To the victor go the spoils.
That's usually how it works and rightfully so in most cases. The Mountain West Conference announced the 2024-25 men's basketball awards on Tuesday.
For the first time in a decade, select media representatives were asked to join the 11 head coaches in the league in the post-season voting for All-Conference teams and individual accolades. The media had done separate awards over the last 10 years. The Herald Journal did have a vote.
First-place New Mexico ended up with the MW Player of the Year in junior guard Donovan Dent and the MW Steve Fisher Coach of the Year in Richard Pitino. The Lobos went 17-3 in conference play -- the most league wins in program history -- and won the MW regular season title outright. It is New Mexico's first MW title since 2013, when now Nevada head coach Steve Alford was at the Lobo helm, who was the last New Mexico head coach to earn MW Coach of the Year honors.
Dent is the fifth Lobo to be named MW Player of the Year and the first player from New Mexico to be selected since 2013 (Kendall Williams). During his junior campaign, Dent averaged a MW-leading 20.9 points and six assists per game, while connecting on 48.9 percent of attempts from the field.
Utah State guards Ian Martinez and Mason Falslev picked up honors on Tuesday. Martinez, a senior, was named to the All-MW First Team, while Falslev, a sophomore, was tabbed for the All-MW Second Team, as well as the All-MW Defensive Team. Aggie guard Drake Allen picked up votes for MW Sixth Man of the Year.
Martinez led the Aggies in scoring during the regular season and ranked fifth in the MW with 16.9 points per game. He scored in double-figures in every game of this season, the first USU player to do so since Jaycee Carroll (2007-08). He has a streak of 34 10-plus point performances spanning back to last season -- the third-longest streak in the nation. In the league, only Dent has scored in double digits in every game.
"He could score in his sleep," said USU head coach Jerrod Calhoun in a recent interview when asked about Martinez's scoring streak. "There are guys that are just natural-born scorers. This kid can get to the rim, can make hard shots off the catch, he can dribble it and shot. He's got a very weird game to be honest with you. Ian is a very difficult guard. He certainly in my eyes an all-league type player, top five player. ... The kid has been a monster here. He has had two unbelievable years for the Aggies. I've loved to coach him."
Martinez also averaged 3.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per outing, while also recording 30 steals and 10 blocks. He leads the league and ranks 21st nationally in free throw percentage at 88.8 (143 of 161) and ranks third in the MW in free throws made with 49. He is also one of the conference's most consistent shooters from behind the arc, ranking third in 3-pointers made with 72.
Martinez earned all-league honorable mention honors in 2023-24 and was named to the preseason all-MW team last fall.
Falslev led the Aggies this season in rebounds (6.1) and steals (2.29), while ranking second on the squad in points (16.9) and assists (3.7). His 2.29 steals per game lead the MW and rank 19th nationally, while his 71 takeaways are tied for the third-most in a single season in program history. Falslev ranks 10th in the MW in scoring average, seventh in rebounds and ninth in assists.
The Aggie sophomore started all 31 games for USU this season, playing a team-best 31:54 minutes per game, 13th in the MW. He posted an assist/turnover ratio of 1.80 (115-to-64), which ranks second on the squad and ninth in the league. He was named the MW Player of the Week four times this season -- the most ever by a USU player and the second most by an underclassman in league history. He was also named the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week twice.
This is the first time Falslev has garnered All-MW honors at the end of a season.
In other league awards, San Diego State's Magoon Gwath was voted as the Defensive Player and Freshman of the Year. Wyoming senior guard Obi Agbim was voted the MW Newcomer of the Year, and Boise State junior forward Javan Buchanan was recognized as MW Sixth Man of the Year
Gwath is the fourth straight Aztec to be voted MW Defensive Player of the Year and eighth in school history. He's the first freshman from San Diego State to be named MW Freshman of the Year since 2016 (Jeremy Hemsley). Gwath recorded 10.3 points and 6.8 boards per game in MW action. He also led the league in blocks, averaging 2.3.
Agbim is the second player from Wyoming to earn MW Newcomer of the Year honors, joining Uche Nsonwu-Amadi in 2001. He finished the league season with 16.9 points per game, ranking fifth in conference action. Agbim also added 3.8 assists per game and shot 44.2 percent from the floor
Buchanan is the first Bronco to be named MW Sixth Man of the Year since 2018. He appeared in all 20 league games, averaging 8.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. The forward shot just over 51 percent from the field during MW play.
The All-MW First Team consisted of Dent, Martinez, New Mexico senior center Nelly Junior Joseph, Colorado State senior guard Nique Clifford and Boise State senior forward Tyson Degenhart.
The All-MW Second Team was made up of Falslev, Boise State senior guard Alvaro Cardenas, Nevada junior forward Nick Davison, San Diego State senior guard Nick Boyd and San Diego State sophomore guard Miles Byrd.
The All-MW Third Team included Agbim, Air Force senior guard Ethan Taylor, Nevada senior guard Kobe Sanders, San Jose State senior guard Josh Uduje and UNLV sophomore guard Dedan Thomas Jr.
Three athletes made the Honorable Mention list in Gwath, Colorado State sophomore guard Kyan Evans and New Mexico sophomore guard Tru Washington.
The MW Defensive Team was made up of Falslev, Gwath, Clifford, Joseph and Byrd.
The Mountain West Tournament begins Wednesday for the men at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV. There are three games, beginning at noon. The top five teams in the league received byes into the quarterfinals on Thursday, of which USU belongs at No. 3. The Aggies will play the winner of UNLV-Air Force.