SPARTANBURG, S.C. Redshirt senior Demetrius Nelson was named the Southern Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Month for the month of February, the Southern Conference announced Wednesday. Athletes are chosen from the following winter sports: men's and women's basketball, baseball, men's and women's golf, softball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's track and field and wrestling.
Nelson earned his first Southern Conference Player of the Week honor during the month of February. He averaged 19.3 points and grabbed 8.6 rebounds per game. He led the Bulldogs to a 6-1 record with their lone loss coming against Wofford.
The 6-8 center recorded double-digit scoring in 6-of-7 games in February, including a career-high 29 points against Western Carolina. He recorded the eighth double-double of his career with 22 points and 14 rebounds in the Bulldogs' 64-46 victory over Davidson.
In four out of the seven games, Nelson recorded 20 points or more. Against the Catamounts, he converted on a career-high 15-of-18 free throws to earn 15 of his 29 points from the stripe. In two games, the John's Island, S.C. native, was one rebound short of a double-double.
Nelson has led his team to the most successful season in Bulldog history. The senior is fifth in the conference in scoring, averaging 16.1 points per game. He is third in the conference in field goal percentage and 11th in rebounding. He also ranks 19th in the country in field goal percentage, shooting 59.3 percent. Nelson ranks 10th in the SoCon in free throw percentage and 11th in defensive rebounds.
He was selected to the Southern Conference Sports Media Association First Team and the Southern Conference Coaches All-Conference Team. Nelson was also selected to the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District 22 First Team.
The senior has left his mark in The Citadel record books. He is the Bulldogs' ninth all-time scorer with 1,239 points in his career. He is 10th all-time in rebounds in a career with 619 and has played more games than any other Bulldog player. Nelson has also earned a spot for his outstanding performance from the free throw line. He is third all-time for free throws in a season and free throws in a career.
The athletes are chosen by the conference sports information directors for basketball, baseball, golf, softball, tennis and wrestling, and by the league head coaches for track and field.
Other nominees for this month's award were Appalachian State's Kellen Brand, Chattanooga's Nicchaeus Doaks, College of Charleston's Andrew Goudelock, Davidson's Stephen Curry, Georgia Southern's Ben Drayton III, Western Carolina's Harouna Mutombo and Wofford's Noah Dahlman.
