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 (4th), rebounding (4th), field goal percentage (4th), blocked shots (2nd) and defensive rebounds (3rd).
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 (6th), rebounding (5th), field goal percentage (2nd), blocked shots (4th) and offensive rebounds (2nd).
"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