Two Friars earn all-Big East honors
Sunday, March 10, 2013
If you win, the accolades will follow.
Providence junior guard Bryce Cotton led the Big East Conference in scoring all-season long, and finished as the #1 scorer in the league at the conclusion of the regular season. As such, Cotton was named to the All-Big East post-season first team, as selected by the league head coaches.
But without the Friars closing with a 7-2 finish in conference play, Cotton's big year probably doesn't finish as well as it did.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTA 6-1 junior from Tucson, AZ, Cotton was the Big East scoring champion in league games, averaging 18.3 points. He edged fellow first-teamer Otto Porter of Georgetown for the scoring title by just four points. In all games, Cotton also was first in scoring with a 19.6 mark for the entire season. His 88 three-point field goals also led the league.
Additionally, PC junior forward Kadeem Batts was named honorable mention all-Big East, and was named co-winner of the league's Most Improved Player award. He shares the honor with Syracuse guard (and St. Andrew's/Barrington grad) Michael Carter-Williams. Batts' scoring numbers doubled from last season, scoring 15.2 points per game this year...and he ranked 11th in the league in scoring, 6th in rebounding and 10th in field goal percentage.
Georgetown forward Otto Porter, Jr. was named unanimously to the All-Big East first team, the league announced. The coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players. The Player of the Year will come from the All-Big East First Team. The conference will announce Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Tuesday, March 12.
The Friars (17-13, 9-9 Big East) will face Cincinnati (21-10, 9-9 Big East) in the 8 vs. 9 match-up Wednesday afternoon at 12 Noon, in the 2nd round of the Big East Tournament. Providence defeated the then-17th ranked Bearcats 54-50 in February at the Dunkin Donuts Center. The first round begins Tuesday night, with Seton Hall meeting USF, followed by Rutgers facing DePaul.
ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
Shabazz Napier, Connecticut, G, Jr., 6-1, 171, Roxbury, Mass.
* Otto Porter, Jr., Georgetown, F, So., 6-8, 205, Sikeston, Mo.
Gorgui Dieng, Louisville, C, Jr., 6-11, 245, Kebemer, Senegal
Russ Smith, Louisville, G, Jr., 6-0, 165, Briarwood, N.Y.
Jack Cooley, Notre Dame, F, Sr., 6-9, 246, Glenview, Ill.
Bryce Cotton, Providence, G, Jr., 6-1, 165, Tucson, Ariz.
ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati, G, Jr., 6-4, 221, White Plains, N.Y.
Vander Blue, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-4, 200, Madison, Wisc.
Jerian Grant, Notre Dame, G, Jr., 6-5, 202, Bowie, Md.
Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse, G, So., 6-6, 185, Hamilton, Mass.
C.J. Fair, Syracuse, F, Jr., 6-8, 215, Baltimore, Md.
ALL-BIG EAST THIRD TEAM
Markel Starks, Georgetown, G, Jr., 6-2, 175, Accokeek, Md.
Peyton Siva, Louisville, G, Sr., 6-0, 185, Seattle, Wash.
Tray Woodall, Pittsburgh, G, Sr., 6-0, 190, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Brandon Triche, Syracuse, G, Sr., 6-4,210, Jamesville, N.Y.
JayVaughn Pinkston, Villanova, F, So., 6-6, 240, Brooklyn, N.Y.
BIG EAST HONORABLE MENTION
Davonte Gardner, Marquette, F, Jr., 6-8, 290, Suffolk, Va.
Kadeem Batts, Providence, F, Jr., 6-9, 245, Powder Springs, Ga.
JaKarr Sampson, St. John’s, F, Fr., 6-8, 204, Barberton, Ohio
Fuquan Edwin, Seton Hall, F, Jr., G-F, 6-6, 205, Paterson, N.J.
BIG EAST ALL-ROOKIE TEAM ^
Omar Calhoun, Connecticut, G, Fr., 6-5, 195, Brooklyn, N.Y.
D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Georgetown, G, Fr., 6-3, 227, Indianapolis, Ind.
Steven Adams, Pittsburgh, C, Fr., 7-0, 250, Roturua, New Zealand
Chris Obekpa, St. John’s, C, Fr., 6-9, 223, Makurdi, Nigeria
* JaKarr Sampson, St. John’s, F, Fr., 6-8, 204, Barberton, Ohio
* Ryan Arcidiacono, Villanova, G, Fr., 6-3, 195, Langhorne, Pa.
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Gorgui Dieng, Louisville
BIG EAST Most Improved Player
Kadeem Batts, Providence
Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse
BIG EAST Sixth Man Award
Davante Gardner, Marquette
BIG EAST Sportsmanship Award
Junior Cadougan, Marquette
*Denotes unanimous selection.
^Due to a tie in the voting, an additional position was named.
