Regular season awards have started rolling in for Ohio.
The Mid-American Conference released part of its all-conference honors Monday, in which three Ohio players were named.
Ohio senior guard D.J. Cooper was noticed on the MAC’s first team for the third straight season, while redshirt senior guard Walter Offutt and senior forward Reggie Keely were picked for the conference’s third team.
The MAC’s head coaches selected the trio of Ohio seniors for their postseason honors.
Beside Cooper, the first team is comprised by Akron senior center Zeke Marshall, Buffalo junior forward Javon McCrea, Kent State senior forward Chris Evans, and Toledo junior guard Rian Pearson.
Cooper’s 914 career assists make him the MAC’s all-time assists leader. He sits at No. 12 in the NCAA record books in that category, and is also tied for 20th on the NCAA’s all-time steals list with 323.
He became the first player in NCAA history to record 2,000 points, 900 assists, 600 rebounds and 300 steals in his career Tuesday against Buffalo.
Offutt was named an honorable mention last season, while Keely hadn’t been previously won an all-MAC award.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer also released its conference best-of-the-best list Monday, as voted on by team captains and seniors.
Cooper’s name was mentioned in five categories, and he topped the list for best all-around guard and was a “walk-over vote” for the Plain Dealer’s “Lip Service” award. He also was voted the player who most voters would want to see with the ball in his hands with the clock winding down.
Ohio junior guard Nick Kellogg finished third in that category.
Offutt was the voters’ No. 1 pick for the “Floor Burns” award, which is given to the player who will “sell out for their team.”
The Bobcats (23-8, 14-2 MAC) will begin MAC Tournament play Friday in the semifinals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
Three campus site games will take place Monday, and play will resume in Cleveland Wednesday.
Read a tournament preview here.
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