Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Hilliard, Henton, Dunn Named Unanimously to All Big-East First Team
Villanova guard Darrun Hilliard and Providence forward LaDontae Henton and guard Kris Dunn were named unanimously to the 2014-15 All-BIG EAST First Team, the league announced. The conference’s head coaches choose the all-conference teams. The coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players. The league announced the All-BIG EAST First and Second Teams, Honorable Mention and the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team.
The BIG EAST Player of the Year will come from the All-BIG EAST First Team. The conference will announce Player of the Year, BIG EAST Coach of the Year, BIG EAST Rookie of the Year and the BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Wednesday, March 11. The announcement will be made on the first day of the BIG EAST Championship Presented by New York Life at Madison Square Garden at 4:30 p.m. ET. The other league individual awards will be announced Monday, March 9.
In addition to Hilliard, Henton and Dunn, Kellen Dunham of Butler, D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera of Georgetown, D’Angelo Harrison of St. John’s and Ryan Arcidiacono of Villanova were named to the first team.
Hilliard was the top scorer on Villanova, the BIG EAST’s top team. The senior guard averaged 14.2 points and helped Villanova put together its second straight conference regular-season crown with a 16-2 record. He was fifth in 3-pointers in the BIG EAST with 66 made. Hilliard was a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team selection. Arcidiacono was the Wildcats’ floor leader who often came up with the critical play. He averaged 10.7 points and 3.6 assists. The junior guard ranked third in the league in assist/turnover ratio at 2.4.
Henton and Dunn were a dynamic duo for Providence. Henton was the league’s top scorer with a 20.1 average and he was eighth in rebounding with a 6.3 mark. The senior forward was the scoring champion in league games with an identical 20.1 average. Dunn is the first player in BIG EAST history to lead the league in assists and steals in the same season in conference play. The junior averaged 7.7 assists and 2.8 steals. Dunn was an all-around contributor, averaging 17.0 points and 5.9 rebounds in BIG EAST play.
Dunham was the prime scoring threat behind Butler’s success. The junior averaged a team-leading 16.6 points which ranked fourth in the BIG EAST. He was third in the league from 3-point range, making 42.4 percent, and third in free throw shooting, hitting 86.5 percent. Dunham was a Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team pick.
Smith-Rivera was the leader behind Georgetown’s 20-9 record and 12-6 league mark. The junior was fifth in the BIG EAST in scoring with a 16.0 average. The Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year, Smith-Rivera was second in the league in free throw shooting at 86.6 percent.
Harrison, a Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team selection, was one of the top scorers in the conference, ranking second to Henton with a 17.8 scoring average. The senior finished his BIG EAST regular-season career with 1,178 career points, ninth place on the league’s all-time scoring list.
The All-BIG EAST Second Team has three seniors and two juniors. Sir’Dominic Pointer of St. John’s is one of the seniors. One of the BIG EAST’s top stat line stuffers, Pointer averaged 13.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.0 steals. Xavier’s Matt Stainbrook averaged 12.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and shot 61.7 percent from the field. Marquette’s Matt Carlino finished fourth in scoring with a 17.2 average in BIG EAST play and led the league in all games with 2.8 3-pointers made per game.
The juniors are Sterling Gibbs of Seton Hall and Roosevelt Jones of Butler. In BIG EAST play, Gibbs ranked second in the league in scoring with a 17.5 average. In all games, he was third at 16.7. Jones was an all-around contributor for Butler, averaging 12.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
The BIG EAST Rookie of the Year will come from the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team. For rookie honors, the coaches selected two players from Georgetown, two from Seton Hall and one from Marquette and Xavier.
The Georgetown players are forwards Isaac Copeland and L.J. Peak. Peak earned a starting role immediately for the Hoyas and averaged 8.2 points. Copeland enjoyed a strong second half to his season and finished the regular season averaging 6.7 points.
Seton Hall’s team had a strong freshmen influence led by Angel Delgado and Isaiah Whitehead. Delgado averaged 9.3 points and 9.9 rebounds in all games and was a unanimous pick to the All-Rookie Team. He was the BIG EAST rebounding champion with a 10.7 rebounding mark in league games. Delgado is only the second freshman in BIG EAST history to win the rebounding crown. Whitehead, the BIG EAST Preseason Rookie of the Year, missed several games because of a stress fracture in his foot but still averaged 12.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
Xavier’s Trevon Bluiett and Marquette’s Duane Wilson averaged 12.2 and 12.1 points, respectively. Bluiett’s scoring average led the team. A unanimous selection, he also averaged 4.5 rebounds. Wilson, who started 27 of 30 games, was second on the squad in scoring.
ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM^
Kellen Dunham, Butler, G, Jr., 6-6, 185, Pendleton, Ind.
D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Georgetown, G, Jr., 6-3, 214, Indianapolis, Ind.
*Kris Dunn, Providence, G, Jr., 6-3, 205, New London, Conn.
*LaDontae Henton, Providence, F, Sr., 6-6, 215, Lansing, Mich.
D’Angelo Harrison, St. John’s, G, Sr., 6-4, 202, Missouri City, Texas
Ryan Arcidiacono, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-3, 195, Langhorne, Pa.
*Darrun Hilliard, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-6, 215, Bethlehem, Pa.
ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
Roosevelt Jones, Butler, F, Jr., 6-4, 227, O’Fallon, Ill.
Matt Carlino, Marquette, G, Gr., 6-2, 175, Arcadia, Ariz.
Sterling Gibbs, Seton Hall, G, Jr., 6-2, 185, Scotch Plains, N.J.
Sir’Dominic Pointer, St. John’s, G/F, Sr., 6-6, 192, Detroit, Mich.
Matt Stainbrook, Xavier, C, Sr., 6-10, 270, Bay Village, Ohio
BIG EAST HONORABLE MENTION
Billy Garrett, Jr., DePaul, G, So., 6-6, 205, Chicago, Ill.
Daniel Ochefu, Villanova, F, Jr., 6-11, 245, Baltimore, Md.
JayVaughn Pinkston, Villanova, F, Sr., 6-7, 235, Brooklyn, N.Y.
BIG EAST ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Isaac Copeland, Georgetown, F, Fr., 6-9, 220, Raleigh, N.C.
L.J. Peak, Georgetown, F, Fr., 6-5, 215, Gaffney, S.C.
Duane Wilson, Marquette, G, Fr., 6-2, 185, Milwaukee, Wis.
*Angel Delgado, Seton Hall, F, Fr., 6-9, 230, Bajos De Haina, Dominican Republic
Isaiah Whitehead, Seton Hall, G, Fr., 6-4, 210, Brooklyn, N.Y.
*Trevon Bluiett, Xavier, F, Fr., 6-6, 215, Indianapolis, Ind.
Release: Big East
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
Villanova guard Darrun Hilliard and Providence forward LaDontae Henton and guard Kris Dunn were named unanimously to the 2014-15 All-BIG EAST First Team, the league announced. The conference’s head coaches choose the all-conference teams. The coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players. The league announced the All-BIG EAST First and Second Teams, Honorable Mention and the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team.
The BIG EAST Player of the Year will come from the All-BIG EAST First Team. The conference will announce Player of the Year, BIG EAST Coach of the Year, BIG EAST Rookie of the Year and the BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Wednesday, March 11. The announcement will be made on the first day of the BIG EAST Championship Presented by New York Life at Madison Square Garden at 4:30 p.m. ET. The other league individual awards will be announced Monday, March 9.
In addition to Hilliard, Henton and Dunn, Kellen Dunham of Butler, D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera of Georgetown, D’Angelo Harrison of St. John’s and Ryan Arcidiacono of Villanova were named to the first team.
Hilliard was the top scorer on Villanova, the BIG EAST’s top team. The senior guard averaged 14.2 points and helped Villanova put together its second straight conference regular-season crown with a 16-2 record. He was fifth in 3-pointers in the BIG EAST with 66 made. Hilliard was a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team selection. Arcidiacono was the Wildcats’ floor leader who often came up with the critical play. He averaged 10.7 points and 3.6 assists. The junior guard ranked third in the league in assist/turnover ratio at 2.4.
Henton and Dunn were a dynamic duo for Providence. Henton was the league’s top scorer with a 20.1 average and he was eighth in rebounding with a 6.3 mark. The senior forward was the scoring champion in league games with an identical 20.1 average. Dunn is the first player in BIG EAST history to lead the league in assists and steals in the same season in conference play. The junior averaged 7.7 assists and 2.8 steals. Dunn was an all-around contributor, averaging 17.0 points and 5.9 rebounds in BIG EAST play.
Dunham was the prime scoring threat behind Butler’s success. The junior averaged a team-leading 16.6 points which ranked fourth in the BIG EAST. He was third in the league from 3-point range, making 42.4 percent, and third in free throw shooting, hitting 86.5 percent. Dunham was a Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team pick.
