Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Three Raiders tabbed All-Conference USA
3/6/2017 11:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Williams, Upshaw and Potts all recognized by C-USA
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Conference USA's regular season champion Blue Raiders have three players represented on the 2017 All-Conference teams, which were announced Monday by the league office.
Senior JaCorey Williams, Middle Tennessee's leading scorer (17.6) and rebounder (7.4), made the cut for the first team while fellow senior Reggie Upshaw was selected to the second team and junior Giddy Potts made the third team.
"Congratulations to all three of our players – Jacorey, Reggie and Giddy," Head Coach Kermit Davis said. "They have impacted winning at a real high level and are unbelievable teammates. They are very deserving of their all-conference honors."
Williams had a huge impact in his lone season wearing the Blue and White of Middle Tennessee, posting 28 double digit scoring games while logging 20 or more points 11 times. The Birmingham native also had 11 double-doubles in 2016-17 and is the first Blue Raider in 20 seasons to log three consecutive double-doubles, doing so twice on the year.
The athletic lefty won two Conference USA Player of the Week awards and was named the Challenge in Music City MVP in November, averaging 24 points and 7.3 rebounds per game during the three-day tournament.
"JaCorey has led us in rebounding and scoring all year and really impacted our team at a high level," Davis said. "He's a very good competitor and is absolutely deserving of being on the first team."
Upshaw is closing out perhaps one of the best careers in Blue Raider history, averaging 14.1 points and 6.8 boards on the year with five double-doubles. The Chattanooga native logged a career-high 34 points against UAB on New Year's Day and collected 26 of his 81 career double-digit scoring games this season.
The four-year veteran leads Middle Tennessee in career games played (135) and started (110) and ranks in the Top 10 all-time in points (1,486), field goals made (566), rebounds (875), steals (147), blocks (106), double-doubles (19) and minutes played (3,769). Upshaw is one of just three players in the nation with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists, 100 steals and 100 blocks in their career.
"Reggie Upshaw has had one of the best careers in Middle Tennessee history," Davis stated. "A lot of us think that Reggie could have been a first team All-Conference player.
"He's had another really great year and is just an extremely versatile player in all different statistical categories."
Potts averaged 15.5 points and 5.5 rebounds on the year, ranking as one of the top rebounding guards in Conference USA. The Athens, Ala., native leads Middle Tennessee with 39 steals and logged 60 assists and eight blocks on the year.
The junior sharpshooter has cemented himself as one of the top 3-point shooters in Blue Raider history, converting 42.5 percent of his career attempts and ranking third in school history with 194 3-pointers made in just three seasons.
"I think Giddy has really improved his game all around," Davis said. "Maybe he hasn't been the prolific 3-point shooter that he was last year, but he's really improved his game defensively, rebounding and driving the ball. He's another guy that is very deserving of all-conference recognition."
Upshaw and Potts are making their second appearance as all-conference selections as both were on the third team a year ago. Davis has now coached 23 players to all-conference recognition in his time at Middle Tennessee, including six since joining Conference USA and five in the last two seasons.
The C-USA office will announce the All-Defensive and All-Freshman teams along with Defensive Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Sixth Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year on Tuesday. Player of the Year and Coach of the Year will be announced on Wednesday in a press conference at Legacy Arena in Birmingham.
2016-17 ALL-CONFERENCE USA FIRST TEAM
Erik McCree, Louisiana Tech, Sr., F, 6-8. 225, Orlando, Florida
Jon Elmore, Marshall, Jr., G, 6-3, 189, Charleston, West Virginia
JaCorey Williams, Middle Tennessee, Sr., F, 6-8, 220, Birmingham, Alabama
Marcus Evans, Rice, So., G, 6-2, 195, Chesapeake, Virginia
Egor Koulechov, Rice, R-Jr., G/F, 6-5, 210, Volgograd, Russia
2016-17 ALL-CONFERENCE USA SECOND TEAM
Jon Davis, Charlotte, So., G, 6-3, 195, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Reggie Upshaw Jr., Middle Tennessee, Sr., F, 6-8, 228, Chattanooga, Tennessee
William Lee, UAB, Jr., F, 6-9, 210, Plantersville, Alabama
Dominic Artis, UTEP, Sr., G, 6-3, 190, San Francisco, California
Justin Johnson, WKU, Jr., F, 6-6, 240, Hazard, Kentucky
2016-17 ALL-CONFERENCE USA THIRD TEAM
Jacobi Boykins, Louisiana Tech, Jr., G, 6-6, 175, St. Petersburg, Florida
Ryan Taylor, Marshall, Sr., F, 6-5, 249, Indianapolis, Indiana
Giddy Potts, Middle Tennessee, Jr., G, 6-2, 217, Athens, Alabama
Ahmad Caver, Old Dominion, So., G, 6-2, 170, Atlanta, Georgia
Omega Harris, UTEP, Jr., G, 6-3, 165, Bethany, Oklahoma
Senior JaCorey Williams, Middle Tennessee's leading scorer (17.6) and rebounder (7.4), made the cut for the first team while fellow senior Reggie Upshaw was selected to the second team and junior Giddy Potts made the third team.
