Watt and McCrea Named to All-MAC First Team

BUFFALO, NY – For the first time since becoming a member of the Mid-American Conference in 1998, the University at Buffalo has placed two men's basketball players on the All-MAC First Team. Mitchell Watt and Javon McCrea were both named to the league's five-member first team on Wednesday as voted on by the coaches.

Watt, who was named the MAC Player of the Year on Monday, is averaging 16 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.4 blocked shots per game – all career highs. He ranks in the top four in the conference in five different categories, including scoring (4^th), rebounding (4^th), field goal percentage (4^th), blocked shots (2^nd) and defensive rebounds (3^rd).

This is the first time Watt has been named to an All-MAC team.

McCrea is just the third sophomore in the last 10 years to earn first-team honors. He was the MAC Freshman of Year as well as All-MAC Honorable Mention last season. This year, the Newark, NY native is putting up even better numbers, averaging 14.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, while shooting a team-best 57.3 percent from the field. He ranks in the top six in the MAC in five different categories, including scoring (6^th), rebounding (5^th), field goal percentage (2^nd), blocked shots (4^th) and offensive rebounds (2^nd).

"I think it speaks to the growth and development of the program overall to have both guys thought that highly of by the Mid-American Conference coaches," head coach Reggie Witherspoon said.  "It speaks to the kind of season they have had thus far in the regular season to have them both recognized and respected that much."

Only two other UB players have ever received first-team honors. Turner Battle was named to the first team in 2005 and Rodney Pierce was named to the first team in 2009 and 2010.

Watt and McCrea along with their teammates will play in the semifinals of the FirstEnergy MAC Tournament in Cleveland on Friday night at 9:30 pm.

All-MAC First Team

Mitchell Watt, Buffalo 

Javon McCrea, Buffalo 

Justin Greene, Kent State

Julian Mavunga, Miami

D.J. Cooper, Ohio

All-MAC Second Team

Zeke Marshall, Akron

Alex Abreu, Akron

Jarrod Jones, Ball State

Austin Calhoun, Bowling Green

Rian Pearson, Toledo

All-MAC Third Team 

Nikola Cvetinovic, Akron

Scott Thomas, Bowling Green

Trey Zeigler, Central Michigan

Darrell Lampley, Eastern Michigan

Michael Porrini, Kent State

Honorable Mention

Randal Holt, Kent State

Carlton Guyton, Kent State

Ivo Baltic, Ohio

Walter Offutt, Ohio

Curtis Dennis, Toledo

Flenard Whitfield, Western Michigan