Smith-Rivera was the leader behind Georgetown’s 20-9 record and 12-6 league mark. The junior was fifth in the BIG EAST in scoring with a 16.0 average. The Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year, Smith-Rivera was second in the league in free throw shooting at 86.6 percent.
Harrison, a Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team selection, was one of the top scorers in the conference, ranking second to Henton with a 17.8 scoring average. The senior finished his BIG EAST regular-season career with 1,178 career points, ninth place on the league’s all-time scoring list.
The All-BIG EAST Second Team has three seniors and two juniors. Sir’Dominic Pointer of St. John’s is one of the seniors. One of the BIG EAST’s top stat line stuffers, Pointer averaged 13.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.0 steals. Xavier’s Matt Stainbrook averaged 12.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and shot 61.7 percent from the field. Marquette’s Matt Carlino finished fourth in scoring with a 17.2 average in BIG EAST play and led the league in all games with 2.8 3-pointers made per game.
The juniors are Sterling Gibbs of Seton Hall and Roosevelt Jones of Butler. In BIG EAST play, Gibbs ranked second in the league in scoring with a 17.5 average. In all games, he was third at 16.7. Jones was an all-around contributor for Butler, averaging 12.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
The BIG EAST Rookie of the Year will come from the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team. For rookie honors, the coaches selected two players from Georgetown, two from Seton Hall and one from Marquette and Xavier.
The Georgetown players are forwards Isaac Copeland and L.J. Peak. Peak earned a starting role immediately for the Hoyas and averaged 8.2 points. Copeland enjoyed a strong second half to his season and finished the regular season averaging 6.7 points.
Seton Hall’s team had a strong freshmen influence led by Angel Delgado and Isaiah Whitehead. Delgado averaged 9.3 points and 9.9 rebounds in all games and was a unanimous pick to the All-Rookie Team. He was the BIG EAST rebounding champion with a 10.7 rebounding mark in league games. Delgado is only the second freshman in BIG EAST history to win the rebounding crown. Whitehead, the BIG EAST Preseason Rookie of the Year, missed several games because of a stress fracture in his foot but still averaged 12.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
Xavier’s Trevon Bluiett and Marquette’s Duane Wilson averaged 12.2 and 12.1 points, respectively. Bluiett’s scoring average led the team. A unanimous selection, he also averaged 4.5 rebounds. Wilson, who started 27 of 30 games, was second on the squad in scoring.
ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM^
Kellen Dunham, Butler, G, Jr., 6-6, 185, Pendleton, Ind.
D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Georgetown, G, Jr., 6-3, 214, Indianapolis, Ind.
*Kris Dunn, Providence, G, Jr., 6-3, 205, New London, Conn.
*LaDontae Henton, Providence, F, Sr., 6-6, 215, Lansing, Mich.
D’Angelo Harrison, St. John’s, G, Sr., 6-4, 202, Missouri City, Texas
Ryan Arcidiacono, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-3, 195, Langhorne, Pa.
*Darrun Hilliard, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-6, 215, Bethlehem, Pa.
ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
Roosevelt Jones, Butler, F, Jr., 6-4, 227, O’Fallon, Ill.
Matt Carlino, Marquette, G, Gr., 6-2, 175, Arcadia, Ariz.
Sterling Gibbs, Seton Hall, G, Jr., 6-2, 185, Scotch Plains, N.J.
Sir’Dominic Pointer, St. John’s, G/F, Sr., 6-6, 192, Detroit, Mich.
Matt Stainbrook, Xavier, C, Sr., 6-10, 270, Bay Village, Ohio
BIG EAST HONORABLE MENTION
Billy Garrett, Jr., DePaul, G, So., 6-6, 205, Chicago, Ill.
Daniel Ochefu, Villanova, F, Jr., 6-11, 245, Baltimore, Md.
JayVaughn Pinkston, Villanova, F, Sr., 6-7, 235, Brooklyn, N.Y.
BIG EAST ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Isaac Copeland, Georgetown, F, Fr., 6-9, 220, Raleigh, N.C.
L.J. Peak, Georgetown, F, Fr., 6-5, 215, Gaffney, S.C.
Duane Wilson, Marquette, G, Fr., 6-2, 185, Milwaukee, Wis.
*Angel Delgado, Seton Hall, F, Fr., 6-9, 230, Bajos De Haina, Dominican Republic
Isaiah Whitehead, Seton Hall, G, Fr., 6-4, 210, Brooklyn, N.Y.
*Trevon Bluiett, Xavier, F, Fr., 6-6, 215, Indianapolis, Ind.
Release: Big East
