NSU's Hobbs, Bransford Land On All-Conference Teams

Bryton Hobbs and Jermaine Bransford were both selected to MIAA All-Conference Teams.

In his first year as a member of the RiverHawks, Hobbs, a junior guard, averaged 18.2 points per game and was named to the All-MIAA First Team. Bransford, a senior forward, led the league in rebounding and was named to the All-MIAA Second Team.

Hobbs is third in the league in scoring and fifth in assists (5.0 apg), while leading the conference in minutes played (34.3 mpg). He has scored in double figures in all but two games this season and is coming off arguably his best game as a RiverHawk. He recorded 22 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in NSU's 83-71 overtime victory over Central Oklahoma. He outscored the Bronchos 8-3 in the extra session and played all 45 minutes.

Bransford is eighth in the league in scoring (16.0 ppg) and 14th in the nation with 9.7 rebounds per contest (10.8 in conference games). He also leads the MIAA and is ninth in the NCAA in double-doubles (13). In NSU's 67-62 win at Emporia State Feb. 27, Bransford dropped 23 points and recorded career highs with 20 rebounds and five steals. The 20 rebounds were the most by any player in the MIAA this season and were two shy of tying the most by anyone in the country.

The 2013 MIAA Men's Basketball Championship will get underway tonight, but the RiverHawks will sit out due to earning the No. 4 seed and a first-round bye.

No. 5 seed Northwest Missouri State will play host to No. 12 Missouri Western State at 7 p.m. tonight for the right to take on Northeastern State in the MIAA Quarterfinals at 2:15 p.m. March 7 inside Kansas City's Municipal Auditorium.

2013 Men's Basketball All-MIAA Team

Player of the Year

Will McNeill, WU

Freshman of the Year

Craig Nicholson, FHSU

Defensive Player of the Year

Marky Nolen, ESU

Coach of the Year

Mark Johnson, FHSU

First Team

Will McNeill, WU**

Dominique Long, UCM

Josh Gibbs, UCO

Dwayne Brunson, FHSU

Bryton Hobbs, NSU

**= Unanimous Selection

Second Team

Jermaine Bransford, NSU

Alex Bazzell, LWU

Marquis Addison, MSSU

Craig Nicholson, FHSU

Cedric Ridle, LU

Third Team

Mike Carlson, TSU

Dillon Starzl, NWMSU

Widget Washington, UCM

JaVon McGee, PSU

Martin Mitchell, WU

All-Defensive Team

Marky Nolen, PSU

Paul Bunch, ESU

Will McNeill, WU

Bobby Chipman, WU

Matt Wallace, NWMSU

Honorable Mention

Charles Hammork, UCM

Paul Bunch, ESU

Kaleb Wright, ESU

Chris Sights, ESU

Lance Russell, FHSU

Ben Congiusta, FHSU

Jordan Talbert, MSSU

Cedric Clinkscales, MWSU

Adarius Fulton, MWSU

DeAngelo Hailey, NWMSU

Alex Sullivan, NWMSU

Kaleb Porter, PSU

Rico Pierrevillous, PSU

Damion Hooks, SBU

Preston Guiot, SBU

Seth Jackson, TSU

Tom Norton, TSU

Jon Henderson, UNK