Kyle Weems
Missouri State University senior Kyle Weems has been named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference first team, and teammate Anthony Downing was named to the MVC All-Newcomer squad.
Weems, the 2011 MVC Larry Bird Player of the Year, has scored in double figures in 29 of 31 games this season and moved up to No. 2 on the Bears’ career scoring list his senior season. He earned MVC Player of the Week honors for the sixth time in his career on Jan. 2 and also claimed National Player of the Week distinction the same week after helping the Bears to a win over then-No. 19 Creighton with a 31-point outburst in the conference opener.
Downing has scored in double figures in eight of the last night games headed into this week’s MVC Tournament in St. Louis. He is averaging 11.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game with 15 starts. He is shooting a team-best 83.3 percent from the free throw line.
The Bears finished 9-9 in MVC play this year to finish tied for third. MSU will take on No. 3 seed Evansville in the quarterfinal round of the State Farm MVC Tournament at 8:35 p.m. Friday at Scottrade Center in St. Louis.