Vanderbilt's hard-luck season got some good news on Tuesday. Two Commodores earned All-SEC honors for their efforts in 2014.
Senior Rod Odom was named to the All-SEC Second Team, while first-year player Damian Jones got the call to be part of the SEC's All-Freshman squad. The duo were the 30th and 31st players under Kevin Stallings to earn all-conference honors.
Odom has led the Commodores through choppy waters as a senior. The combo forward was tasked with holding down several roles for this team once Vandy was limited to just seven active scholarship players, and he responded in a big way. His averages of 13.6 points and 5.4 rebounds and both career highs, and he turned up as a true leader to key upset wins over Missouri and Tennessee this season. The SEC recognized his tremendous growth as a senior with this second-team honor.
While Odom was this team's present, Jones looks like he'll be the player to lead the 'Dores into the future. The lithe big man averaged 12 points, six rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game after veteran center Josh Henderson went down for the year with a knee injury. The freshman tallied five double-doubles on the year and looks primed to follow in A.J. Ogilvy and Festus Ezeli's footsteps as the next great Vandy big man.
Congratulations to both players on their awards. Here are the full SEC honors for the 2013-2014 season:
First Team All-SEC
Trevor Releford, Alabama – G, 6-1, 190, Sr., Kansas City, Mo.
Casey Prather, Florida – F, 6-6, 212, Sr., Jackson, Tenn.
Scottie Wilbekin, Florida – G, 6-2, 176, Sr., Gainesville, Fla.
Julius Randle, Kentucky – F, 6-9, 250, Fr., Dallas, Texas
Johnny O’Bryant III, LSU – F, 6-9, 256, Jr., Cleveland, Miss.
Jabari Brown, Missouri – G, 6-5, 214 Jr., Oakland, Calif.
Jordan McRae, Tennessee – G, 6-6, 185, Sr., Midway, Ga.
Jarnell Stokes, Tennessee – F, 6-8, 260, Jr., Memphis, Tenn
Second Team All-SEC
Bobby Portis, Arkansas – F, 6-10, 242, Fr., Little Rock, Ark.
Chris Denson, Auburn – G, 6-2, 181, Sr., Columbus, Ga.
Patric Young, Florida – C, 6-9, 240, Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.
Charles Mann, Georgia – G, 6-5, 210, So., Alpharetta, Ga.
James Young, Kentucky – G, 6-6, 215, Fr., Rochester Hills, Mich.
Jordan Mickey, LSU – F, 6-8, 220, Fr., Dallas, Texas
Marshall Henderson, Ole Miss – G, 6-2, 177, Sr., Hurst, Texas
Jarvis Summers, Ole Miss – G, 6-3, 186, Jr., Jackson, Miss.
Jordan Clarkson, Missouri – G, 6-5, 193, Jr., San Antonio, Texas
Rod Odom, Vanderbilt – F, 6-9, 212, Sr., Central Islip, N.Y.
SEC All-Freshman Team
Shannon Hale, Alabama – F, 6-8, 220, Fr., Johnson City, Tenn.
Bobby Portis, Arkansas – F, 6-10, 242, Fr., Little Rock, Ark.
Julius Randle, Kentucky – F, 6-9, 250, Fr., Dallas, Texas
James Young, Kentucky – G, 6-6, 215, Fr., Rochester Hills, Mich.
Jarell Martin, LSU – F, 6-9, 241, Fr. Baton Rouge, La.
Jordan Mickey, LSU – F, 6-8, 220, Fr., Dallas, Texas
Sindarius Thornwell, South Carolina – G, 6-5, 205, Fr., Lancaster, S.C.
Damian Jones, Vanderbilt – C, 6-10, 235, Fr., Baton Rouge, La.
All-Defensive Team
Patric Young, Florida – C, 6-9, 240, Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.
Scottie Wilbekin, Florida – G, 6-2, 176, Sr., Gainesville, Fla.
Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky – F, 7-0, 244, So., Olathe, Kan.
Jordan Mickey, LSU – F, 6-8, 220, Fr., Dallas, Texas
Josh Richardson, Tennessee – G, 6-6, 196, Jr., Edmond, Okla.
SEC Coach of the Year
Billy Donovan, Florida
SEC Player of the Year
Scottie Wilbekin, Florida – G, 6-2, 176, Sr., Gainesville, Fla.
SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Patric Young, Florida – C, 6-9, 240, Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.
SEC Sixth Man of the Year
Dorian Finney-Smith, Florida – F, 6-8, 212, R-So., Portsmouth, Va.
SEC Defensive Player of the Year
Patric Young, Florida – C, 6-9, 240, Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.
SEC Freshman of the Year
Julius Randle, Kentucky – F, 6-9, 250, Fr., Dallas, Texas
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