BELLEVILLE, Ill. – Fresh off of its record-setting season finale, The W men's basketball has had a trio of its players – Dariun Doss (Reform, Ala.), Eric Bass Jr. (Baltimore, Md.), and Josh Dukes (Booneville, Miss.) - bring home post-season accolades from the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (SLIAC), it was announced today. Head coach Dean Burrows' crew set a school record for most wins in a season (12) and also qualified for its first-ever league tournament (as the No. 4-seed in the SLIAC tourney).
 
Doss, a graduate student, led the way for the MUW's honorees. Doss played five seasons at The W, producing his best all-around campaign in 2024-25 to earn second team All-SLIAC status. Doss was the only Owls to start all 26 games, averaging 10.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest, capping his career by scoring in double digits in each of his final nine-consecutive games.
 
Doss shot 47 percent from the floor (94-200) and 71 percent (82-115) from the free throw line, while also dishing off 1.7 assists, blocking 0.5 shots, and making nearly 1.0 steals per game, as well.
 
The latter numbers were the reason Doss was also picked by the SLIAC coaches as an All-Defensive Team player, as well. Doss was a main reason that The W team ranked among the SLIAC leaders if scoring defense (2nd/70.4 p.p.g.), field goal defense (4th/.413), three-point field goal defense (2nd/.296), and blocked shots (5th/3.15 b.p.g.).
 
"(Dariun) may have seen and had the most growth in a player of ours," Burrows praised. "And that's simply due to his work and desire to get and be better. In our world today, many say they want to get and be better but don't put in the necessary work and time that's required. He's been a very good defender, but made the jump this year on the offensive end, as well. Dariun was always asked - and tasked - with having to guard the opponent's best and primary offensive threat; and he always embraced that. He was the heart and soul of our program and we are definitely going to miss his energy and presence, but more so, his competitive nature and smile."
 
Junior transfer Bass Jr. was selected for the SLIAC's 6th Man of the Year award, after providing Burrows' club a lift off of the bench. Bass Jr. averaged 9.4 points per game and shot a healthy 56 percent (71-126) from the field in his 22 appearances (missing his teams final three contests after a season-ending shoulder injury in a double-overtime loss at Eureka on February 15).
 
Despite coming off the bench for the vast majority of his appearances, Bass Jr. earned a SLIAC Player of the Week award – as well as a spot on the D3Hoops.com Team of the Week – for the period ending February 2, after hitting back-to-back game-winning baskets to lead the Owls over Westminster (66-65) and Webster (59-58).
 
"(Eric) accepted his role of coming in to provide us with a 'spark' while knowing what he brought to the floor," Burrows said. "While his numbers over the course of the season won't jump out at most, his calmness and ability to stay present when things were considered to be 'pressure situations' late in games, obviously played a tremendous role in our group's success this season."
 
Dukes, who is graduating in three years from The W, is a repeat winner as a member of the SLIAC All-Sportsmanship Team. In addition to also appearing as a SLIAC All-Academic Team honoree, Dukes represents The W men's basketball on the SAAC, FCA, and serving as a student spokesperson for the University to both state legislative bodies and news media.
 
"Since the first day he stepped on campus in August of 2022, this young man has epitomized what it means to be an NCAA Division 3 student-athlete," Burrows recounted. "While always representing our program, his university, his family the way each need and should be, both on and off the court. He's spearheaded our numerous community service efforts and has been a member of our leadership council since his freshman year.
 
"We are proud of each of these young men for the honor that they've brought to themselves, their families, our program, & our university," Burrows summarized.