FRISCO, Texas – Nicholls men's basketball head coach
Richie Riley was deemed the 2018 SLC Coach of the Year and senior guard
Roddy Peters was named Newcomer of the Year, headlining four postseason All-SLC selections as it was announced in a release by the conference office Monday afternoon.
Peters also garnered first-team honors. Fellow senior guards
Tevon Saddler and
Jahvaughn Powell were selected to the All-SLC Second Team and All-Defensive Team, respectively.
"I'm so proud of the accomplishments of our guys and they certainly deserve the awards and recognition they have received," Riley said. "Roddy, Tevon, and Jahvaughn have had a special year and led our team to a share of the conference championship! I'm happy for their individual accolades and appreciate our league for recognized the great year they've had."
Riley earned Nicholls' first Coach of the Year honor since three-time winner Rickey Broussard (1992, 1995, 1998), lifting the Colonels to their highest overall win total (21) since 1995 and best league record (15-3) since 1998. Nicholls was chosen to finish 10
th in the SLC Preseason Poll and at the bottom of the league in the preseason ESPN Power Rankings.
Peters received the Colonels' first Newcomer of the Year award since Chris Bacon in 2001. The Washington D.C. native boasted the second-highest scoring average in league play at 19.7 points per game, tallying 11 20-point games and two 30-point outings. Peters scored in double figures in all but two SLC contests. He also ranked fourth in assists per game (4.4), 11
th in field goal percentage (.526) and tied for 15
th in rebounding (5.8 rpg).
Saddler finished with a team-high three double-doubles in league play. He scored in double figures in all but one game, ranking ninth in scoring (15.2 ppg) and 12
th in rebounding (6.5 rpg). The Aberdeen, Maryland, native also recorded 21 steals. Saddler injured his knee late in the game against Northwestern State on Feb. 28, and Nicholls is hopeful that he will return to play in the SLC Tournament.
Powell was deemed the top perimeter defender in the league by Riley, concluding the regular season second in steals per game (1.9). Powell was the only student-athlete in the league to record eight steals in a game on two separate occasions. In a game against UCA and Player of the Year Jordan Howard on Jan. 13, Powell held Howard scoreless from 3-point range for the first time in three years.
The Colonels hold the No. 2 seed in the SLC Tournament and will meet the winner of No. 3 Stephen F. Ausin and No. 6 Lamar/No. 7 UCA in the semifinals on Friday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas.
Conference tournament tickets are on sale now through the Nicholls Ticket Office. All tournament and sessions tickets can be purchased through the Nicholls Ticket Office for $70. This will include a ticket to every session of the tournament including men's and women's games. Individual session/game tickets can be purchased for $20 per session as well. All tickets sold through the Nicholls Ticket Office will be general admission seating in the Nicholls section or other GA sections in arena. Please call the Nicholls Ticket Office at
985-448-4790, email
corey.neal@nicholls.edu, or purchase online
here.
Player of the Year: Jordan Howard, Central Arkansas
Defensive Player of the Year: Marlain Veal, Southeastern Louisiana
Freshman of the Year: David Caraher, Houston Baptist
Newcomer of the Year: Roddy Peters, Nicholls
Coach of the Year: Richie Riley, Nicholls
2017-18 All-Southland Conference Men's Basketball Teams
| First Team |
Institution |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Jordan Howard3 |
Central Arkansas |
G |
Sr. |
Chandler, Ariz. |
| Roddy Peters |
Nicholls |
G |
Sr. |
Washington, D.C. |
| Marlain Veal2 |
Southeastern Louisiana |
G |
Jr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| Chris Galbreath, Jr. |
Sam Houston State |
F |
Sr. |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Colton Weisbrod2 |
Lamar |
F |
Sr. |
Nederland, Texas |
|
|
|
|
|
| Second Team |
Institution |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Shannon Bogues |
Stephen F. Austin |
G |
Jr. |
Killeen, Texas |
| Joseph Kilgore |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
G |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
| Tevon Saddler |
Nicholls |
G |
Sr. |
Aberdeen, Md. |
| Jordan Capps |
Southeastern La. |
F |
Sr. |
Norcross, Ga. |
| Kevon Harris |
Stephen F. Austin |
G/F |
So. |
Ellenwood, Ga. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Third Team |
Institution |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| David Caraher |
Houston Baptist |
F |
Fr. |
Chapel Hill, N.C. |
| TJ Holyfield2 |
Stephen F. Austin |
F |
Jr. |
Albuquerque, N.M. |
| Quatarrius Wilson |
McNeese |
F |
Jr. |
Mobile, Ala. |
| Ishmael Lane |
Northwestern State |
F/C |
Jr. |
Port Allen, La. |
| Kalob Ledoux |
McNeese |
G |
So. |
Port Barre, La. |
2 indicates two-time all-conference selection
3 indicates three-time all-conference selection
Honorable Mention: Jalone Friday, Abilene Christian; Nick Garth, Lamar; John Dewey III, Sam Houston State; Mathieu Kamba, Central Arkansas; Josh Nzeakor, Lamar; Jaren Lewis, Abilene Christian; Shawn Johnson, UIW.
| All-Defensive Team |
Institution |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Marlain Veal |
Southeastern La. |
G |
Jr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| Jahvaughn Powell |
Nicholls |
G |
Sr. |
Tallahassee, Fla. |
| Hayden Koval |
Central Arkansas |
C |
Fr. |
Prosper, Texas |
| TJ Holyfield |
Stephen F. Austin |
F |
Jr. |
Albuquerque, N.M. |
| Jaylen Franklin |
Abilene Christian |
G |
Jr. |
Little Rock, Ark. |
| Aaron Augustin |
Stephen F. Austin |
G |
So. |
Suwanee, Ga. |
