NDSU's Alexander Named Player of the Year, Richman Coach of the Year in Summit League

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – North Dakota State senior guard Lawrence Alexander was selected as The Summit League Men’s Basketball Player of the Year, and NDSU first-year head coach David Richman earned the league’s Coach of the Year award, the league announced Thursday, March 5.

Redshirt freshman A.J. Jacobson was named honorable mention All-Summit League, as well as earning a spot as the lone freshman on the All-Newcomer Team. Sophomore forward Dexter Werner won the league’s Sixth Man of the Year honor.

Alexander becomes NDSU’s second consecutive Summit League Player of the Year and third overall, joining Taylor Braun (2013-14) and Ben Woodside (2008-09). Richman’s honor is the third Coach of the Year award claimed by NDSU in the last seven years, after Saul Phillips won in 2008-09 and 2013-14.

Alexander led the league in scoring with 20.8 points per contest in league play and 19.1 points per game overall. He also topped the league in minutes per game (38.6) and three-pointers made (93), setting a new NDSU single-season school record for treys. Nationally, Alexander ranks third in minutes per game, sixth in three-point percentage, 10th in three-pointers made per game, and 27th in scoring.

Jacobson was the league’s top-scoring freshman, both overall (11.5 ppg) and in league play (11.8 ppg). He ranked second in the league in free throw percentage and eighth in three-point percentage. Jacobson made multiple three-pointers in 11 of 16 league games.

Werner recorded nine games of seven or more rebounds this season and scored in double figures 12 times. He shot 50 percent from the floor in league games.

Richman guided the Bison to a 20-9 regular season record and a 12-4 mark in league play for a share of their second consecutive Summit League regular season title, despite being picked fifth in the league’s preseason poll. He is the first rookie coach since 1983-84 to earn Summit League Coach of the Year honors.

Player of the Year
Lawrence Alexander, North Dakota State

Newcomer of the Year
Deondre Parks, South Dakota State

Sixth Man of the Year
Dexter Werner, North Dakota State

Defensive Player of the Year
Cody Larson, South Dakota State

Coach of the Year
David Richman, North Dakota State

First Team All-Summit League
Lawrence Alexander, North Dakota State
Obi Emegano, Oral Roberts
Steve Forbes, Fort Wayne
Cody Larson, South Dakota State
Tyler Larson, South Dakota
Deondre Parks, South Dakota State

Second Team All-Summit League
Korey Billbury, Oral Roberts
CJ Carter, Omaha
Garret Covington, Western Illinois
George Marshall, South Dakota State
Brett Olson, Denver

Honorable Mention All-Summit League
Marcellus Barksdale, IUPUI
Jake Bittle, South Dakota State
Joe Edwards, Fort Wayne
A.J. Jacobson, North Dakota State
Mike Rostampour, Omaha

All-Newcomer Team
Tre Burnette, South Dakota
A.J. Jacobson, North Dakota State
Max Landis, Fort Wayne
George Marshall, South Dakota State
Deondre Parks, South Dakota State