SHAWNEE, Okla. – SWOSU senior forward Ben Smith was named a First Team All-Great American Conference selection on Wednesday evening at the GAC's awards ceremony. Also announced were the league's Distinguished Scholar-Athletes. Smith, alongside teammates Mason Hart and Nick Burchfield received the academic honor.
2023-24 GAC Men's/Women's Basketball All-Conference Awards (pdf)
Smith (Edmond, Okla.) is the team's leading scorer and ranks sixth in the conference, averaging 17.3 points per game. He also averages 6.1 rebounds per game, good for 11th in the league and second on the team. Smith has shot at a 45.6% clip from the field and has knocked down 40 three-point shots this season.
Against league champion Southeastern back in December, he matched his career high scoring total with 28 points in a come-from-behind victory over the Savage Storm. Smith has scored 20-plus points nine times this season.
Against No. 13 Dallas Baptist, Smith posted his lone double-double on the year with 14 points and a career high 14 rebounds.
Smith is now a two-time all-conference selection, improving upon his honorable mention title from a year ago.
| 2023-24 ALL-GAC MEN'S BASKETBALL |
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| PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Taelon Peter, Arkansas Tech |
| DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Joshua Mitchell, Arkansas Tech |
| FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Terry Coner, Oklahoma Baptist |
| NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Zane Nelson, Arkansas-Monticello |
| COACH OF THE YEAR: Mark Downey, Arkansas Tech |
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| FIRST TEAM |
| * G Brennen Burns Jr. Southeastern Oklahoma State |
| * G Taelon Peter Jr. Arkansas Tech |
| G Kody Clouet Gr. Southeastern Oklahoma State |
| G Brian Free Gr. Northwestern Oklahoma State |
| G Isaac Jackson Jr. Arkansas-Monticello |
| F Ben Smith Sr. Southwestern Oklahoma State |
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| SECOND TEAM |
| G Rylie Marshall So. Harding |
| G Camrom McDowell So. Northwestern Oklahoma State |
| G Zane Nelson Jr. Arkansas-Monticello |
| F Carel Ray, Jr. Jr. Southern Arkansas |
| G Beno Zecic Sr. Southern Nazarene |
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| HONORABLE MENTION ALL-GAC |
| G Cassius Brooks Jr. Arkansas Tech |
| G Ricky Brown, Jr. Oklahoma Baptist |
| G Terry Coner, - Jr. Fr. Oklahoma Baptist |
| G Gregory Hammond Jr. Sr. Southern Arkansas |
| F Tylar Haynes Sr. Ouachita Baptist |
| F Tommy Kamarad Jr. Arkansas Tech |
| F Kyle Leslie Sr. Southeastern Oklahoma State |
| G/F Zyon Patterson Sr. Henderson State |
| G Cam Slaymaker So. Southern Nazarene |
| G Keyon Thomas Sr. East Central |
| PG Trevin Wade Gr. Oklahoma Baptist |
