CHICAGO (March 4, 2020) – Loyola University Chicago freshman guard Marquise Kennedy (Chicago, ll./Brother Rice) has been selected to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Bench Team it was announced today, marking the fourth consecutive season the Ramblers have placed someone on that squad, following Cooper Kaifes in 2018-19, Lucas Williamson in 2017-18 and Aundre Jackson in 2016-17.
 
Voting for the MVC All-Bench Team was done by the league's newspaper beat writers. 
 
Kennedy quickly asserted himself as one of the most dynamic players in The Valley, averaging 9.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.3 apg and 1.2 spg, while draining 51 percent (107-for-210) of his field goal attempts. An explosive playmaker, the 6-foot-1 freshman guard has helped Loyola to an 11-3 ledger when he scores 10 or more points this season. 
 
The first Loyola true freshman to start a season opener since Milton Doyle in 2013-14, Kennedy scored 16 or more points five times, including a season-best, 20-point performance in a victory over Evansville on January 11. Kennedy is the fourth Rambler to earn MVC All-Freshman Team status since the start of the 2017-18 season, joining Cameron Krutwig (2017-18), Lucas Williamson (2017-18) and Cooper Kaifes (2018-19).
 
Yesterday, Kennedy was also named MVC Sixth Man of the Year, becoming the second Rambler in the last four seasons to take home that distinction. 
 
Second-seeded Loyola opens up play at the MVC Championship Friday at 6 p.m. CT when it takes on either Evansville or Valparaiso.
 
The complete list of MVC All-Bench Team and MVC Most-Improved Team members can be found below.
 
MVC All-Bench Team
Marquise Kennedy, Loyola
John Kiser, Valparaiso
Antonio Reeves, Illinois State
Garrett Sturtz, Drake
Ville Tahvanainen, Bradley
 
MVC Most-Improved Team
Trae Berhow, Northern Iowa
Javon Freeman-Liberty, Valparaiso
Ja'Shon Henry, Bradley
Mileek McMillan, Valparaiso
Liam Robbins, Drake