Anochili-Killen garners Sun Belt’s top defender, named second-team all-conference

Obinna Anochili-Killen has enjoyed a successful five-year career at Marshall.

The Herd’s all-time leader in blocked shots picked up a pair of Sun Belt Conference honors Monday, including being named the league’s top defender.

Additionally, Anochili-Killen, who starred at Chapmanville High School, was named to the All-Sun Belt second team.

𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗟.@Herd_MBB graduate forward Obinna Anochili-Killen earns #SunBeltMBB Defensive Player of the Year after blocking 90 shots on the season and rejecting at least five shots in five different contests. ☀️🏀

📰 » https://t.co/KMeR1AItV2 pic.twitter.com/5llBuIRdYe

— Sun Belt (@SunBelt) March 3, 2025

Anochili-Killen finished the regular season with team highs of 14 points on 56.3 percent field-goal shooting and three blocks per game. He is second on the squad with a 5.6 rebounding average.

With 90 blocks, Anochili-Killen is second nationally in that category, trailing only the 96 of Youngstown State’s Gabe Dynes.

Earlier this season in a loss at UNC Wilmington, Anochili-Killen overtook Jannson Williams as Marshall’s all-time leader in blocked shots. He now holds that distinction by a wide margin with 275 (Williams finished his career with 196).

A native of Lagos, Nigeria, the 6-foot-8 Anochili-Killen registered double-figure scoring in 23 of 30 regular season games, including eight of the final nine.

Anochili-Killen and Marshall begin play in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament at 6 p.m. Friday with its opponent to be determined based on results throughout this week.

2024-25 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Postseason Awards

Player of the Year: Tayton Conerway, Troy (Sr., G – Burleson, Texas)

Defensive Player of the Year: Obinna Anochili-Killen, Marshall (Gr., F – Lagos, Nigeria)

Newcomer of the Year: Mark Freeman, James Madison (Sr., G – Memphis, Tenn.)

Freshman of the Year: Bryce Lindsay, James Madison (R-Fr., G – Baltimore, Md.)

Sixth Man of the Year: Bryce Lindsay, James Madison (R-Fr., G – Baltimore, Md.)

Joe Gottfried Coach of the Year: Richie Riley, South Alabama

All-Sun Belt First Team

Tayton Conerway, Troy (Sr., G – Burleson, Texas)

Barry Dunning Jr., South Alabama (Jr., F – Mobile, Ala.)

Mark Freeman, James Madison (Sr., G – Memphis, Tenn.)

Myles Tate, App State (R-Sr., G – Spartanburg, S.C.)

Taryn Todd, Arkansas State (Sr., G – Vaughan, Ontario)

All-Sun Belt Second Team

Obinna Anochili-Killen, Marshall (Gr., F – Lagos, Nigeria)

Cesare Edwards, Georgia State (Sr., C – Hartsville, S.C.)

Denijay Harris, Southern Miss (Gr., F – Columbus, Miss.)

C.J. Huntley, App State (Gr., F – Huntersville, N.C.)

Tylan Pope, Texas State (R-Sr., F – Franklinton, La.)

All-Sun Belt Third Team

Myles Corey, South Alabama (Gr., G – Ontario, Calif.)

Sean Durugordon, Old Dominion (R-Sr., G – Harlem, N.Y.)

Adante’ Holiman, Georgia Southern (Jr., G – McAlester, Okla.)

Bryce Lindsay, James Madison (R-Fr., G – Baltimore, Md.)

Izaiyah Nelson, Arkansas State (Jr., F – Atlanta, Ga.)