2016-17 All-OVC Teams

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Eastern Kentucky University sophomore forward Nick Mayo has been voted first team All-Ohio Valley Conference for the second straight season, the league office announced on Tuesday.
 
Freshman guard Asante Gist, meanwhile, was voted to the five-person OVC All-Newcomer Team.
 
Mayo and Gist formed one of the top young, inside-out tandems in the country this season. The duo combined to score over 1,000 points for the Colonels on the year.
 
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Mayo is the only underclassman on the ten-person first team All-OVC. The 6-9 forward from Oakland, Maine finished the regular season ranked among the OVC's leaders in scoring (fifth / 18.5 points-per-game), rebounding (12^th / 6.5 rebounds-per-game), assists (15^th / 2.8 assists-per-game), blocks (third / 1.4 blocks-per-game), field goal percentage (12^th / 50.4%), three-point field goal percentage (12^th / 39.0%) and free throw percentage (14^th / 77.4%). Mayo was one of only three OVC players ranked in the top-15 in the conference in all three shooting percentage categories.
 
Mayo scored in double figures in every game this season, and has now scored in double figures in 34 consecutive games dating back to last season. He scored 20-plus points in six of EKU's first nine games, including a 30-point, 10-rebound, four-assist performance in the Colonels' 89-80 win over C-USA power Marshall on December 3. He earned OVC Player of the Week honors for that showing.
 
During conference play, Mayo upped his averages to 19.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.8 blocks-per-game. He notably scored 17 points and dished out a career-high seven assists versus OVC regular season champion Belmont on January 14, and he went for 19 points, eight rebounds and a career-best seven blocks at Jacksonville State on January 28. His seven blocks in that game were the most by a Colonel in almost four years.
 
Mayo, however, saved his best for last, averaging 25.5 points and 8.3 rebounds-per-game over EKU's final four games of the regular season. He capped his sophomore campaign by scoring a career-high 31 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a win over Tennessee Tech on February 25. In that game, he became the 35^th Colonel to join the 1,000-point club. He is the first EKU player ever to reach that plateau as a sophomore.

Mayo is EKU's first two-time first team All-OVC selection since Mike Rose in 2007-08 and 2008-09.
 
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Gist exploded on the scene in his first season in Richmond. The point guard from East Orange, New Jersey started 29 games and ranked 10^th in the OVC in scoring (15.9 points-per-game) and ninth in assists (3.8 assists-per-game). He led all freshmen in the league in both categories.
 
Gist posted 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists in his collegiate debut, a 98-87 win over IUPUI on November 11. He never looked back. The rookie came off the bench and scored 19 points – 17 in the second half – to lead EKU past in-state rival Western Kentucky, 78-59, on November 30. He dropped 24 points and six assists in a road win at Jacksonville in early-December, and then went for 23 points and six more dimes at Norfolk State later in the month.
 
When OVC play started, Gist did not let up on the gas pedal. He ranked eighth in the league in scoring (17.3 points-per-game) and seventh in assists (3.8 assists-per-game) during conference play.  Gist had 25 points and six assists in a win over SIUE on January 5, and then posted 26 points and five helpers at traditional power Murray State on January 19. On February 1, he knocked down six three-pointers in a 24-point showing against Austin Peay. Two weeks later, he scored a career-high 28 points at regular season champion Belmont. In Eastern's season finale – a 75-71 win over Tennessee Tech on February 25 – Gist contributed 22 points, five assists and only one turnover.
 
Gist was voted OVC Freshman of the Week seven times, the most of any rookie in the league.
 
He broke EKU's freshman scoring record with 494 points. The previous mark was 489, set by Antonio Parris in 1983-84. His 494 points is currently the sixth-most of any freshman in the country.
 
Gist is one of only seven freshmen in the country currently averaging 15.5-plus points and 3.5-plus assists-per-game on the year, joining the likes of Washington's Markelle Fultz, N.C. State's Dennis Smith, Jr. and Kentucky's De'Aaron Fox.
 
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Belmont's Evan Bradds was named OVC Player of the Year, Tennessee State's Tahjere McCall was OVC Defensive Player of the Year and Belmont's Rick Byrd was OVC Coach of the Year.