Final 2014-15 Men's Basketball Release
UMKC'S HARRISON NAMED AP HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICAN
UMKC sophomore guard Martez Harrison was named an Associated Press honorable mention All-American, becoming the first men's basketball player in school history to earn the honor. The accolade means he was named on at least one ballot by a voting AP member on their first, second or third team. The Kansas City, Mo. product was named WAC Player of the Year after leading the league in scoring (17.5), total steals (60) and total assists (129). He also ranked among the league's top 10 in free throw shooting (74.8) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.50).
FOUR WAC PLAYERS NAMED TO NABC ALL-DISTRICT 6 TEAMS
Four WAC men's basketball players were named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District 6 Teams, as selected by the coaches in the WAC and Big Sky Conferences. New Mexico State's Pascal Siakam was named to the first team, while teammate Daniel Mullings joined Missouri-Kansas City's Martez Harrison and Seattle U's Isiah Umipig on the second team.
Siakam, the WAC Freshman of the Year and a first team All-WAC pick, led the league in field goal percentage (57.2) and blocks (1.8), ranked second in rebounding (7.7), seventh in free throw percentage (75.9), eighth in scoring (12.8) and 10th in minutes per game (30.8).
Mullings, a first team All-WAC honoree, led the league in steals (2.1), was 10th in assists (2.7), 11th in scoring (12.4) and 13th in rebounding (4.9).
Harrison was named the WAC Player of the Year after leading the league in scoring (17.5), total steals (60) and total assists (129). He also ranked among the league's top 10 in free throw percentage (74.8) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.50).
Umipig, who set the all-time WAC record for three-pointers in a season (123), was a first team All-WAC selection after leading the league in free throw percentage (84.5) and three-pointers per game (3.6), ranking second in scoring (17.0) and minutes per game (34.0), third in three-point field goal percentage (41.8), seventh in steals (1.3) and eighth in assists (2.9).
SEATTLE U FALLS IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL SEMIFINALS AT LOYOLA CHICAGO
In its first national Division I postseason appearance since 1969, Seattle U defeated Pepperdine 62-45 in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational, then beat Colorado 72-65 before falling 63-48 at Loyola Chicago in the semifinals to finish the season 18-16.
Against Loyola, Seattle U led 42-40 with 5:51 left, but the Ramblers closed out the game on a 23-6 run to earn the win. William Powell led the Redhawks with 12 points, while Jadon Cohee added 10. Seniors and leading scorers Isiah Umipig and Jarell Flora were held to just six and two points, respectively.
In the win over the Buffaloes, Seattle U rallied from a nine-point second-half deficit and held Colorado to just 33.9 percent shooting from the field and 28.0 percent from downtown. Flora led all players with 22 points, while Umipig added 20, as both players hit four three-pointers.
In the opening round win over Pepperdine, the Redhawk defense held the Waves to just 21 second-half points. Umipig led all players with 24 points, including five three-pointers, to go along with seven rebounds. Flora added 20 points, while Powell pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.
NEW MEXICO STATE FALLS TO NO. 2 KANSAS IN NCAA TOURNAMENT
The Aggies fell 75-56 to second-seeded Kansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb., snapping a 13-game winning streak. With the loss, NM State closed out the season 23-11. Kansas out-shot New Mexico State 54 percent (27-of-50) to 35.7 percent (20-of-56). The Jayhawks also shot 69.2 percent (9-of-13) from three-point range, while the Aggies were 5-of-15 (33 percent) from downtown. DK Eldridge led the Aggies with 11 points, while Remi Barry and Tshilidzi Nephawe added 10 each.
GRAND CANYON FALLS TO NORTHERN ARIZONA IN COLLEGEINSIDER.COM TOURNAMENT
Grand Canyon's season came to an end with a 75-70 loss to Northern Arizona in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. The Antelopes finished the season 17-15. Royce Woolridge led all players with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting in his collegiate finale. De'Andre Davis added 17 points, while Daniel Alexander posted a double-double of 11 points and 13 rebounds. Joshua Braun also chipped in 11 points. Grand Canyon out-shot NAU 41.2 percent to 39.7 percent and was a perfect 11-of-11 at the free throw line. The difference in the game was three-pointers, as the Lumberjacks connected on 9-of-22 (40.9 percent) from downtown, while the Antelopes made just 3-of-22 (13.6 percent).
