Veal was the on-court leader of the 2017-18 Southland Conference champion Lions, who finished 22-12 overall and advanced to the NIT for the first time in school history.
Veal is the 12th Lion to be named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Division I All-District 23 team, earning first-team honors. The New Orleans native is also the seventh Lion to be named first-team All-Southland Conference and the first to be named Southland Defensive Player of the Year and to the All-Defensive Team. He was selected to the All-Southland Tournament team after averaging 20.5 points, 6.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds over two games.
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He averaged 12.8 points and 5.2 rebounds, both second best on the team. Veal set the Southeastern records for single-season assists with 207 and for career with 449. The speedy point guard was also second in single-season steals (66) and third in career steals (164).
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Veal led the Southland Conference in assists (6.1 apg) and was second in steals (2.1 spg) during the regular season. He was also fourth in assist/TO ratio (1.8). He led the conference in assists and steals in league play and led the league with five double-digit assist games, while also ranking 17th nationally in steals and 18th in assists.
Veal is the fifth men's basketball representative to be named SLU Athlete of the Year, joining Amir Abdur-Rahim (2003-04), Sam Bowie (1995-96), Harvey Baker (1994-95) and Hank Washington (1992-93).
