Tookie Brown Named Sun Belt Player of the Year

NEW ORLEANS – Tookie Brown has been named the Sun Belt Men's Basketball Player of the Year and first-team all-conference, and Quan Jackson was named third-team All-Sun Belt, the league announced today.

The only player in Sun Belt history to tally over 2,000 points and 500 assists, Brown becomes the first four-time first-team all-league selection in the 44-year history of the conference. The senior is the first Eagle to win Player of the Year since Elton Nesbitt was named Southern Conference Player of the Year in 2006, and it is the sixth time in program history an Eagle has been named conference Player of the Year.

Brown ranks eighth in the conference in scoring (17.9 ppg), third in field goal percentage (.509), third in assists (4.8 apg), 10th in free-throw percentage (.767), sixth in steals (1.4 spg), second in assist to turnover ratio (+2.0) and fifth in minutes (35.1. mpg). The point guard directs an offense that ranks fourth in the country in field goal percentage (.503) and 11th in scoring (83.5).

Brown won Sun Belt Player of the Week honors twice, was the MVP of the Islands of the Bahamas Showcase, scored in double figures in 30 games, posted two double-doubles and led the Eagles in scoring 21 times and in assists in 25 games.

Jackson ranks 14th in the Sun Belt in scoring (14.8 ppg), ninth in field goal percentage (.446), 14th in free-throw percentage (.726), 13th in minutes played (32.2) and is tied for third in steals (1.4 spg). The redshirt sophomore scored in double figures 23 times and led the Eagles in scoring in seven contests and in rebounding in four games.

Georgia Southern tied for second in the Sun Belt standings, the fourth time in their five seasons in the league that the Eagles have finished in the top-3. The third-seeded Eagles receive a bye into the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Tournament at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans and will play an opponent to be determined Friday, March 15. Tipoff is slated for 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

2018-19 SUN BELT MEN'S BASKETBALL POSTSEASON HONORS
All-Sun Belt First Team
Tookie Brown, Georgia Southern (Sr., G, Madison, Ga.)
D'Marcus Simonds, Georgia State (Jr., G, Gainesville, Ga.)
JaKeenan Gant, Louisiana (Sr., F, Springfield, Ga.)
Daishon Smith, ULM (Sr., G, Jacksonville, Fla.)
Nijal Pearson, Texas State (Jr., G, Beaumont, Texas)

All-Sun Belt Second Team
Ronshad Shabazz, Appalachian State (Sr., G, Raleigh, N.C.)
Rayjon Tucker, Little Rock (Jr., G, Charlotte, N.C.)
Ty Cockfield II, Arkansas State (Sr., G, Gainesville, Ga.)
Zac Cuthbertson, Coastal Carolina (Sr., F, New Bern, N.C.)
Josh Ajayi, South Alabama (Jr., F, El Monte, Calif.)

All-Sun Belt Third Team
Quan Jackson, Georgia Southern (So., G, Tallahassee, Fla.)
Michael Ertel, ULM (So., G, Indianapolis, Ind.)
Trhae Mitchell, South Alabama (Jr., F, Austell, Ga.)
Brian Warren, UTA (Jr., G, Indianapolis, Ind.)
Tre'Larenz Nottingham, Texas State (Sr., G, Moreno Valley, Calif.)

Sun Belt Player of the Year
Tookie Brown, Georgia Southern (Sr., G, Madison, Ga.)

Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year
JaKeenan Gant, Louisiana (Sr., F, Springfield, Ga.)

Sun Belt Freshman of the Year
DeVante Jones, Coastal Carolina (Fr., G, New Orleans, La.)

Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year
Daishon Smith, ULM (Sr., G, Jacksonville, Fla.)

Sun Belt Joe Gottfried Coach of the Year
Chris Ogden, UTA

Schedule

Players Mentioned

Tookie Brown

Quan Jackson

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