Payne, was named Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year this week as the Racers go into Friday's semifinals of the league tournament as the top seed. Payne, a sophomore from Memphis, is 13th nationally with 20.2 points per game and he ranks high among the national leaders in every other offensive category. He started the week ranked fourth in the KenPom.com rankings for national player efficiency.
Prohm led the Racers to the OVC regular season title at 16-0 and his team carries a 24-game win streak into the post-season. He has won 101 games in four seasons as the architect of the Murray State program that has kept the winning alive with this season's 28th straight winning season. His rookie season produced an amazing 31-2 record. Prohm is just the second coach in Murray State history to have four-straight 20-win seasons in his first four seasons.
On Monday, MSU cracked the USA Today Coaches Poll at No. 24 and debuted No. 25 in the Associated Press Poll. It's the first time the Racers have been ranked since the 2011-12 season.
Naismith Trophy Men's Semifinalist List
Jahlil Okafor, Duke, Fr., C, ACC
Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga, Jr., F, West Coast
Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga, Sr., G, West Coast
Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky, Jr, F, SEC
Cameron Payne, Murray State, Soph., G, Ohio Valley
Seth Tuttle, Northern Iowa, Sr., F, Missouri Valley
Jerian Grant, Notre Dame, Sr., G, ACC
D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State, Fr., G, Big Ten
Delon Wright, Utah, Sr., G, Pac-12
Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin, Sr., F, Big Ten
Naismith Trophy Men's Head Coach Semifinalist List
Scott Drew, Baylor
Chris Holtmann, Butler
Archie Miller, Dayton
Mark Few, Gonzaga
Bill Self, Kansas
John Calipari, Kentucky
Mark Turgeon, Maryland
Steve Prohm, Murray State
Ben Jacobson, Northern Iowa
Mike Brey, Notre Dame
Wayne Tinkle, Oregon State
Larry Krystkowiak, Utah
Jay Wright, Villanova
Tony Bennett, Virginia
Bo Ryan, Wisconsin
