Lien Named NSIC Player of the Year, Kretchman and Ayob also Honored
Lien and Kretchman first-team NSIC, Ayob second-team NSIC
BURNSVILLE, Minn. (MSUM Athletics) — Minnesota State University Moorhead senior forward Aaron Lien has been named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Player of the Year in men’s basketball. The announcement came on Thursday. Lien and junior Tanner Kretchman were both All-NSIC first team selections while senior forward Ayob Ayob was a second-team selection.
The Dragons, ranked No. 19 in the latest NABC poll, won the NSIC regular-season title with a 19-3 mark. MSUM (24-5) won the NSIC North Division for a fourth straight year.
It is the second time in three years MSUM has had an NSIC Player of the Year; Jordan Riewer was Co-Player of the Year in 2014-15.
In 22 conference games, Lien was fifth in the NSIC in scoring (18.5), third in free-throw percentage (89.1) and eighth in field-goal percentage. Lien scored in double figures in 18 of the Dragons’ 22 conference games.
Lien scored 30 points or more three times in NSIC play and was a three-time NSIC North Division Player of the Week.
For his career, Lien is sixth all-time in scoring at 1,661 points. He is third in three-pointers made, just two behind second-place Jordan Riewer. Lien was a second-team selection as a sophomore.
Kretchman picked up his second straight All-NSIC First Team honor. He was second in the NSIC (conference games only) in assists at 6.8 per game and also second in assist-to-turnover ratio at 4.3. He was tied for fifth in three-pointers made. Earlier this season Kretchman surpassed 1,000 career points and is second in career assists, 11 behind leader Jordan Riewer.
Ayob averaged 14.1 points per game in 22 conference games and was 10th in the NSIC in three-pointers per game at 2.2. He scored in double figures in 19 of 22 league games with a career-high of 31 in a home win over St. Cloud State on Jan. 21.
