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The MWC has announced its postseason honorees, as listed below in an official press release issued by the league office. To see how my ballot compared with the final results, see my blog entry from earlier today.
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MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES 2008-09 MEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE AWARDS
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Mountain West Conference announced its 2008-09 men's basketball awards today. The league's nine men's head coaches, along with a selected media panel, picked the all-conference teams, as well as the coach, player, newcomer, freshman, sixth man and defensive awards.
New Mexico head coach Steve Alford captured MWC Coach of the Year honors for the first time, while Utah's Luke Nevill was named both the Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. Additionally, TCU's Zvonko Buljan garnered Newcomer of the Year accolades, Wyoming's Afam Muojeke was chosen as the Freshman of the Year and Utah's Shaun Green received the Sixth Man of the Year award.
Eight of the nine Mountain West institutions were represented on the 15-member all-MWC teams. BYU and San Diego State led the league with three all-conference selections apiece. New Mexico, UNLV and Utah also had multiple players chosen with two each, while Colorado State, TCU and Wyoming had one apiece.
Eight players were repeat all-Conference selections this season. Wyoming's Brandon Ewing is the first four-time all-MWC honoree in the league's 10-year history, earning first-team accolades after consecutive second-team kudos in 2006-07 and 2007-08, and a third-team selection in 2005-06. BYU's Lee Cummard is a first-team honoree for the second straight year after receiving third-team honors in 2006-07, while Nevill moves up to the first team following a second-team appearance last year and a third-team selection in 2006-07. UNLV's Wink Adams is a second-team member this year after earning first-team honors last season and second-team kudos in 2006-07. San Diego State's Lorrenzo Wade received second-team accolades this season following a first-team selection a year ago, while TCU's Kevin Langford moved up to the second team from a third-team nod in 2007-08. Colorado State's Marcus Walker is a third-team choice after garnering second-team honors last season, while BYU's Jonathan Tavernari is a third-team pick for the second straight year.
Alford collected his first MWC coaching honor after guiding the Lobos to a share of the regular-season crown and second straight 20-win campaign.
Nevill, a 7-2, 265-pound senior center, is the first individual to receive both the MWC Player and Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season. The Perth, Australia, product averaged 16.7 points per game in Conference play and was the league's top rebounder and shot blocker in league action, averaging 9.6 boards and 3.1 blocks per game while leading the Utes to a share of their fifth MWC regular-season crown. His 50 blocks in MWC games ranks as the third-most in a single season.
Buljan, a 6-9, 220-pound junior center from Split, Croatia, averaged 12.6 points per game in Conference play and was the league's second-leading rebounder with an 8.9 average on the glass. He scored in double figures in 12 of 16 MWC outings, adding eight double-digit rebounding efforts to finish with an MWC-best seven double-doubles against league opponents.
Muojeke, a 6-7, 201-pound forward from Jamaica Queens, N.Y., was the league's top freshman scorer and rebounder, averaging 12.4 points and 6.3 boards in Conference play. He was the only freshman ranked among the league's scoring leaders and one of only two in the rebounding category.
Green, a 6-8, 220-pound senior forward, averaged 10.6 points and 5.3 rebounds off the bench for the Utes in Conference play. In addition to ranking sixth and seventh, respectively, in 3-point field goal shooting (.416) and average (2.3 pg), the Salt Lake City native was also among the MWC's top shot-blockers, ranking sixth with a 1.0 average against league opponents.
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2008-09 All-Mountain West Conference Team
(Selected by media and head coaches)
First-Team All-Mountain West
Luke Nevill, Utah* Sr. C 7-2 265 Perth, Australia (Kell HS-Ga.)
