Men's Basketball | 3/6/2017 2:49:00 PM

FRISCO, Texas – Junior point guard Jalin Hart was named Second Team All-Southland Conference and Newcomer of the Year, while sophomore forward Simi Socks earned Honorable Mention honors, the conference announced Monday prior to the start of the conference tournament.
 
Hart, a Houston native, was one of two Cardinals to start in all 29 games. He finished fifth in the conference scoring with 16.1 points per game, leading all freshmen and newcomers. Hart was third in both assists per game (4.7) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.8), sixth with a 52.1 field-goal percentage, and T-16th with 1.3 steals per game. Hart was even better in conference play, averaging 18.1 points per game, which ranked him fourth in the Southland. Hart has led the team in scoring 11 times, scored in double-figures 23 times, and scored a career-high 34 points against Stephen F. Austin - the first win over the Lumberjacks in school history. He has had nine 20-point games. He had stretches of scoring in double figures in seven games (Dec. 21-Jan. 14) and 10 contests (Jan. 26-March 1). It was the first major award win for the program since Jontrell Walker earned Southland Conference Freshman of the Year honors following the 2014-15 campaign.
 
"I'm very happy for Jalin," said UIW head coach Ken Burmeister. "He keeps getting better. He carried us in scoring and getting us points when needed."
 
Socks, who hails from Coppell, Texas, appeared in 28 games with 24 starts. He finished seventh in scoring with 15.3 points per game, ninth in field-goal percentage (47.2), second in free throw percentage (83.7). He had a 14-game streak of scoring in double figures (Jan. 5-Feb. 23), which was the longest stretch by a Cardinal since Denzel Livingston had an 18-game streak from Dec. 16, 2013-March 8, 2014. Socks had six 20-point games, including a career-high 28 points at Loyola Marymount in December. In conference action, Socks was 10th with 15.7 points per game.
 
First Team All-Conference
Erik Thomas, New Orleans
Rashawn Thomas, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Jordan Howard, Central Arkansas
Colton Weisbrod, Lamar
Ehab Amin, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
 
Second Team All-Conference
TJ Holyfield, Stephen F. Austin
Jalin Hart, UIW
Colter Lasher, HBU
Josh Ibarra, HBU
Reveal Chukwujekwu, HBU
 
Third Team All-Conference
Marlain Veal, Southeastern Louisiana
Liam Thomas, Nicholls
Aurimas Majauskas, Sam Houston
John Dewey III, Sam Houston
Jalone Friday, Abilene Christian
 
Honorable Mention All-Conference
Derreck Brooks, Central Arkansas
Ja'Dante' Frye, Nicholls
Christavious Gill, New Orleans
Simi Socks, UIW
Sabri Thompson, Northwestern State
 
All-Defensive Team
Liam Thomas, Nicholls
Ehab Amin, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Rashawn Thomas, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Paul Baxter, Sam Houston
Travin Thibodaux, New Orleans
 
Player of the Year: Erik Thomas, New Orleans
Defensive Player of the Year: Liam Thomas, Nicholls
Freshman of the Year: Jalone Friday, Abilene Christian
Newcomer of the Year: Jalin Hart, UIW
Coach of the Year: Mark Slessinger, New Orleans

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