Clarksville, Ark.-Five University of the Ozarks men's basketball players were honored with All-Conference awards and head men's coach Travis Carruthers was named the American Southwest Conference East Division Coach of the Year, the ASC office announced today.
Senior guard Bryson Johnson was named to the prestigious five-man ASC All-Conference Team. Johnson, from Katy, Texas, was also named to the ASC All-East Division First Team. Senior guard Zach Bobo was named to the ASC All-East Division Second Team. Junior forward Zach Byrd was named the ASC East Division Co-Newcomer of the Year. Byrd also received ASC All-East Division Honorable Mention honors. Senior forward Darnel Renelique was named to the ASC East Division All-Defensive Team. Freshman forward Jacob Dukes was named to the ASC East Division All-Freshman Team.
Johnson ranked among the ASC's top-15 in eight different categories. He was fourth in scoring (21.0), second in assists (5.5), fifteenth in free throw percentage (72.6%), ninth in steals (1.7), eighth in three-point field goals made (2.2), eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4), ninth in defensive rebounding (4.8) and eighth in minutes played (33.0). He earned ASC Player of the Week once during the season and was named the ASC Championship Tournament MVP. He reached double figures in scoring in all 13 games and scored more than 20 points six times. He had five or more assists seven times. He had a double-double against East Texas Baptist with 18 points and 10 rebounds. In the division-clinching win against McMurry, Johnson nearly had a triple-double with 17 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. He poured in 37 points on 13-of-26 shooting from the field against UT Dallas. He drilled five three-pointers in that game. He hit at least two three-pointers in nine of his 13 games. His finishes his career with 1,096 points, 18that Ozarks, and with 344 assists, fifth at Ozarks.
Bobo, from Jacksonville, ranked twentieth in the ASC in scoring (12.7). He also averaged 3.7 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game. He reached double figures in scoring ten times. Against Hardin-Simmons in the playoffs, he scored 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field. He hit four three-pointers in that game. He made three three-pointers and scored 21 points on the road against Hardin-Simmons. Bobo was named to the ASC Championship All-Tournament Team. He scored 768 career points and made 78 three-pointers.
Byrd, from West Memphis, ranked thirteenth in the ASC in scoring (10.8), fifth in rebounding (8.0), second in field goal percentage (62.5), fifth in three-point percentage (45.5) and eleventh in blocks (.8). He led the league in offensive rebounding per game (3.9). He reached double figures in scoring nine times. He had a season-high 19 points and hit five three-pointers in the ASC championship game. He went 9-of-11 with 18 points against LeTourneau. He pulled down 18 rebounds against UT Dallas. He ended the season with four double-doubles. He had four blocks against East Texas Baptist. He was named to the ASC Championship All-Tournament Team.
Renelique, from Katy, Texas, was a lock down defender and one of the top rebounders in the ASC. He averaged 5.7 rebounds per game, ranking twentieth in the ASC. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound forward helped the Eagles lead the league in defensive field goal percentage. He scored ten points on two occasions during the season.
Dukes, from Frisco, Texas, saw key minutes off the bench as a freshman. Dukes shot 61 percent from the field. He pulled down three rebounds and went 2-of-3 from the field against McMurry.
Carruthers, in his fourth year at Ozarks, led the program to its first ASC title since the university joined the ASC in 1996-97. Carruthers' team won the East Division and hosted the ASC Championship Tournament behind a six-game win streak to end the season. Under Carruthers, the Eagles finished 10-3 overall and 7-3 in league play. It is the program's first winning season since the 2005-2006 season. Carruthers' team led the ASC in field goal defense, holding opponents to a 40.7% shooting clip. The Eagles also led the ASC in blocked shots per game (3.5). The Eagles' remarkable run comes after the team was picked to finish last in the ASC preseason poll. The men's basketball program last won a conference championship the 1993-94 season.
