College hoops recap for March 6, 2024

ST. LOUIS (WMBD/WYZZ) — Two Bradley basketball players were named first-team all-Missouri Valley Conference at the league’s awards dinner on Wednesday.

Guard Duke Deen and forward Malevy Leons were named to the six-player MVC all-conference first team. Leons was named the league’s defensive player of the year for the second straight seaosn.

Drake’s Tucker DeVries was named the Larry Bird Player of the Year winner for the second consecutive season.

Bradley’s Connor Hickman was named third-team all-conference and Almar Atlason was selected to the MVC all-freshmen team. Illinois State’s Johnny Kinziger was picked for the all-freshmen team and senior transfer Myles Foster made the all-newcomer team.

The MVC Tournament starts on Thursday. ISU plays Evansville at 6 p.m.

Bradley will play the winner of the Southern Illinois-UIC game in the tournament quarterfinals Friday at 8:35 p.m.

In junior college basketball, the Illinois Central College men beat Spoon River, 70-64, in the Region XIV quarterfinals played at Ramsey Gymnasium. The ICC women lost their postseason opener, 80-63, at John Wood to end their season.

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