Missouri’s Kevin Puryear chosen for SEC All-Freshman Team

Missouri freshman forward Kevin Puryear said several times as the season wound to a close than he exceeded his expectations for his first year in Columbia.

Puryear, a Blue Springs South graduate and The Star’s 2015 All-Metro player of the year, broke new ground Tuesday when he was announced as one of eight players on the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team, a first in Tigers history. The All-SEC teams were chosen by the league’s coaches.

“It’s a complete honor, especially considering the other freshmen around the conference,” Puryear said. “I’m most happy to bring this recognition to Mizzou, my school. It certainly means a lot to me individually, but nothing would be possible without my teammates.”

Puryear led the Tigers in scoring at 11.5 points per game last season, the first MU freshman to lead the team in scoring since Steve Stipanovich in 1979-80. Puryear scored 355 total points, sixth-most by a MU freshman and second-most by a freshman from Kansas City. Paseo graduate Anthony Peeler scored 362 points in 1988-89.

“We’re really proud of Kevin, because his focus and work ethic have been great examples for his teammates to follow,” Tigers coach Kim Anderson said. “Knowing Kevin, he will not see this as an award as much as he sees it as further motivation to continue improving. He’s ready for next season to start now.”

Puryear was joined on the SEC All-Freshman Team by LSU teammates Ben Simmons and Antonio Blakeney, Texas A&M teammates Tyler Davis and D.J. Hogg, Kentucky’s Jamal Murray, Florida’s KeVaughn Allen and Mississippi State’s Quinndary Weatherspoon.

Simmons, who was the conference freshman of the year, and Murray also were named All-SEC first team along with SEC player of the year/defender of the year Tyler Ulis from Kentucky and SEC scholar-athlete of the year Retin Obasohan from Alabama.

South Carolina’s Michael Carrera, Vanderbilt’s Damian Jones, Texas A&M’s Jalen Jones and Mississippi’s Stefan Moody also were selected to the first team.

A&M coach Billy Kennedy was chosen as the SEC coach of the year after the Aggies shared the regular-season championship with Kentucky and South Carolina’s Duane Notice was the SEC sixth man of the year.

All-SEC coaches’ awards

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Tyler Ulis, Kentucky

COACH: Billy Kennedy, Texas A&M

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE:  Retin Obasohan, Alabama

FRESHMAN:  Ben Simmons, LSU

SIXTH MAN: Duane Notice, South Carolina

DEFENSIVE PLAYER:  Tyler Ulis, Kentucky

All-SEC first team

Retin Obasohan, Alabama, G, 6-2, 210, Sr.

Jamal Murray, Kentucky, G, 6-4, 207, Fr.

Tyler Ulis, Kentucky, G, 5-9, 160, So.

Ben Simmons, LSU, F, 6-10, 240, Fr.

Stefan Moody, Mississippi, G, 5-10, 179, Sr.

Michael Carrera, South Carolina, F, 6-5, 214, Sr.

Jalen Jones, Texas A&M, G/F, 6-7, 220, Sr.

Damian Jones, Vanderbilt, C, 7-0, 245, Jr.

Second team

Moses Kingsley, Arkansas, F, 6-10, 230, Jr.

Dorian Finney-Smith, Florida, F, 6-8, 220, Sr.

J.J. Frazier, Georgia, G, 5-10, 155, Jr.

Yante Maten, Georgia, F, 6-8, 240, So.

Kevin Punter Jr., Tennessee, G, 6-2, 190, Sr.

Alex Caruso, Texas A&M, G, 6-5, 186, Sr.

Danuel House, Texas A&M, G, 6-7, 212, Sr.

Wade Baldwin IV, Vanderbilt, G, 6-3, 194, So.

All-freshman team

KeVaughn Allen, Florida, G, 6-2, 183, Fr.

Jamal Murray, Kentucky, G, 6-4, 207, Fr.

Antonio Blakeney, LSU, G, 6-4, 190, Fr.

Ben Simmons, LSU, F, 6-10, 240, Fr.

Quinndary Weatherspoon, Mississippi State, G, 6-4, 202, Fr.

Kevin Puryear, Missouri, F, 6-7, 236, Fr.

Tyler Davis, Texas A&M, C, 6-10, 265, Fr.

DJ Hogg, Texas A&M, F, 6-8, 216, Fr.

All-defensive team

Retin Obasohan, Alabama, G, 6-2, 210, Sr.

Moses Kingsley, Arkansas, F, 6-10, 230, Jr.

Tyler Ulis, Kentucky, G, 5-9, 160, So.

Sindarius Thornwell, South Carolina, G, 6-5, 215, Jr.

Alex Caruso, Texas A&M, G, 6-5, 186, Sr.

Luke Kornet, Vanderbilt, F, 7-1, 240, Jr.

This story was originally published March 8, 2016 at 12:39 PM with the headline "Missouri’s Kevin Puryear chosen for SEC All-Freshman Team."