For just the third time in program history and the first since 2010-11, Morehead State Men's Basketball has landed two players on the All-OVC First-Team. Second-year center Johni Broome and third-year point guard Ta'Lon Cooper are both First-Team members while Broome became the second-ever Eagle to be voted the OVC Defensive Player of the Year.
Broome and Cooper join the likes of Kenneth Faried and Demonte Harper (2010-11) and Faried and Leon Buchanan (2008-09) to be teammates on the first-team. Broome joins Faried as Eagles who have earned Defensive Player of the Year.
Last year's OVC Freshman of the Year, Broome ratcheted up his defensive prowess this year, ranking third nationally in blocked shots (3.97/game) and ninth in rebounding (10.6/game) in helping Morehead State to 21 overall victories and a third-place finish in league play.
Broome finished the regular season with 123 blocked shots, establishing a Morehead State program record and tied for the third-most in OVC single-season history. In just two seasons Broome has 179 blocked shots, which is just six outside the OVC career top 10 list. In 10 games during the year he blocked six or more shots, including a career-high 12 at UT Martin on February 16. The 12 blocks was one off the OVC single-game record and tied for the most by a Division I player this season. Broome had a career-best 18 rebounds in a victory over Belmont, the most by an OVC player this season. Overall the second year player tallied 22 double-doubles, the third-most nationally and first MSU player to reach the 20 double-doubles in a season since Faried.
Offensively Broome was just as sound, averaging 16.6 points while shooting 56 percent. The Plant City, Fla., native is within striking distance of becoming just the fourth player in league history to lead the league in rebounding, blocked shots and field goal percentage. The Lou Henson Award (nation's best mid-major player) nominee scored in double figures in 30 of the 31 games and produced nine 20+ point outputs.
While Broome was putting basketballs through the net, Cooper was making the passes that led to buckets. The Spartanburg, S.C., native led the OVC with 185 assists, which is the fourth highest single-season total in program history. He ranks third in the nation in assists and in the top 10 in assists per game, averaging more than 6.0.
Cooper had three double-digit assist games (including two double-doubles) and had 17 games with 6+ helpers. He also contributed to the final score with 12 double-digit point games, including a season-high 18 in a win over UT Martin.
By Matt Schabert, Morehead State Athletic Media Relations