The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Delaney Named To All-Defensive Team
3/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 10, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Senior Paul Delaney III has earned a spot on the 2009 Conference USA All-Defensive team, announced league officials on Tuesday. The Decatur, Ga. native received the nod for the second time in his career (2006-07), as voted on by the league's head coaches and select media.
"This is a very deserving honor for Paul," UAB head coach Mike Davis said. "He has improved so much on the defensive end of the floor. To earn this award twice says a lot about how much energy he gives us night in and night out. I am happy to see that others have recognized his ability on defense."
Delaney, who also garnered second-team all-league honors, has made his presence felt on the defensive end of the floor all season. He enters the 2009 Conference USA Championship third in the league in steals per game, averaging 2.0. In fact, over his last 12 contests, Delaney has collected 33 steals, which averages out to 2.75 steals per game over the stretch.
Delaney's defense has been even more impressive throughout the C-USA season, as he comes into the conference championship leading the league with 2.31 steals per game in league games only.
Memphis' Antonio Anderson earned his third-straight nod on the C-USA All-Defensive Team, while also picking up the league's Defensive Player of the Year award. Memphis' Robert Dozier joins Anderson and Delaney on the all-defensive team, along with Houston junior guard Kelvin Lewis, SMU senior center Bamba Fall and Tulsa junior center Jerome Jordan.
Conference USA also announced its specialty awards Tuesday. Memphis guard Tyreke Evans was named the 2009 Conference USA Freshman of the Year, while teammate Wesley Witherspoon was named the C-USA Sixth Player of the Year. Additionally, Houston junior guard Aubrey Coleman was named the Newcomer of the Year.
Evans is joined on the all-freshman team by Darrius Morrow of East Carolina, Damier Pitts of Marshall, Paul McCoy of SMU, A.J. Rompza of UCF and Arnett Moultrie of UTEP.
The 2009 Conference USA Men's Basketball Championship tips off tomorrow, March 11, at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. Saturday's title game begins at 10:35 a.m. and will be nationally televised on CBS. As the No. 3 seed overall, the Blazers received a first-round bye and will open championship play on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. against the winner of No. 6 seed UCF and No. 11 seed Southern Miss. The Blazers' quarterfinal contest will be televised live on CSS and can also be heard on the Blazers ISP Radio Network, 107.7 FM WUHT FM.
2008-09 CONFERENCE USA ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Antonio Anderson, Memphis, G, 6-6, 210, Sr., Lynn, Mass.
Paul Delaney III, UAB, G, 6-2, 202, Sr., Decatur, Ga.
Robert Dozier, Memphis, F, 6-9, 215, Sr., Lithonia, Ga.
Bamba Fall, SMU, C, 7-1, 210, Sr., St. Louis, Senegal
Jerome Jordan, Tulsa, C, 7-0, 235, Jr., Kingston, Jamaica
Kelvin Lewis, Houston, G, 6-4, 190, Jr., Fort Worth, Texas
2008-09 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Antonio Anderson, Memphis, G, 6-6, 210, Sr., Lynn, Mass.
2008-09 CONFERENCE USA ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Tyreke Evans, Memphis, G, 6-6, 215, Fr., Chester, Pa.
Paul McCoy, SMU, G, 5-11, 175, Fr., Portland, Ore.
Darrius Morrow, East Carolina, F, 6-8, 250, Fr., Atlanta, Ga.
Arnett Moultrie, UTEP, F, 6-11, 210, Fr., Memphis, Tenn.
Damier Pitts, Marshall, G, 5-10, 165, Fr., Charlotte, N.C.
A.J. Rompza, UCF, G, 5-9, 160, Fr., Chicago, Ill.
2008-09 FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Tyreke Evans, Memphis, G, 6-6, 215, Fr., Chester, Pa.
2008-09 NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Aubrey Coleman, Houston, G, 6-4, 200, Jr., Houston, Texas
2008-09 SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
Wesley Witherspoon, Memphis, F/G, 6-8, 185, Fr., Lilburn, Ga.
