OVC academy awards Ishee for acting job

Considering the circumstances, many people figured it was a foregone conclusion that John Ishee would win the Ohio Valley Conference coach of the year award for women's basketball.

But Ishee, Southeast Missouri State's acting head coach, didn't see it that way -- probably because he said he never really thought about the award to begin with.

"It never crossed my mind, to be honest, because it has nothing to do with our goal of team success," Ishee said.

But it finally crossed Ishee's mind Thursday night when the all-OVC basketball honors were announced in Nashville, Tenn., on the eve of the league tournament semifinals.

Ishee won the award as voted on by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors.

In addition, two of Ishee's players were honored. Senior center Lachelle Lyles made the all-OVC first team and junior forward Missy Whitney made the second team, along with a spot on the all-newcomer squad.

On the men's side, Southeast junior forward Brandon Foust was voted to the all-newcomer team.

"I really don't know what to say. I'm speechless," Ishee said.

Ishee directed Southeast to its first outright OVC regular-season title this year with a 16-4 record that tied last year's team -- which shared the regular-season crown -- for the most OVC wins in school history.

At 22-7, Southeast has equaled the program's Division I record for overall victories. Southeast also won 22 games each of the previous two seasons.

But this year all the Redhawks' accomplishments were not expected as they were picked fifth in the OVC preseason poll after graduating four starters from last year's squad that made the program's first NCAA Division I tournament appearance.

Then the Redhawks were jolted when head coach B.J. Smith -- who guided Southeast to the OVC's elite ranks -- was placed on administrative leave prior to the season opener and resigned in early December without ever coaching a game.

Ishee, who began the year as an assistant before being named acting head coach, deflected credit away from himself and on to his coaching staff -- assistants Lisa Pace and Jenni Lingor -- and players.

"Without question, it's a team honor any time you win an individual award," Ishee said. "I could not have gotten this without what my coaching staff and the players did.

"I can't say enough about what Lisa Pace and Jenni Lingor have done, and what all the players have done."

Added Ishee: "I'm very humbled and honored to be thought of in that light, but all the credit goes to my staff and the players."

In something of an unusual twist, Ishee might be the first OVC coach of the year in a long time -- perhaps ever -- to not even be guaranteed a job the season after winning the award.

Southeast administrators have simply said that a search for Smith's permanent replacement will be conducted in the spring, and that Ishee is welcome to pursue the position.

Ishee -- who has previous head coaching experience on the Division II and NAIA levels -- said he would love to continue leading the Redhawks' program.

"I want to be a head coach, and I can't think of a better place than right here," Ishee said.

Redhawks honored

Lyles has already set an OVC single-season record with 486 rebounds, and her 32 rebounds against Tennessee State is the league's single-game mark.

Lyles, whose average of 17.4 rebounds per game leads the nation, has grabbed at least 20 rebounds in eight games. She also averages 8.8 points a contest and is fourth in the OVC with 32 blocked shots.

Whitney, a Charleston High School graduate who transferred from Three Rivers Community College, is Southeast's second-leading scorer and rebounder with averages of 13.1 points and eight boards per game.

Whitney ranks fifth in the OVC in rebounding, 10th in scoring and third in blocks with 37.

"Without question Lachelle and Missy are very deserving, and we had some other players who would have also been very deserving," Ishee said. "It's a tribute to their hard work and their teammates."

Foust, a transfer from Oklahoma, finished the season as Southeast's leading scorer and second-leading rebounder with averages of 12 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

"It's a nice honor for Brandon to make the all-newcomer team," Southeast coach Scott Edgar said.

Other OVC awards

Austin Peay's Dave Loos won his fifth OVC coach of the year award, as the Governors won the regular-season title.

Austin Peay sophomore forward Drake Reed is the OVC player of the year. He averaged 15.9 points and 5.9 rebounds.

On the women's side, the player of the year is Murray State's Joi Scott. She leads the league in scoring with a 21.7 average -- which ranks eighth nationally -- while shooting a league-best 58.4 percent from the field. She is also third in the OVC in rebounding with an 8.5 average.

Scott has missed the past two games with a knee injury and is doubtful for the remainder of the OVC tournament.