WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Former Mason County Lady Royals Briana McNutt and AJ Reed were named to the NAIA Mid-South’s Second Team All-Conference on Friday.

McNutt, in her senior season at Thomas More, also earned a spot on the Mid-South Champions of Character Team. The MSC recognizes a Champions of Character Team, nominated by their coaches based on their leadership on campus and in the community while demonstrating the five core character values of the NAIA: integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and leadership.

McNutt has been named the Mid-South Player of the Week twice this season and is a key part of the Saints being ranked No. 1 in NAIA entering the postseason, sitting at 22-1 on the season and opening up conference tournament play on Saturday against Martin Methodist.

McNutt is averaging 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds during the 2020-21 campaign. She’s shooting at a 40 percent clip from 3-point range and 84 percent from the free throw line while also providing the intangibles of 1.5 assists and 0.8 steals per contest. She has started in all 20 games she’s played as Thomas More looks to make a deep postseason run.

Reed broke out during her junior season at Pikeville, averaging 12.6 points and shooting 44 percent from 3-point land this season. Reed’s started in 11 of 21 games and averages 27 minutes a night. She’s shooting 84 percent from the free throw line and averages two steals per contest.

Pikeville is 14-8 this season and faces Lindsey Wilson on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the Mid-South Conference tournament. They’ll most likely need to win the tournament to get a berth into the NAIA National Tournament.

McNutt graduated from Mason County in 2017, Reed in 2018.