[GoMarquette.com] Marquette's Jerel McNeal, Wesley Matthews Earn All-BIG EAST Accolades

[GoMarquetteSays]

Marquette's Jerel McNeal, Wesley Matthews Earn All-BIG EAST Accolades
         

Marquette seniors Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews have earned All-BIG EAST Conference accolades, the league announced Sunday morning. McNeal was an All-BIG EAST First Team selection and Matthews claimed a spot on the All-BIG EAST Second Team.

McNeal has been recognized by the league in each of his four seasons at Marquette, while Matthews picked up his first career honor.
         

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[Pardner]

http://www.gomarquette.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/030809aaa.html

Marquette seniors Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews have earned All-BIG EAST Conference accolades, the league announced Sunday morning. McNeal was an All-BIG EAST First Team selection and Matthews claimed a spot on the All-BIG EAST Second Team.

McNeal has been recognized by the league in each of his four seasons at Marquette, while Matthews picked up his first career honor.

The conference's head coaches choose the all-conference teams. The coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players. This year, the league returned to five-player teams after having 10-player teams for the past three seasons.

Six players were named to the All-BIG EAST First Team. The BIG EAST Player of the Year will come from that list. The conference will announce Player of the Year, Oppenheimer Funds/BIG EAST Coach of the Year, BIG EAST Rookie of the Year and BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete on Tuesday, March 10. The announcement will be made between sessions of the first day of the BIG EAST Championship at Madison Square Garden. The press conference will begin after the postgame interviews of the afternoon doubleheader have been completed. The other individual awards will be announced March 9.

Harangody, a 6-8 junior, led the BIG EAST in scoring with a 23.7 average and finished second in rebounding with a 12.1 mark. In league games, he was the scoring and rebounding champion, compiling averages of 25.2 points and 12.8 boards. He is the first player in BIG EAST history to win the scoring and rebounding crowns in two seasons. This year, Harangody led all league players with 21 double-doubles.

Young, a 6-6 senior, was Pitt's top scorer this season with an 18.8 average. He pulled down 6.1 rebounds per game. Young shot 50.5 percent from the floor and helped the Panthers to a 28-3 record, a 15-3 BIG EAST mark and a No. 2 seed at The BIG EAST Championship. Last season, he was named BIG EAST Most Improved Player.

Blair, a teammate of Young, was a force in the paint for the Panthers. The 6-7 center averaged 15.6 points and a league-leading 12.4 boards. He shot 59.6 percent from the floor and posted 17 double-doubles. The sophomore was the only unanimous selection to the All-BIG EAST First Team. Last year, Blair was named BIG EAST Co-Rookie of the Year.

Thabeet was the defensive anchor to Connecticut's success. The 7-3 junior averaged 13.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and a blocked shot average of 4.5 that is second in the nation. With 89 blocks in league games this season, Thabeet is already second on the all-time BIG EAST blocks list with 243 rejections, trailing Patrick Ewing by only five. Thabeet was the 2007-08 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year.

McNeal was a defensive force early in his career before blossoming into an all-around performer as a junior and senior. He was chosen BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year two seasons ago. This year, he finished third in the league in scoring with a 20.1 average and fourth in steals with a 2.1 mark.

Williams is one of the league's most versatile performers. The senior forward is averaging 12.8 points. He is among the BIG EAST leaders in rebounds, assists and steals. Williams is averaging 8.5 boards, 5.1 assists and 2.3 steals. He helped lead the Cardinals to the BIG EAST regular-season title with a 16-2 record.

ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut, C, Jr., 7-3, 263, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Terrence Williams, Louisville, F, Sr., 6-6, 210, Seattle, Wash.
Jerel McNeal, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-3, 200 Chicago, Ill.
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame, F, Jr., 6-8, 251, Schererville, Ind.
DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh, C, So., 6-7, 265, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Sam Young, Pittsburgh, F, Sr., 6-6, 215, Clinton, Md.

ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
A.J. Price, Connecticut, G, Sr., 6-2, 181, Amityville, N.Y.
Wesley Matthews, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-5, 215, Madison, Wis.
Jonny Flynn, Syracuse, G, So., 6-0, 185, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Dante Cunningham, Villanova, F, Sr., 6-8, 230, Silver Spring, Md.
Da'Sean Butler, West Virginia, F, Jr., 6-7, 225, Newark, N.J.

