Demon senior Ishmael Lane chosen first-team Preseason All-Southland

NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State senior center Ishmael Lane was a first-team Preseason All-Southland Conference selection as the league tipped off basketball promotion Tuesday by announcing a 10-member team selected by the 13 head coaches in the conference.

Lane, a 6-foot-8, 250-pound Port Allen product, was joined by Southeastern Louisiana senior guard Marlain Veal and Stephen F. Austin standouts Shannon Bogues, Kevon Harris and T.J. Holyfield.

Lane begins his final season with the Demons 31st on the school’s career scoring list (1,038 points), 23rd in rebounds (549) and eighth in blocked shots (101). If he matches last year’s totals, he can finish 12th all-time in scoring, eighth in rebounding and fourth in blocks.

While earning second-team All-Southland honors as a junior, Lane ranked 57th nationally (second in the Southland) in blocks per game (1.83), 66th in the NCAA/3rd Southland in field goal percentage (.530), and 82nd nationally/3rd Southland with eight double-doubles.

Lane was NSU’s leading scorer (13.7 points pg), rebounder (7.2 pg), shot blocker and most accurate 3-point shooter (.378) in 2017-18.

The Preseason All-Southland second team included Houston Baptist’s Josh Ibarra, Jaren Lewis and Jalone Friday of Abilene Christian, Lamar’s Josh Nzeakor and Sam Houston State’s Marcus Harris.

All 26 Southland men’s and women’s head basketball coaches will be in Houston Wednesday at the Southland Basketball Social Media Day and interactive social media activities on the Southland’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Mike McConathy, beginning his 20th season as the Demons coach, will be joined by third-year Lady Demons coach Jordan Dupuy in a 10:05 a.m. session lasting nearly a half-hour. McConathy begins his 13th season as a voter on the USA Today coaches Top 25 poll.

Coverage will also be provided on NSU Athletics’ social media accounts, including the @NSUDemonsMBB and @NSUDemonsWBB Twitter accounts, and on NSUDemons.com.

The event will begin at 9 a.m. in the Toyota Center with opening comments from Southland Conference Commissioner Tom Burnett, entering his second year as a member of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee.

Southland broadcasters Carley McCord and Lincoln Rose will also host the 26 coaches for a show produced for ESPN3. The show will debut Wednesday at 6 p.m. and be archived for later viewing.