Jordan and Jabari, All-SEC selections. (photo/Mizzou Athletics)
For the second consecutive season Mizzou Basketball had a pair of players named to the All-Southeastern Conference Team by the league coaches as Jabari Brown earned First Team accolades and Jordan Clarkson was named to the Second Team. Brown’s selection to the First Team marks the fourth consecutive year a Tiger has won first team all-conference honors. Phil Pressey was named First Team All-SEC last season after leading the league in assists, while Marcus Denmon was a First Team All-Big 12 pick in 2011 and 2012.
Brown was one of the nation’s most efficient players this season, leading the league in scoring, both in 31-regular-season games (19.7) and during the 18-game conference schedule (20.7). Brown ranked among the Top 10 in several league categories during league action, including field goal percentage (4th – .468), free throw percentage (5th – .846), three-point percentage (4th – .414) and three-point makes per game (8th – 2.3), as well as minutes played (3rd – 36.6) and total free throw makes (1st – 115).
The junior had a stretch of five consecutive games scoring 24+ points in league play this year, the longest run since Derrick Chievous (1987-88). His 17 20-point games this year are the most since Kareem Rush in 2001 and he was the first Tiger to average better than 20 points per game in league play since Rush (20.2) during that 2000-01 campaign.
Clarkson earned Second Team honors after leading the SEC in total field goals made (191) in 31 games. Overall, Clarkson ranked seventh in the SEC in scoring (18.1) and together he and Brown formed the top high-major scoring tandem in college hoops this year. Also a junior, Clarkson also ranked No. 10 in the SEC in field goal percentage (.453), No. 7 in assists (3.5), No. 4 in free throw percentage (.833), No. 9 in assist/turnover ratio (1.4) and No. 4 in minutes per game (34.7).
Just how far can Mizzou go in the SEC tournament. I lay out a scenario (hey I’m a glass half-full kind of guy) for my guest Adam Stillman of the Jefferson City News Tribune and he told me he thinks I’m nuts. See what I’m talking about and hear from Frank Haith on this Google Hangout.
