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Media Credit: Jake Lockard Senior guard Bryan Mullins defends Illinois State's Boo Richardson during Saturday's game at the SIU Arena. Mullins earned three postseason awards including MVC Defensive Player of the Year. He is the fourth Saluki in five seasons to win that award.

In a season that had its share of ups and downs, two Salukis were honored for their performances from the Missouri Valley Conference on Tuesday.

Senior forward Randal Falker was named first team and defensive team all-Missouri Valley Conference while junior guard Bryan Mullins was named MVC Defensive Player of the Year along with being voted all-defensive team.

Mullins is the fifth player in the past seven years from SIU to earn the Defensive Player of the Year award. Falker won the award in 2007.

"It's definitely an honor just like the rest of them," Mullins said. "I always take pride in my defense and I'm definitely proud of it."

Mullins is second in the MVC in steals with 1.78 steals per game behind fellow all-defensive member Indiana State guard Gabe Moore.

The Salukis are known around the nation for their aggressive style of defense that has been dubbed "Floorburn U" since coach Chris Lowery took the helm in 2004.

Mullins said the majority of Lowery's coaching style revolves around defensive production and making it a team effort, not individual.

"It's really a team concept and you know we usually have two or three guys on the all-defensive team every year so it's a credit to him and how he teaches us," Mullins said.

Falker was the only forward selected to the first team all-MVC as he recorded 12.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

Starting out the season as the preseason MVC Player of the Year, Falker got double-teamed numerous times this season. He said having the target on his back was not bad for his game.

"It was just something you just have to see and say, 'Oh, this is what you all are going to do,'" Falker said.

Drake senior forward Adam Emmenecker was named the Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year while Creighton freshman guard P'Allen Stinnett was named Newcomer and Freshman of the Year. Creighton junior guard Booker Woodfox was voted as the MVC's Sixth-Man of the Year.

The all-bench team and most-improved team will be selected today by a group of beat writers from around the league.

The Salukis will begin play in the MVC Tournament on Friday as they face off against Northern Iowa in St. Louis. Tip off is set for 8:35 p.m.

Megan Kramper can be reached at

536-3311 ext. 256 or megkramp@siu.edu.

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