ALL-BIG EAST THIRD TEAM
Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati, G, Jr., 6-1, 195, Indianapolis, Ind.
Jeff Adrien, Connecticut, F, Sr., 6-7, 243, Brookline, Mass.
Earl Clark, Louisville, G/F, Jr., 6-8, 220, Rahway, N.J.
Levance Fields, Pittsburgh, G, Sr., 5-10, 190, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall, G, So., 6-5, 185, Bronx, N.Y.

BIG EAST HONORABLE MENTION
Weyinmi Efejuku, Providence, G, Sr., 6-5, 210, Fresh Meadows, N.Y.
Dominique Jones, USF, G, So., 6-4, 205, Lake Wales, Fla.
Scottie Reynolds, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-2, 195, Herndon, Va.
Alex Ruoff, West Virginia, G, Sr., 6-6, 220, Spring Hill, Fla.

BIG EAST ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Yancy Gates, Cincinnati, F, Fr., 6-9, 255, Cincinnati, Ohio
Kemba Walker, Connecticut, G, Fr., 6-0, 175, Bronx, N.Y.
Greg Monroe, Georgetown, C, Fr., 6-10, 240, Gretna, La.
Samardo Samuels, Louisville, F, Fr., 6-8, 240, Trelawny, Jamaica
Mike Rosario, Rutgers, G, Fr., 6-3, 180, Jersey City, N.J.
Devin Ebanks, West Virginia, F, Fr., 6-9, 205, Long Island City, N.Y.

[nyg]

Congrats to Jerel and Wes and I think the majority of picks are fine.  But how does Lazar Hayward not even get an Honorable Mention?  Just goes to show you the quality of BE players.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Having gone down to 5 players, the honor is even greater than in the past.  Congratulations to those two.  If they would have kept it to 10 players ,my guess is that DJ or Hayward gets in.

[MUAlum99]

Any of you think that Jimmy Butler even stood a chance for All-Rookie team? 

I'm biased, but I can't think of very many other rookies in the league that meant as much to their teams as Jimmy did...

[Brewtown Andy]

Any of you think that Jimmy Butler even stood a chance for All-Rookie team? 

I'm biased, but I can't think of very many other rookies in the league that meant as much to their teams as Jimmy did...

If the award was for just the last month, sure, but Jimmy's contributing so much more now than he did on January 1st.

[MUSF]

Any of you think that Jimmy Butler even stood a chance for All-Rookie team? 

I'm biased, but I can't think of very many other rookies in the league that meant as much to their teams as Jimmy did...

Not a chance.

Off the top of my head...

Rosario
Ewbanks
Monroe

[MUAlum99]

Not a chance.

Off the top of my head...

Rosario
Ewbanks
Monroe

I'd agree with the first two, but Monroe?

[Brewtown Andy]

Not a chance.

Off the top of my head...

Rosario
Ewbanks
Monroe

Off the top of your head, or off the list in the earlier post? 

[MUSF]

Congrats to McNeal and Mathews.  They both had amazing seasons.

Watching Wesley perform the way we all thought/hoped he could for the first three years has been the most rewarding part of this season to me.  I am critical of Buzz at times but it must be said that without Buzz Mathews would not have been as successful.

[MUDPT]

Ken Pom's Offensive Rating:

1st Team: Blair, Matthews, Flynn, Young, Harangody, Jerel

2nd Team: Cunningham, Butler, Hazell, Reynolds, Yancy Gates

3rd Team: Dyson, Summers, Vaughn, Dominique Jones, Koshwal

Honorable Mention: Rosario, Tucker, Clark, Augustus Gilchrist, Corey Chandler

Freshmen:  Gates, Rosario, Gilchrist, Monroe, Samuels, Truck Bryant

Thabeet hasn't been used enough offensively.  If you counted him, Jimmy Butler would be runner up for Player of the Year, to Blair.

[BrewCity83]

I'd agree with the first two, but Monroe?

I'd love to have Monroe on this MU team.

[MUSF]

Ken Pom's Offensive Rating:

1st Team: Blair, Matthews, Flynn, Young, Harangody, Jerel

2nd Team: Cunningham, Butler, Hazell, Reynolds, Yancy Gates

3rd Team: Dyson, Summers, Vaughn, Dominique Jones, Koshwal

Honorable Mention: Rosario, Tucker, Clark, Augustus Gilchrist, Corey Chandler

Freshmen:  Gates, Rosario, Gilchrist, Monroe, Samuels, Truck Bryant

Thabeet hasn't been used enough offensively.  If you counted him, Jimmy Butler would be runner up for Player of the Year, to Blair.

I'm sure Ken Pom's rankings have their uses but Thabeet is a game changer.  I don't care what the numbers say, he is a first teamer.