March 5, 2012
Colorado Springs, Colo.— For the fifth time in five seasons, New Mexico was honored with at least one player on the Mountain West All-Conference teams that were announced on Monday night. Drew Gordon was one of five players selected to the league’s first team, and sophomore guard Kendall Williams was named to the second team. Shooting guard Tony Snell earned honorable mention honors.
Gordon, who was a second team pick last year as well as Newcomer of the Year, led the conference in rebounding by a pretty wide margin, averaging 11.1 boards per game (12 rebounds and 0.9 more than Mike Moser of UNLV). Gordon also led the conference in field goal percentage at .569, and he was third in scoring at 13.8 points per game. He was a four-time MW Player of the Week selection as well.
Kendall Williams, who was an honorable mention selection last year as well as Freshman of the Year, finished 12th in scoring at 12.6 points per game. He was also fourth in assists, third in free throw percentage, 10th in steals, and second in assist/turnover ratio.
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Snell was not among the top 20 in scoring, but he ranked among the top 10 in assists, three-pointers per game, and three-point percentage.
Perhaps more on the shocking side, the Lobos landed zero players on the five-man All-Defensive team. The Lobos were second in scoring defense at 59.6 (to Wyoming’s 59.2), but UNM led the league in fewest points per possession at .877 PPP, a figure that ranks 12th nationally. UNM in field goal percentage defense, three-point percentage defense, rebounding defense, rebounding margin, and defensive rebounding percentage, finishing second in steals.
The honor was the second of the day for Gordon, who earned his fourth Mountain West Player of the Week award, sharing the league’s final honor with Jamaal Franklin. Gordon averaged 23.5 points and 11.5 rebounds for the week as New Mexico won a pair of home games to clinch a share of its third regular season title in the last four years. Gordon capped the week off with a 30-point game against Boise State on Senior Day, including his first career three-pointer. Gordon also shot 19-for-24 for the week, and 8-of-9 from the line.
2011-12 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM
(Selected by media and head coaches)
First-Team All-Mountain West
Name, Team
Cl.
Pos.
Ht.
Wt.
City, State
Wes Eikmeier, Colorado State
Jr.
G
6-3
168
Fremont, Neb.
Drew Gordon, New Mexico*
Sr.
F
6-9
245
San Jose, Calif.
Jamaal Franklin, San Diego State
So.
G
6-5
195
Hawthorne, Calif.
Hank Thorns Jr., TCU*
Sr.
G
5-9
165
Las Vegas, Nev.
Mike Moser, UNLV
So.
F
6-8
210
Portland, Ore.
Second-Team All-Mountain West
Michael Lyons, Air Force*
Jr.
G
6-6
198
Newport News, Va.
Kendall Williams, New Mexico
So.
G
6-3
180
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Chase Tapley, San Diego State
Jr.
G
6-3
195
Sacramento, Calif.
Anthony Marshall, UNLV
Jr.
G
6-3
200
Las Vegas, Nev.
Leonard Washington, Wyoming
Jr.
F
6-7
235
Lake Charles, La.
Third-Team All-Mountain West
Dorian Green, Colorado State
Jr.
G
6-2
192
Lawrence, Kan.
Pierce Hornung, Colorado State
Jr.
F
6-5
210
Arvada, Colo.
J.R. Cadot, TCU
Sr.
G
6-5
205
Nassau, Bahamas
Oscar Bellfield, UNLV*
Sr.
G
6-2
190
Los Angeles, Calif.
Chace Stanback, UNLV**
Sr.
G/F
6-8
215
Los Angeles, Calif.
All-Defensive Team
Pierce Hornung, Colorado State
Jr.
F
6-5
210
Arvada, Colo.
Tim Shelton, San Diego State
Sr.
F
6-7
240
Fresno, Calif.
Anthony Marshall, UNLV
Jr
G
6-3
200
Las Vegas, Nev.
Mike Moser, UNLV
So.
F
6-8
210
Portland, Ore.
JayDee Luster, Wyoming
Sr.
G
5-9
160
San Diego, Calif.
Honorable Mention All-Mountain West
Anthony Drmic, Fr., G/F, Boise State
Derrick Marks, Fr., G, Boise State
Tony Snell, So., G, New Mexico
Tim Shelton, Sr., F, San Diego State
Xavier Thames, So., G, San Diego State
Francisco Cruz, Sr., G, Wyoming
JayDee Luster, Sr., G, Wyoming
Player of the Year: Jamaal Franklin, San Diego State
Defensive Player of the Year: JayDee Luster, Wyoming
Newcomer of the Year: Mike Moser, UNLV
Freshman of the Year: Kyan Anderson, TCU
Sixth Man of the Year: Amric Fields, TCU
Coach of the Year: Steve Fisher, San Diego State
*Indicates number of previous all-Conference selections