KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Central Missouri Mules basketball players earned MIAA honors announced by the conference office on Tuesday, March 4, in Kansas City. Guard
Kyran Tilley earned MIAA Freshman of the Year honors while senior
DeAirius Barker was named to the All-MIAA Honorable Mention team.
A native of Louisville, Ky., Tilley averaged 10.4 points, a team-best 2.4 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in 27.6 minutes per game during the regular season. Kyran has playing in 27 games making 24 starts while scoring double-figures 18 times including a season-best 21 points against Fort Hays State (Dec. 5) going an impressive 14-of-15 from the charity stripe. Tilley leads the team in free-throw percentage (86.3) and assists (66) while ranking second in points scored (280), three-pointers made (33) and steals (37) becoming the first Mule to win the award.
A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Barker averaged a team-best 12 points and 2.4 boards in a team-high 30.3 minutes per contest for the Mules being one of three to play in all 28 games while making 27 starts. DeAirius leads the team in minutes played (847), three-pointers made (60), points scored (337), and free-throws made. Barker's 18 double-digit scoring performances paces UCM offensively highlighted by a career-high 35-point outing against Illinois-Springfield (Nov. 26) where he connected on 10-of-16 from the floor including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.
No. 7 Central Missouri Mules take on No. 10 Northeastern State RiverHawks in the opening game of the 2025 MIAA Men's Basketball Championships on Wednesday, March 5, with tip-off scheduled for 2:15 p.m. inside Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
2024-25 MIAA MEN'S BASKETBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS & ALL-MIAA TEAMS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jordan Frison, Pittsburg State
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jacob Hanna, Washburn
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Jacob Hanna, Washburn
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Kyran Tilley, Central Missouri
COACH OF THE YEAR: Brett Ballard, Washburn
MIAA ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
RJ Forney – Pittsburg State, Sr.
Kaleb Hammeke – Fort Hays State, Sr.
Jacob Hanna – Washburn, Sr.
Michael Keegan – Washburn, Sr.
Shaun Riley – Fort Hays State, Sr.
ALL-MIAA FIRST TEAM
Jack Bachelor – Washburn, So.
Jordan Frison – Pittsburg State, So.
Kaleb Hammeke – Fort Hays State, Sr.
Jacob Hanna – Washburn, Sr.
Anthony Marshall – Rogers State, Sr.
ALL-MIAA SECOND TEAM
Zane Nelson – Missouri Western, Sr.
Trey Phipps – Northeastern State, Gr.
Jacobi Sebock – Central Oklahoma, Jr.
Brayden Shorter – Washburn, So.
Avery Taggart – Pittsburg State, Sr.
ALL-MIAA THIRD TEAM
Ethan Blackmon – Northeastern State, So.
Karyiek Dixon – Emporia State, Jr.
Ja'Bryant Hill – Nebraska Kearney, Jr.
Andrew Orr – Washburn, Sr.
Allen Taylor – Nebraska Kearney, Sr.
ALL-MIAA HONORABLE MENTION
DeAirius Barker – Central Missouri, Sr.
RJ Forney – Pittsburg State, Sr.
Caden Fry – Rogers State, Jr.
Kyle Grill – Fort Hays State, So.
Israel Hart – Central Oklahoma, Jr.
Martin Macenis – Missouri Southern, Sr.
Andrew Mason – Rogers State, Jr.
Sam Somerhalder – Newman, Jr.
Boston Stanton – Newman, Sr.
Zion Swader – Missouri Western, Sr.
Chase Thompson – Nebraska Kearney, Sr.
Terrell Williams – Arkansas-Fort Smith, Sr.
