FARMINGTON, Utah – The Big Sky Conference announced their annual All-Conference and individual honors for the season on Thursday afternoon, and it would be a pleasant sight for Idaho State Bengals fans. ISU would reel in six different all-conference and individual honors on the year, combining for the most combined conference awards and honors in a single season in Idaho State history. The previous most came after the 1976-77 team would have five total awards given out, 4 All-Conference players; Steve Hays, Greg Griffin, Ed Thompson, and Jeff Cook, and Head Coach, Jim Killingsworth, was named as Coach of the Year.
Starting point guard, Dylan Darling, would lead the way, being named the Big Sky Conference's MVP & Newcomer of the Year, as well as being one of two players to be unanimously chosen to the All-Conference First Team. Graduate student, Jake O'Neil, would see his hard work get rewarded this season after being named to the All-Conference Defensive Team and an All-Conference Honorable Mention. Redshirt-Freshman, Evan Otten, would round out the honors for ISU, as Otten was named the Big Sky Conference's Freshman of the Year. You can view the Big Sky's press release here.
Dylan Darling, redshirt-sophomore from Spokane, Washington, has received the Conference's highest honor after being selected as the Big Sky Conference's 2024-25 Most Valuable Player, as well as Newcomer of the Year, and being named to the All-Conference First Team after arguably one of the greatest seasons an Idaho State guard has ever produced, averaging 19.9 points (23rd in NCAA) on 44.7% shooting from the floor and 37.1% from deep, 5.8 assists (23rd in NCAA), 3.4 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and .4 blocks in 34.1 minutes per game this season. Darling would finish Big Sky play leading the entire Conference in Scoring (23.2 PPG), Assists (5.9), and Steals (1.9) en route to becoming just the 3rd ever Bengal to record 500+ points & 150+ assists in a single season, joining Ethan Telfair (2015-16) & Marquis Poole (2003-04).
Darling is Idaho State's 2nd ever MVP, the first being Lawrence Butler in the 1978-79 season, the first year the Big Sky Conference ever awarded a regular season MVP. A fun fact, the last time an Idaho State Bengal was named MVP, Dylan Darling's father was just 4 years old. Darling is the Bengals' 4th ever Newcomer of the Year award winner, the previous three being Ethan Telfair (2015-16), Jordie McTavish (2000-01), and Terance Fleming (1993-94). Dylan is the 2nd Bengal in as many years to earn the All-Conference First Team nod, with Bengal standout, Brayden Parker, being named to the First Team last season, and 43rd in program history. Darling would end this season as one of just two players in the entire NCAA to finish inside the top-25 in the country in both scoring per game and assists per game, as well as ending the month of February as the 5th leading scorer in the NCAA.
As it currently stands, Darling has moved into 6th All-Time in Bengal single season history in Assists now with 158, and has become just the 27th player in ISU history to score 500+ points in a single season. Darling currently is 17th on the single season scoring list, with 538 points on the year.
With Dylan Darling's All-Conference First Team selection, the Idaho State Bengals are now tied with the team they face in just a few days, the Montana State Bobcats, with 43 First Team selections each in their program's histories
"Dylan Darling has had an extremely impressive season so far", said Head Coach, Ryan Looney. "We have always loved him and have always believed that he could be a dominate player in the Big Sky. His talent is unbelievable, but I have been even more impressed with his competitive spirit and his ability to always be a great teammate."
Jake O'Neil, graduate student who transferred to Idaho State after spending the last four seasons at the College of Idaho, has picked up an All-Conference Honorable Mention nod, as well as being named to the Big Sky All-Defensive Team after averaging 13.0 points on 46.1% shooting from the field and 31.9% from deep, 9.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and .5 blocks in 33.1 minutes per game on the season.
