Published: March 20, 2008 10:49 pm      

UCO’s Belt takes another honor

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Central Oklahoma's Sam Belt added yet another honor to his resume Thursday when the senior star was named a first-team selection to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II All-South Central District Team.

Belt, a 6-5 guard-forward from Broken Arrow, was one of six players picked for the first-team unit by head coaches in the South Central district, which includes teams from the Lone Star Conference, Heartland Conference and Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. He is now eligible for the NABC All-America teams that will be announced next week.

Belt was earlier named the LSC North Division Player of the Year and followed that up with all-tournament honors in both the LSC and South Central Regional tournaments, earning MVP recognition in the league meet. He was also a first-team selection on the Daktronics All-South Central Regional team as voted on by sports information directors in the region.

Belt is averaging 19.0 points and 7.7 rebounds a game for the Bronchos, who won their first South Central Regional title since 1992 Tuesday over Tarleton State to advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division II national tournament. He owns school records for career free throws made and attempted and 3-pointers made and attempted while ranking second in career scoring and fourth in career rebounding.

Belt has led UCO to the finest season in school history, with the No. 21-ranked Bronchos having won a school-record 28 games. UCO will take a 28-5 record and nine-game winning streak into next week's quarterfinal game against No. 10 Augusta State in Springfield, Mass.