NEW MEXICO STATE WINS WAC TOURNAMENT
No. 1 New Mexico State defeated No. 3 Seattle U 80-61 to claim its fourth consecutive WAC Tournament title March 14 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The Aggies defeated fourth-seeded Bakersfield 57-53 in the semifinals. Tshilidzi Nephawe was named tournament MVP after averaging 18.5 points on 55 percent shooting and 12.0 rebounds over the two games.
All-Tournament Team
Aly Ahmed, Bakersfield
Remi Barry, New Mexico State
Reese Holliday, Missouri-Kansas City
Tshilidzi Nephawe, New Mexico State (MVP)
Isiah Umipig, Seattle U
FIVE WAC TOURNAMENT RECORDS BROKEN OR TIED
Five WAC Tournament records were either tied or broken during the 2015 WAC Tournament in Las Vegas. The records are listed below.
Individual
Three-point field goals made - game 8 Isiah Umipig, Seattle U (vs. UMKC)
Team
Free throws made - game 30 New Mexico State (vs. Seattle U)
Steals - game 14 Chicago State (vs. Seattle U)
Fewest points allowed - half 12 Seattle U (vs. Chicago State, second half)
Field goal percentage defense - game .267 Bakersfield (vs. Utah Valley, 12-45)
ALL-WAC HONORS ANNOUNCED
Following a vote of the WAC's eight head coaches, Missouri-Kansas City's Martez Harrison earned WAC Player of the Year honors. New Mexico State's Pascal Siakam was WAC Freshman of the Year and the Aggies' Marvin Menzies was the Don Haskins WAC Coach of the Year.
In WAC play, Harrison led the conference in scoring (17.5), ranked fourth in steals (1.57), fifth in assist-turnover ratio (1.85), sixth in assists (3.57) and ninth in three-pointers per game (1.64). He scored in double digits in all but one WAC contest and had 20 or more points in five of his 14 WAC games. He was also named WAC Player of the Week on Nov. 17.
Siakam earned WAC Freshman of the Year honors after scoring in double figures in 12 of 14 WAC games with four double-doubles. In conference play, he led the WAC in rebounding (8.4) and field goal percentage (61.5), ranked second in blocks (1.57), fifth in free throw percentage (82.3), sixth in scoring (13.9) and seventh in minutes per game (34.5). He was twice named WAC Player of the Week.
Menzies was named WAC Coach of the Year after leading the Aggies to their first-ever outright WAC regular-season title with a 13-1 league record. New Mexico State posted a 14.2 scoring margin in WAC games and ranked in the Top 50 nationally in seven statistical categories.
First Team All-WAC
Aly Ahmed, Bakersfield
Martez Harrison, Missouri-Kansas City
Daniel Mullings, New Mexico State
Pascal Siakam, New Mexico State
Isiah Umipig, Seattle U
Second Team All-WAC
Remi Barry, New Mexico State
Jarell Flora, Seattle U
Janari Joesaar, Texas-Pan American
Tshilidzi Nephawe, New Mexico State
DeWayne Russell, Grand Canyon
All-Defensive Team
Jerome Garrison, Grand Canyon
Dan Kimasa, Texas-Pan American
Kevin Mays, Bakersfield
Daniel Mullings, New Mexico State
Pascal Siakam, New Mexico State
All-Newcomer Team
Josh Braun, Grand Canyon
Reese Holliday, Missouri-Kansas City
Janari Joesaar, Texas-Pan American
DeWayne Russell, Grand Canyon
Pascal Siakam, New Mexico State
Player of the Year: Martez Harrison, Missouri-Kansas City
Freshman of the Year: Pascal Siakam, New Mexico State
Don Haskins Coach of the Year: Marvin Menzies, New Mexico State