For the first time since 2017, a Loyola men’s basketball player has won Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Sixth Man of the Year.
First-year guard Marquise Kennedy was named Sixth Man of the Year, the league announced Tuesday afternoon. The award is given to the MVC’s top bench player based on voting by coaches, sports information directors and members of the media — including The Phoenix.
#Loyola guard Marquise Kennedy is the 2020 MVC Sixth Man of the Year, the league announced. First Loyola player to win the award since Aundre Jackson in 2017. #MVCHoops
— Nick Schultz (@NickSchultz_7) March 3, 2020
Kennedy, who was also named to the MVC All-Freshman Team, averaged 9.1 points per game since being moved to a bench role Nov. 27, including a career-high 20 points against the University of Evansville Jan. 11. He’s the first Rambler to win MVC Sixth Man of the Year since Aundre Jackson in 2017.
Loyola junior center Cameron Krutwig, who was named first team All-MVC Tuesday morning, finished second in MVC Player of the Year voting. Krutwig finished 31 points behind the winner, University of Northern Iowa guard AJ Green, and received 10 first-place votes.
Loyola redshirt junior guard Tate Hall finished third in MVC Newcomer of the Year voting, according to MVC associate commissioner Mike Kern. Hall was named to the MVC All-Newcomer Team Tuesday morning.
Kennedy and the Ramblers are set to open play at the MVC Tournament — better known as Arch Madness — March 6 at 6 p.m. in St. Louis against the winner of No. 7-seeded Valparaiso University vs. No. 10-seeded University of Evansville.
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