O'Neil was a beast at every aspect of the game for Idaho State, finishing the regular season 1st in the Big Sky in Offensive Rebounds per Game, averaging 3.5 per game (13th in NCAA), 2nd in the Big Sky in total rebounds and rebounds per game, and 2nd in the Big Sky in doubles-double's (14th in the NCAA). O'Neil has started in all 29 contests for Idaho State this season, and is currently 6th in the Big Sky in Minutes Per Game (33:10). Bengal fans have seen one of the greatest individual rebounding seasons in Idaho State history out of Jake O'Neil this year, as O'Neil nears a top-10 record book that hasn't been touched in nearly 50 years. O'Neil sits at 271 rebounds on the season, averaging 9.3 per game, and needs just 14 more to tie Edison Hicks' 1971-72 season record of 285 rebounds for 10th most in a single season at ISU. The last player to join the top-10 in single season rebounds for the Bengals was Jeff Cook all the way back in the 1977-78 season when Cook would total 302 boards, good enough for 7th in a single season.
O'Neil anchors one of the greatest rebounding teams in Idaho State history, as the Bengals currently sit 7th in the entire nation in Rebound Margin (+8.8), 11th in Offensive Rebounds per Game (14.0), and 45th in Rebounds per Game (38.2) (Big Sky leaders in each category).
Coach Looney shares his feelings about bringing in Jake for this season, "Jake O'Neil is exactly what this year's team needed. He is our glue. Jake has found a way to be a consistent scorer for us, but his ability to defend and rebound are elite. It has been an honor to coach him."
Evan Otten, Redshirt-Freshman originally out of Redmond, Oregon, has been named the Big Sky Conference's 2024-25 Freshman of the Year following a standout Freshman campaign, averaging 5.6 points on 57.0% shooting, 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, and .6 steals in 22.6 minutes per game this season. Otten is Idaho State's 3rd ever Big Sky Freshman of the Year award winner, the other two being Logan Kinghorn (2004-05) & Kareem Carpenter (1990-91).
Otten would lead the Big Sky in Blocks (66) and Blocks per Game (2.28) and finish the regular season ranked 14th in NCAA in Blocks and 16th in Blocks per Game on his way to shattering the Idaho State single season Freshman Blocks record, currently tying the Big Sky Conference Freshman single season Blocks record set by Eatern Washington's Venky Jois in 2012-13, and moving up to 4th place on the ISU single season Blocks leaderboard as well as tying himself for 17th place in a single season in Big Sky history. Otten would hold down the Bengals' strong back line that would end up being one of the top defenses in the Big Sky, ending the season ranked 2nd in Blocks per Game (4.8), Scoring Defense, holding opponents to just 69.6 Points per Game, Turnover Margin (+1.4), & 3rd in Turnovers Forced per Game (12.1).
"Evan Otten has come a long way with his development, I could not be happier for him", shares HC Ryan Looney. "He has put in a lot of work. It's great that he is being recognized for it. Evan has a bright future as a Bengal."
The Big Sky's full list of individual awards and All-Conference teams can be found below:
2024-25 Big Sky Men's Basketball Individual Awards
Most Valuable Player: Dylan Darling, Idaho State
Newcomer of the Year: Dylan Darling, Idaho State *
Freshman of the Year: Evan Otten, Idaho State
Defensive Player of the Year: Tre-Vaughn Minott, Portland State
Top Reserve: Money Williams, Montana
Coach of the Year: Travis DeCuire, Montana
2024-25 Big Sky Men's Basketball First Team All-Conference
Dylan Darling, Idaho State *
Langston Reynolds, Northern Colorado *
Trent McLaughlin, Northern Arizona
Blaise Threatt, Weber State
Joe Pridgen, Montana
Isaiah Hawthorne, Northern Colorado
Jaron Rillie, Northern Colorado
2024-25 Big Sky Men's Basketball Second Team All-Conference
Malik Moore, Montana
Carson Towt, Northern Arizona
Terri Miller Jr., Portland State
Jacob Holt, Sacramento State
Money Williams, Montana
Brandon Whitney, Montana
2024-25 Big Sky Men's Basketball All-Conference Honorable Mention
Jaylin Henderson, Portland State
Qiant Myers, Portland State
Jake O'Neil, Idaho State
Brandon Walker, Montana State
Jack Payne, Idaho
2024-25 Big Sky Men's Basketball All-Defensive Team
Tre-Vaughn Minott, Portland State (DPOY)
Carson Towt, Northern Arizona*
Brandon Whitney, Montana
Jake O'Neil, Idaho State
Zach Bloch, Northern Colorado
* Indicates a Unanimous Decision