BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama forward Braxton Key has been selected to the 2017 Southeastern Conference All-Freshman team by a vote of the league's head coaches and media, the conference office announced on Tuesday. With the honor, Key becomes the first Crimson Tide men's basketball student-athlete to earn a spot on the team since Shannon Hale achieved the feat for the 2013-14 season.

Key, a native of Charlotte, N.C., comes into this week's SEC Men's Basketball Tournament leading the Tide with 12.3 points and 29.3 minutes per game, while also topping the team in double-figure scoring games (18) and games scoring more than 20 points (3). He ranks second on the team in assists with 2.4 per game and is third in rebounding (5.7 rpg) and three-point field goal percentage (.333) through regular season play.

Key has been even better in SEC play, ranking 17th in league games only with 14.0 points per game and 14th with 6.1 rebounds per contest.

Earlier in the season, Key was named the league's freshman of the week on Jan. 30, after leading the Crimson Tide to wins at Georgia (1/25) and vs. Mississippi State (1/28). In those games, he averaged 22.5 points and 9.0 rebounds, while shooting 11-of-24 (45.8 percent) from the floor, 4-of-8 (50.0 percent) from three and 19-of-27 (70.8 percent) from the charity stripe.

Key is the 16th player in Alabama program history to be named to the All-SEC Freshman Team.

Key and the Tide earned the No. 5 seed and will begin play in the SEC Tournament on Thursday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. CT against the winner of No. 12 Mississippi State and No. 13 LSU. That contest will air live on SEC Network.

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