Lee Cummard, BYU** Sr. G 6-7 190 Mesa, Ariz. (Mesa HS)
Jimmer Fredette, BYU So. G 6-2 195 Glen Falls, N.Y. (Glen Falls HS)
Tony Danridge, New Mexico Sr. G/F 6-5 215 San Bernardino, Calif. (Cojon HS)
Brandon Ewing, Wyoming*** Sr. G 6-2 190 Chicago, Ill. (Julian HS)
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Second-Team All-Mountain West
Daniel Faris, New Mexico Sr. C 6-9 235 Albuquerque, N.M. (Eldorado HS)
Kyle Spain, San Diego State Sr. F 6-5 220 Newark, Calif. (Newark Memorial HS)
Lorrenzo Wade, San Diego State* Sr. F 6-6 225 Las Vegas, Nev. (Univ. of Louisville)
Kevin Langford, TCU* Sr. F 6-8 245 Fort Worth, Texas (Univ. of California)
Wink Adams, UNLV** Sr. G 6-0 200 Houston, Texas (Gulf Shores Academy)
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Third-Team All-Mountain West
Jonathan Tavernari, BYU* Jr. G/F 6-6 215 Sao Bernardo, Brazil (Bishop Gorman HS)
Marcus Walker, Colorado State* Sr. G 6-0 175 Kansas City, Mo. (Indian Hills CC)
Richie Williams, San Diego State Sr. G 5-10 162 San Diego, Calif. (Steele Canyon HS)
René Rougeau, UNLV Sr. G 6-6 210 Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (Etiwanda HS)
Lawrence Borha, Utah Sr. G 6-3 205 Staten Island, N.Y. (Stonebridge Prep)
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All-Defensive Team
Luke Nevill, Utah Sr. C 7-2 265 Perth, Australia (Kell HS-Ga.)
Jackson Emery, BYU So. G 6-3 185 Alpine, Utah (Lone Peak HS)
Richie Williams, San Diego State Sr. G 5-10 162 San Diego, Calif. (Steele Canyon HS)
René Rougeau, UNLV Sr. G 6-6 210 Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (Etiwanda HS)
Lawrence Borha, Utah Sr. G 6-3 205 Staten Island, N.Y. (Stonebridge Prep)
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Honorable Mention All-Mountain West
Andrew Henke, Sr., G, Air Force
Roman Martinez, Jr., F, New Mexico
Chad Toppert, Sr., G, New Mexico
Billy White, So., F, San Diego State
Zvonko Buljan, Jr., C, TCU
Carlon Brown, So., G, Utah
Luka Drca, Jr., G, Utah
Shaun Green, Sr., F, Utah
Tyler Kepkay, Sr., G, Utah
Tyson Johnson, Sr., F, Wyoming
Sean Ogirri, Sr., G, Wyoming
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Player of the Year: Luke Nevill, Utah
Defensive Player of the Year: Luke Nevill, Utah
Newcomer of the Year: Zvonko Buljan, TCU
Freshman of the Year: Afam Muojeke, Wyoming
Sixth Man of the Year: Shaun Green, Utah
Coach of the Year: Steve Alford, New Mexico
*Indicates number of previous all-conference selections
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The Cougars will enter the MWC Tournament nationally ranked, after the Cougars popped into the AP Poll at #25 earlier today. In the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll, BYU was up three spots from 30th to 27th. Interestingly, BYU, Utah, Utah State and Weber State all received votes in both surveys.
For what its worth, I think the Coaches' Poll is the poll of preference during Tournament Week, since I believe the Worldwide Leader opts for its affiliated poll results when creating the "Top 25 Scroll" that rolls on the TV screen, and dictates which highlights are shown most frequently. A team in the Coaches' Top 25 is guaranteed to be a "Sportscenter" and "College Gameday" fixture. As it stands, the Cougars will get their fair share of publicity this week, but in terms of "face time," ESPN favors the teams in the Coaches' Top 25.
If I'm not mistaken, ESPN was unaffiliated with the USA Today Coaches' Poll last year, and in 2008 used the AP Top 25 as the basis for its' "rankings of record."
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BYU holds steady as an 8 seed in Joe Lunardi's latest bracket projection, while three other MWC teams join the Cougars in the field.
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