LOGAN, Utah — No. 18 Utah State head men's basketball coach Danny Sprinkle was named the Mountain West Coach of the Year, junior wing Great Osobor the Newcomer of the Year and junior guard Josh Uduje the Co-Sixth Man of the Year as voted on by media that covers the 11 member institutions. The awards are unofficial with the official all-conference awards given by the MW coaches set to be released on Tuesday, March 12. Osobor, graduate guard Darius Brown II, senior guard Ian Martinez and redshirt freshman guard Mason Falslev earned all-MW accolades.

Sprinkle led a USU squad that returned zero points and welcomed 13 newcomers to its first-ever Mountain West regular season title. The Aggies have been ranked in the AP Poll eight times this season, which is the second-most in program history. Utah State's 26 wins are tied with the 2019-20 and 2022-23 teams for the seventh most in school history. Overall, it is just the ninth time in school history that USU has won at 26 or more games. Utah State's 14-4 record in Mountain West play is its third-best in its 11 years in the conference trailing the 2018-19 team that went 15-3 and the 2020-21 team that went 15-4.

Osobor, who was named first team all-Mountain West and was one of three players to earn MW Player of the Year votes, was second in the league in MW play in rebounds per game (8.94), field goal percentage (.579) and defensive rebounds per game (6.11), while also ranking in the top-15 in points per game (17.78, t-3rd), steals per game (1.61, t-3rd), offensive rebounds per game (2.83, 5th), blocks per game (1.39, 6th), minutes played per game (35.24, 7th), assists per game (3.11, 13th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.33), 14th). He scored in double figures in all but one game in league play, while logging eight double-doubles.

Uduje was named the Sixth Man of the Year along with New Mexico's Mustapha Amzil. Uduje scored in double figures in six games in league play, including a season-best 20 points off the bench at Wyoming. In MW action, Uduje averaged 8.7 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 40.1 percent (57-of-12) from the field.

Brown was named second-team all-MW, while receiving votes for Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. In league play, Brown leads the MW in minutes played per game (36.99), while ranking third in assists per game (5.50), eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.48), tied for ninth in steals per game (1.44), tied for 12th in defensive rebounds per game (4.44), 13th in 3-pointers made per game (1.94) and 17th in points per game (13.56). Brown scored in double figures in 14 league games, including a season-best 25 points against San Diego State. He logged three double-doubles, including two with rebounds and one with assists, and has dished out at least five helpers in 13 conference games.

Martinez earned honorable mention all-Mountain West honors. In league play, he is tied for first in the MW in free throw percentage (.879), while he ranks 13th in blocks per game (0.83),  is tied for 14th in 3-pointers made per game (1.83), ranks 15 in minutes played per game (33.25) and is 16th in in points per game (13.61). Martinez scored in double figures in 11 league games, while logging at least five rebounds in seven games.

Falslev earned honorable mention all-Mountain West honors. In league play, he averaged 12.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 56.6 percent (86-of-152) from the field. Falslev scored in double figures in 11 league games, while logging at least five boards in eight outings.

The media awards are a preface to the league's official all-conference honors that have been selected by the coaches.

Utah State men's basketball (26-5, 14-4 MW) is the top-seed in the upcoming Mountain West Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, and will play either eighth-seeded Wyoming (15-16, 8-10 MW) or ninth-seeded Fresno State (11-20, 4-14 MW) in a quarterfinal game on Thursday, March 14, at 1 p.m. (MT). The contest will be televised live on CBS Sports Network (Xfinity Ch. 269, DirecTV Ch. 221, Dish Ch. 158). If USU advances to the semifinals it will play at 7:30 p.m. (MT), on Friday, March 15, on CBS Sports Network, while the championship game will be on Saturday, March 16, at 4 p.m. (MT), on CBS. 

Utah State men's basketball news and information is available on Facebook (facebook.com/usumensbasketball), on Twitter (@usubasketball) and on Instagram (@usubasketball). Fans can also get USU men's basketball highlights on YouTube (youtube.com/utahstateathletics). Aggie fans can follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter (@usuathletics), on Facebook (facebook.com/usuathletics) or on Instagram (@usuathletics).

-USU-