Florida Atlantic forward Brett Royster was named Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year, the conference office announced Tuesday.

Royster, a junior from Arlington, TX leads the conference and is 13th in the nation in blocked shots at 2.9 a game. He also set the school single-season (84) and career (198) records in blocked shots. Royster also set his career high for blocks in a game with seven on two separate occasions.

“He’s one of the best shot blockers in the country,” said head coach Mike Jarvis.

Greg Gantt and Raymond Taylor were both named to the All-Sun Belt Third Team. Gantt led Sun Belt freshman and is 5th overall in scoring at 15.7 points per game, including averaging 17.4 per contest in conference play. Gantt is tied for 30th nationally in made three-pointers per game (2.9) and is 34th in the nation in three-point percentage.

Taylor is the leading assist man in the Sun Belt, averaging 6.0 per game, which is good for a tie with Larry Drew of North Carolina for ninth place nationally. He is also 11th in the conference in scoring at 14.2 points per contest. Taylor also broke the school record for assists in a season (174).

“It’s nice to know that people around the conference have that much respect for our backcourt, especially as freshmen," said Coach Jarvis.

The Owls begin the Sun Belt Conference Tournament as the no. 8 seed on Saturday, when they face no. 9 seed South Alabama at 3:15 p.m. eastern.

Source: FAU Media Relations

A guard leads the conference in assists, and is ninth in the NATION, but is only 3rd team Belt, how is that???

Nice that Royster got the D award but give me a break, gotta be at least 2nd team with Ray's numbers!

I dont know how they have him at 2.9 blocks per game…I went to 7 or 8 games this season and he had of averaged 7-8 blocks a game in those games.  There were times he had 3 blocks during one possesion.  I cant wait to see this team grow up a little and Royster as a Senior.

Taylor's numbers:

14.2 PPG, 38.2% FG, 3.0 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.4 SPG

Which makes you have to wonder how Brandon Reed got freshman of the year, and the nod for second Team, ahead of him with these numbers:

15 PPG, 39.4% FG, 3.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, .8 SPG

Granted, he had 20 more total points than Taylor did on the season, but Taylor had 105 more assists than he did (69) which accounted for at least 202 more points for his team.  Taylor also had 41 steals to that of his 22.

Not to mention a better A/TO ratio at  2:1 versus .97:1.

Sorry, but that's just WRONG.

Congras! to Royster for a great year.

Taylor definitely grew as a player & was deserving  :-X

Rick said

Taylor's numbers:

14.2 PPG, 38.2% FG, 3.0 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.4 SPG

Which makes you have to wonder how Brandon Reed got freshman of the year, and the nod for second Team, ahead of him with these numbers:

15 PPG, 39.4% FG, 3.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, .8 SPG

Granted, he had 20 more total points than Taylor did on the season, but Taylor had 105 more assists than he did (69) which accounted for at least 202 more points for his team.  Taylor also had 41 steals to that of his 22.

Not to mention a better A/TO ratio at  2:1 versus .97:1.

Sorry, but that's just WRONG.

\

Not to mention turning around a team that had won 4? games the previous season.

Six, but same difference! :D

Interesting