A trio of University of Northern Iowa men’s basketball players were honored today by the Missouri Valley Conference for their performance this season.
Freshman forward Seth Tuttle has been named the MVC Freshman of the Year. Tuttle was also named to the All-Freshman and All-Newcomer teams. Fellow freshman guard Deon Mitchell was also named to the All-Freshman team. Junior guard Anthony James has earned honorable mention All-MVC status for the second straight season.
Tuttle becomes only the second UNI Panther to be named the Freshman of the Year in the league. Eric Coleman earned the same honor in the 2004-05 season. Tuttle also becomes the third Panther freshman to be named to both the All-Freshmen and All-Newcomer teams. Ben Jacobson (2002-03) and Eric Coleman (2004-05) were previously named to the All-Freshman and All-Newcomer squads. Tuttle led the MVC in field goal percentage (65.8 percent) – becoming the first freshman in the history of league to lead the MVC in field goal percentage. Tuttle averaged 9.4 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per contest this season. Tuttle shot 50 percent or better in 26 of the 31 games he saw action this season. Tuttle was a three-time MVC Newcomer of the Week honoree in 2011-12. Tuttle recorded three double-doubles this year.
Mitchell has played in all 31 games for the Panthers and is averaging 7.1 points per game. Mitchell has started 21 games this season and has scored in 29 of the 31 games he has seen action. Mitchell scored a career-high 18 points and dished out six assists at VCU (2/17) in front of a national TV audience (ESPN2).
James leads the Panthers in scoring in 2011-12 at 13.3 points per game. James reached double-figure scoring in 21 games this season, including five contests of 20 or more. James hit the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to defeat No. 13-ranked Creighton, 65-62 on Feb. 4.
UNI will take on the Illinois State Redbirds in the MVC quarterfinals on Friday at 2:30 p.m. in the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.
