Morehead State’s Kenneth Faried Named OVC Player of the Year

Brentwood, TN- Morehead State University junior center Kenneth Faried was tabbed both the 2009-10 Ohio Valley Conference Player and Defensive Player of the Year as announced by the Conference on Thursday. Joining Faried among the awards winners is Murray State’s Billy Kennedy, who was named OVC Coach of the Year for the first time, and Murray State’s Isaiah Canaan who was tabbed OVC Freshman of the Year.

Faried is the fifth Morehead State player to win the league’s highest honor and first since Ricky Minard took home Player of the Year honors in 2002-03. In his third year with the Eagles, Faried ranked second in the league in scoring (17.0 points/game), first in rebounding (13.2), second in blocked shots (1.9/game), fourth in steals (1.6) and fourth in field goal percentage (56.7%). Nationally, Faried ranks first in rebounding and second in double-doubles, recording 22 double-dips in 31 total games. There were only seven games this year he failed to pull down double-digit rebounds and in 15 of his games he had 15 or more caroms, including a season-high 21 boards in a road win at Tennessee State. In that game, he also scored 23 points, which was one of just nine 20/20 games nationally this season. Faried also increased his points/game production from a season ago, from 13.9 points a game to a team-best 17.0 this season. That included nine games with 20 or more points. Faried was named OVC Player of the Week five times during the 2009-10 season.

Faried also repeated as the OVC Defensive Player of the Year, which was awarded for the first time by the OVC in 2008-09. At the end of the regular season Faried had 1,118 career rebounds, a mark that already ranks eighth in OVC history. Besides grabbing rebounds at a record pace, Faried also altered shots, blocking 58 in 31 games. That included a season-high five in a road game at Austin Peay and also against UT Martin in the regular season finale. His 51 total steals is also tops on the Morehead State team.

Courtesy of OVCSports.com

Congratulations to Kenneth Faried for being named both the Player of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year in the OVC. The kid is just strait beast. We would also like to wish the Eagles luck tonight as they face Tennessee Tech in the semifinals of the OVC Tournament at 9pm on ESPNU. In two games against Tech this season Faried finished with 20 and 14 and then 26 and 17, so look for a big game again tonight.

If the Eagles do take care of business, the Pinkie will be live in Nashville tomorrow night as MSU goes for their second strait OVC title. GO EAGLES!!!