Akoon-Purcell, McIntosh Earn NABC Honors

Posted on March 25, 2016

By ISU Sports Information

NORMAL – Illinois State senior guard DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell and sophomore forward MiKyle McIntosh are both National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division I District 16 Second-Team selections, the NABC announced Friday.

The all-district choices were chosen and voted on by member coaches of the NABC. In all, 250 student-athletes from 25 districts were honored. Earlier this month, Akoon-Purcell was named to the All-MVC Second Team, and McIntosh garnered MVC Honorable Mention Team and MVC Most-Improved Team (team captain) accolades.

Akoon-Purcell led Illinois State offensively and ranked eighth in the league, with 14.1 points per game. He started 30 games and appeared in all 32, recording double figures in points in 30 of ISU’s 32 games. Akoon-Purcell totaled 20 or more points four times in 2015-16, leading Illinois State in scoring a team-best 13 times. The Orlando, Florida, native, ranked 12th in the MVC, with 4.9 rebounds per game. The 2015 MVC Newcomer of the Year, Akoon-Purcell was also named to the MVC All-Newcomer Team in 2015. In two years at ISU, he amassed 808 career points.

McIntosh finished the 2015-16 season by ranking third on the team in scoring (10.9 points per game) and third in rebounding (4.8), which ranked 17th in the MVC. His 1.9 offensive rebounds per contest tied for sixth in the conference, and his 37.9 percent three-point shooting percentage ranked 10th in the league. McIntosh started 27 of ISU’s 32 games, scoring in double figures in nine of the final 12 contests. He scored 20 or more points four times, and the Pickering, Ontario, native has recorded 18 blocks and 20 steals.

Akoon-Purcell and McIntosh helped Illinois State finish the 2015-16 season with an 18-14 overall record. The Redbirds tied for second place in the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season standings after going 12-6 in league play, signifying ISU’s highest league finish and most conference wins since 2007-08. Illinois State also earned a win over all nine MVC opponents at least once for the first time since 1994-95.

NABC Division I District 16

First Team

Fred Van Vleet, Wichita State

Egidijus Mockevicius, Evansville

D.J. Balentine, Evansville

Ron Baker, Wichita State

Anthony Beane, Southern Illinois

Second Team

DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell, Illinois State

Wes Washpun, Northern Iowa

Devonte Brown, Indiana State

MiKyle McIntosh, Illinois State

Brenton Scott, Indiana State

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