NEW ORLEANS – The University of South Alabama's Michael Flowers picked up a pair of awards with announcement Thursday of the Sun Belt Conference's annual postseason honors.

The senior guard from Southfield, Mich., was chosen the Newcomer of the Year as well as named first-team all-league.  The recognition comes after Flowers was selected to the all-tournament team on Monday.

After transferring from Western Michigan in the spring, Flowers would lead the team and the Sun Belt — ranking in the top 15 nationally — with both 21 points and 3.14 three-point field goals per game while also averaging 4.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals per contest.  His 588 points are currently the third-highest total in the nation, and he is also among the top 10 in the country with 88 three-pointers (sixth) and 126 free throws (10th).  Flowers currently stands third in the SBC with a 38.8 three-point field goal percentage and fourth with an 81.8 free-throw percentage, and is seventh in assists and 10th in steals per outing.

He had four games scoring 30 or more points this season and surpassed 20 points on 14 occasions while reaching double figures in 26 of the Jaguars' 28 contests, leading South in scoring in 18 games and in assists on 16 occasions.  That included posting 32 points against eventual East Division champion Georgia State on the final weekend of the regular season, as well as 31 points in a win over tournament champion Appalachian State on Jan. 15 and 32 points the following weekend against Georgia Southern.  Flowers recorded 20-plus points in three of four match-ups against Coastal Carolina, and also finished with 26 points in a victory over Georgia Southern to start league play and 27 against App State the opening month of the season.

Flowers became the first individual from the program to make the Sun Belt's all-tournament team since 2009 after he averaged 23.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and five assists in the Jaguars' two contests at the event while shooting 40 percent from three-point range and 92.9 percent at the free-throw line.  He scored 29 of his game-high 34 points in the second half to help the Jags recover from an eight-point deficit on the way to an 80-72 opening-round defeat of ULM.

His efforts helped South to a 17-11 overall record this season, which included an eight-game win streak in conference play.

Photo provided by bradpuckettphotography.com

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