Ja'Kobi Gillespie Named MVC Most-Improved Team

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball student-athlete Ja'Kobi Gillespie has been named to the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference Most-Improved Team, the league office announced Tuesday.
 
The 6-1 guard built upon the foundation of his outstanding 2023 campaign, developing into one of the most impactful players in the MVC this season.
 
Ranking among league leaders in seven statistical categories, Gillespie averages 17.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.3 steals per game through regular season play.
 
The Greeneville, Tennessee native has 38 career double figure scoring games, 19 games of five or more assists, and 15 games of three or more steals.
 
Xavier Johnson of Southern Illinois, Jayson Kent of Indiana State, and Darius Hannah and Connor Hickman of Bradley round out the Most-Improved Team.
 
The MVC Most-Improved and All-Bench teams, which were selected by a panel of the league's newspaper beat writers and a panel of media voters, are comprised of a minimum of five student-athletes (top five vote-getters, plus ties) on each squad.
 
Gillespie was named to the 2023 MVC All-Bench Team.
 
The 2024 MVC all-conference awards will be announced Wednesday.
 
Belmont (19-12, 12-8 MVC) returns to game action Thursday vs. Valparaiso.
 
Belmont University men's basketball has been a postseason fixture the last two decades, including nine berths to the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins have won 20 conference championships since 2006 - third-most nationally over that span (Gonzaga, Kansas). Belmont has won 20 or more games in 13 consecutive seasons (Gonzaga, Kansas, Oregon) and 19 or game games in 18 consecutive seasons (Gonzaga, Kansas, San Diego State). Belmont is among select programs with two or more first-round selections in the NBA Draft over the last five years (Ben Sheppard, Dylan Windler). Belmont University men's basketball boasts an NCAA-leading 19 CoSIDA Academic All-America selections since 2001 and is the only NCAA Division I program to make the NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) Honor Roll every year of existence