Moss, Evans, Bearden Pick Up Postseason All-MAC Honors
3/9/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY – For the fourth straight season, the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, men's basketball team has placed a member on the All-MAC First Team as junior Justin Moss was named to the squad Monday afternoon. In all, three Bulls were honored with postseason All-MAC honors as sophomore Shannon Evans was named to the All-MAC Second Team and Lamonte Bearden was named to All-MAC Freshman Team. Specialty awards will be announced on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Moss continued UB's streak of big men on the All-MAC First Team, following in the footsteps of Javon McCrea and Mitchell Watt. Moss has been the best player in the Mid-American Conference this season as he has averaged 18.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, both tops in the league. Moss was named one of 16 finalists for the Karl Malone Award, given to the nation's top power forward.
Stepping in following the graduation of McCrea, Moss has 14 double-doubles on the year and has led the Bulls in scoring 18 times and in rebounding 21 times. Moss has also scored at least 20 points 13 times including two 30-point games. Moss had a career-high 33 points against Toledo and also had a 31-point, 15-rebound game in a win over Miami (OH), becoming the first player in the country this year to have a 30-point, 15-rebound game against a Division I opponent. Moss also had a career-high 17 rebounds against Ohio. He currently has scored 551 points this year, fifth most in a single season and his 281 rebounds are seventh all-time.
Evans, who was named to the All-Freshman team last year, is one of just two sophomores honored by the league, joining Kent State's Jimmy Hall. Evans is averaging 15.3 points and 4.7 assists per game for the Bulls. He is sixth in the league in scoring and third in the MAC in assists. Evans, who was named MAC East Player of the Week four times this year, finished with a career-high 33 points in a win over Cornell, hitting eight three pointers tied for third most in a single season. The highlight to Evans' season was against Binghamton, when he recorded the first triple-double in school history with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Evans recorded a career-high 11 assists in the win over Ohio. He recorded six assists or more 10 times this year.
Bearden has started in 28 of the 30 games as a freshman and has been one of UB's most consistent players, averaging 8.1 points and 4.3 assists per game. Bearden has led or tied for the team lead in assists 17 times this year, and he had a career-high 10 assists over Cornell. Over the course of the 18 game conference season, Bearden led all MAC players in assist to turnover ratio. He recorded six or more assists nine times this year. Bearden had a career-high with 23 points against Canisius and finished in double figures in scoring in two of the final three games. In the final game of the regular season, Bearden scored 10 points, all in the second half, including the game-winning fade away jumper with 15 seconds left. This is the third straight year that UB has had an individual on the All-Freshman team, joining Evans and current teammate Jarryn Skeete.
The MAC will announce Freshman of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year tomorrow and will announce Coach of the Year and Player of the Year on Wednesday.
All-MAC First Team
Richaun Holmes, Bowling Green F
Justin Moss, Buffalo, F
Chris Fowler, Central Michigan, G
Jimmy Hall, Kent State, F
Julius "Juice" Brown, Toledo, G
All-MAC Second Team
Shannon Evans, Buffalo, G
Devareaux Manley, Kent State, G
Eric Washington, Miami, G
Maurice Ndour, Ohio, F
David Brown, Western Michigan, G
All-MAC Third Team
Pat Forsythe, Akron, C
John Simons, Central Michigan, F
Raven Lee, Eastern Michigan, G
Justin Drummond, Toledo, G/F
J.D. Weatherspoon, Toledo, F
All-MAC Honorable Mention
Karrington Ward, Eastern Michigan, F
Kris Brewer, Kent State, G
Javarez "Bean" Willis, Ohio, G
Nathan Boothe, Toledo, C
Connar Tava, Western Michigan, F
MAC All-Freshman Team
Noah Robotham, Akron, G
Sean Sellers, Ball State, F
Lamonte Bearden, Buffalo, G
Josh Kozinski, Central Michigan, G
Thomas Wilder, Western Michigan, G
