A pair of Arkansas State standouts garnered Sun Belt Conference honors, as the league office announced its 2025 men’s basketball postseason laurels Monday.
Senior guard Taryn Todd earned First Team All-Sun Belt billing, while junior forward Izaiyah Nelson earned third-team honors.
Todd leads the Red Wolves in scoring (15.0) and is also second on the team in steals (37) and third in blocked shots (22). The Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, native is second on the squad with a career-high 50 3-pointers made this season, and he ranks among the top 10 in the conference in scoring, field goals, field goals attempted, assists and assist/turnover ratio. He is also the only Sun Belt player this season to be named an Oscar Roberts Award National Player of the Week, doing so on Dec. 17, following a 31-point outburst in A-State’s 27-point comeback win at UAB.
This season, Todd has scored in double figures a team-leading 26 times, including 21 of the last 23 games. Seven of those games have resulted in 20 or more points along with one 30-point effort. In conference play, Todd is averaging 14.3 points per game and shot 40.8 percent from the field. He is also one of just two players nationally as of March 3 to record at least 460 points, 50 3-pointers, 145 rebounds, 100 assists, 35 steals and 20 blocks this season.
Nelson, riding a five-game double-double streak into postseason play, is averaging 10.0 points and a team-leading 8.6 rebounds per game. He ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in both rebounds per game and defensive rebounding (5.3), as well as sixth in blocked shots (1.3). The Atlanta, Ga., native – who also earned Sun Belt Player of the Week honors Monday – is shooting 59.1 percent from the field.
In conference play, Nelson is one of just two players averaging a double-double at 11.2 points and 10.0 boards. Over the last five games to end the regular season, Nelson is averaging 18.2 points and 17.4 rebounds, along with 2.6 blocks. He is the only player in the nation this season to record 30-plus points (30) and 20-plus rebounds (21) against a Division-I opponent, doing so on Feb. 26, at Louisiana. He is also one of just two players in the league with multiple 20-rebound performances, but the lone player to do so in multiple league outings.
NEXT UP
A-State is seeded fourth in the Sun Belt Conference Championship, and will play in the quarterfinal round set for 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, inside the Bay Center in Pensacola, Fla.
2024-25 SUN BELT CONFERENCE MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
Player of the Year: Tayton Conerway, Troy Defensive Player of the Year: Obinna Anochili-Killen, Marshall Newcomer of the Year: Mark Freeman, James Madison Freshman of the Year: Bryce Lindsay, James Madison Sixth Man of the Year: Bryce Lindsay, James Madison Joe Gottfried Coach of the Year: Richie Riley, South Alabama
All-Sun Belt First Team Tayton Conerway, Troy Barry Dunning Jr., South Alabama Mark Freeman, James Madison Myles Tate, App State Taryn Todd, Arkansas State
All-Sun Belt Second Team Obinna Anochili-Killen, Marshall Cesare Edwards, Georgia State Denijay Harris, Southern Miss C.J. Huntley, App State Tylan Pope, Texas State
All-Sun Belt Third Team Myles Corey, South Alabama Sean Durugordon, Old Dominion Adante’ Holiman, Georgia Southern Bryce Lindsay, James Madison Izaiyah Nelson, Arkansas State
