone school with multiple selections in the first and second teams with Ricky Woods and Nate Lofton earning first-team spots.

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Thompson, a senior from Wharton, Texas, capped the regular season averaging 16.0 points per game to rank fourth in the Southland. In addition, he ranks fourth in the league in 3-pointers made per game (2.5), sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5), ninth in 3-point percentage (38.6), 10th in free throw percentage (75.0) and 12th in assists (3.1) and steals (1.4) per game. Thompson and his Bearkats enter this week's O'Reilly Auto Parts/SLC Tournament as the No. 3 seed after compiling a 17-11 overall record and finishing third behind co-champions Northwestern State University and SLU.

Joining Thompson, Woods and Lofton on the first team are Alan Daniels of Lamar University and Steven Thomas of the University of Texas at Arlington.

Woods, a junior from New Orleans, La., who has been voted newcomer of the year as well, ranks third in the league with a 17.1 scoring average. He is third in steals (1.8), seventh in rebounding (6.7) and third in field goal percentage (55.9).

Lofton, a senior from New Orleans who was the league's top newcomer last season, ranks fourth in rebounding (7.3) and 16th in scoring (11.7) while producing the fourth-best field goal percentage (55.1). Lofton and Woods helped lead SLU to its second straight share of an SLC regular-season title after the Lions were picked fifth by the head coaches in the preseason.

Daniels, a junior from Tulsa, Okla., helped Lamar to a 17-10 regular season and fifth-place finish in the league while topping the Southland in scoring at 19.2 points per game. He is third in 3-pointers made per game (2.6) and 10th in percentage (38.0) on treys.

Texas-Arlington's Steven Thomas, a junior from Fort Worth, Texas, used his No. 2 scoring average (17.4) and league-leading rebounding mark (8.0) to earn first-team honors for the eighth-place Mavericks. In addition, he ranks second in field goal accuracy (59.6).

The All-SLC second team is headed up by Northwestern State University's Jermaine Wallace. The junior from Heflin, La., helped the Demons to their first-ever Southland Conference regular-season crown by leading his team and ranking 15th in the league in scoring (11.7).

Wallace is joined by Nicholls State University's Willie Depron, the University of Texas at San Antonio's John Millsap, Texas State University's Anthony Dill and Stephen F. Austin State University's Marcus Clark on the second team.

Third-team picks are Edward Garriet of McNeese State University, SHSU's Chris Jordan, LU's Ray Anthony, Northwestern's Jermaine Spencer and Texas State's Josh Naylor.

Voted freshman of the year is Ryan Bright of SHSU. The Deer Park, Texas, product is averaging 8.4 points and 4.3 rebounds heading into the postseason.

After guiding Northwestern State to its first conference championship in 31 years with a win Friday night over McNeese State, Demon head coach Mike McConathy has been voted coach of the year. In his sixth year in charge of the Northwestern program, McConathy has the Demons 19-11 and heading to the postseason as the No. 1 seed in this week's O'Reilly/SLC Tournament.

2005 ALL-SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL

First-Team

Name University Pos. Cl. Ht. Hometown

Joe Thompson Sam Houston State G Sr. 6-4 Wharton, Texas

Alan Daniels Lamar F Jr. 6-6 Tulsa, Okla.

Ricky Woods Southeastern Louisiana F Jr. 6-6 New Orleans, La.

Steven Thomas Texas-Arlington F Jr. 6-5 Fort Worth, Texas

Nate Lofton Southeastern Louisiana C Sr. 6-10 New Orleans, La.

Second-Team

Name University Pos. Cl. Ht. Hometown

Jermaine Wallace Northwestern State G Jr. 6-3 Heflin, La.

Willie Depron Nicholls State PG Sr. 6-1 White Castle, La.

John Millsap Texas-San Antonio F Sr. 6-6 Grambling, La.

Anthony Dill Texas State C Sr. 6-7 Richardson, Texas

Marcus Clark Stephen F. Austin G Jr. 5-10 Marshall, Texas

Third-Team

Edward Garriet McNeese State G Sr. 6-0 Beaumont, Texas

Chris Jordan Sam Houston State G Jr. 6-4 Hitchcock, Texas

Ray Anthony Lamar G Sr. 5-11 Aurora, Ill.

Jermaine Spencer Northwestern State F So. 6-7 New Iberia, La.

Josh Naylor Texas State G Sr. 6-0 Rockwall, Texas

HONORABLE MENTION: Byron Allen, NWLa.; Eddie Fobbs, SHSU; Tyronn Mitchell, NWLa.; Wilder Auguste, SHSU; Justin Harbert, UTSA; Thomas Fairley, LU.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Joe Thompson, Sam Houston State

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Ricky Woods, Southeastern Louisiana

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Ryan Bright, Sam Houston State

COACH OF THE YEAR: Mike McConathy, Northwestern State