Sept. 22, 2009
NORMAL, Ill. -
The first of what should prove to be many preseason accolades for Illinois State senior guard Osiris Eldridge was announced Tuesday, as Eldridge was named the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Player of the Year by Blue Ribbon Yearbook.
The publication also named Eldridge to the Valley's preseason all-conference team along with P'Allen Stinnett (Creighton), Tony Freeman (Southern Illinois), Josh Young (Drake) and Adam Koch (Northern Iowa). In addition, the Redbirds were projected to finish second in the conference standings, behind Northern Iowa.
Eldridge, who was named the 2009 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player, is a two-time first-team all-league selection and was named to the conference's all-defensive team for the first time in his career this past season.
The Chicago native ranked second on the team in scoring last season with 14 points per game. Eldridge was also second on the team in rebounding with 6.2 boards per contest. He led the Redbirds with 52 steals and ranked third with 83 assists.
Eldridge has led the Redbirds to 49 wins over the last two seasons and back-to-back postseason appearances.
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