KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University freshman point guard Justin Pitts has been named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-Central District team. The All-District team is selected and voted on by member coaches of the NABC in NCAA Division II.

Pitts was named a first team All-MIAA performer, earning conference Freshman of the Year honors after averaging at team-best 17.2 points in 28 games this season. He made 27 starts, was 87-for-102 (85.3 percent) from the charity stripe, shot 55.3 percent from the field (172-for-311), hit 49.5 percent from beyond the arc (51-for-103), had 92 assists, 79 rebounds, 45 steals and four blocked shots. He was named to the All-Central Region Tournament team, scoring 65 points in three games in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The Bearcats finished the year 25-7 overall and won the outright MIAA regular season championship with a 15-4 record. Northwest advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen for the second straight year. The 25 wins was the most in head coach Ben McCollum’s six years with the Bearcats.

Central First Team
Connor Beranek, Nebraska-Kearney
Tirrell Brown, Ouachita Baptist
Dan Jansen, Augustana
Assem Marei, Minnesota State, Mankato
Jordan Riewer, Minnesota State, Moorhead
Casey Schilling,Augustana

Second Team
Brett Ervin, Minnesota Duluth
Brennen Hughes, Central Missouri
Andraz Kavas, Harding
Zach Monaghan, Minnesota State, Mankato
Justin Pitts, Northwest Missouri

Coach of the Year: Chad Walthall, Minnesota State, Moorhead

— Northwest Sports Information —