"Congratulations to all three of our players – Jacorey, Reggie and Giddy," Head Coach Kermit Davis said. "They have impacted winning at a real high level and are unbelievable teammates. They are very deserving of their all-conference honors."
Williams had a huge impact in his lone season wearing the Blue and White of Middle Tennessee, posting 28 double digit scoring games while logging 20 or more points 11 times. The Birmingham native also had 11 double-doubles in 2016-17 and is the first Blue Raider in 20 seasons to log three consecutive double-doubles, doing so twice on the year.
The athletic lefty won two Conference USA Player of the Week awards and was named the Challenge in Music City MVP in November, averaging 24 points and 7.3 rebounds per game during the three-day tournament.
"JaCorey has led us in rebounding and scoring all year and really impacted our team at a high level," Davis said. "He's a very good competitor and is absolutely deserving of being on the first team."
Upshaw is closing out perhaps one of the best careers in Blue Raider history, averaging 14.1 points and 6.8 boards on the year with five double-doubles. The Chattanooga native logged a career-high 34 points against UAB on New Year's Day and collected 26 of his 81 career double-digit scoring games this season.
The four-year veteran leads Middle Tennessee in career games played (135) and started (110) and ranks in the Top 10 all-time in points (1,486), field goals made (566), rebounds (875), steals (147), blocks (106), double-doubles (19) and minutes played (3,769). Upshaw is one of just three players in the nation with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists, 100 steals and 100 blocks in their career.
"Reggie Upshaw has had one of the best careers in Middle Tennessee history," Davis stated. "A lot of us think that Reggie could have been a first team All-Conference player.
"He's had another really great year and is just an extremely versatile player in all different statistical categories."
Potts averaged 15.5 points and 5.5 rebounds on the year, ranking as one of the top rebounding guards in Conference USA. The Athens, Ala., native leads Middle Tennessee with 39 steals and logged 60 assists and eight blocks on the year.
The junior sharpshooter has cemented himself as one of the top 3-point shooters in Blue Raider history, converting 42.5 percent of his career attempts and ranking third in school history with 194 3-pointers made in just three seasons.
"I think Giddy has really improved his game all around," Davis said. "Maybe he hasn't been the prolific 3-point shooter that he was last year, but he's really improved his game defensively, rebounding and driving the ball. He's another guy that is very deserving of all-conference recognition."
Upshaw and Potts are making their second appearance as all-conference selections as both were on the third team a year ago. Davis has now coached 23 players to all-conference recognition in his time at Middle Tennessee, including six since joining Conference USA and five in the last two seasons.
The C-USA office will announce the All-Defensive and All-Freshman teams along with Defensive Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Sixth Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year on Tuesday. Player of the Year and Coach of the Year will be announced on Wednesday in a press conference at Legacy Arena in Birmingham.
2016-17 ALL-CONFERENCE USA FIRST TEAM
Erik McCree, Louisiana Tech, Sr., F, 6-8. 225, Orlando, Florida
Jon Elmore, Marshall, Jr., G, 6-3, 189, Charleston, West Virginia
JaCorey Williams, Middle Tennessee, Sr., F, 6-8, 220, Birmingham, Alabama
Marcus Evans, Rice, So., G, 6-2, 195, Chesapeake, Virginia
Egor Koulechov, Rice, R-Jr., G/F, 6-5, 210, Volgograd, Russia
2016-17 ALL-CONFERENCE USA SECOND TEAM
Jon Davis, Charlotte, So., G, 6-3, 195, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Reggie Upshaw Jr., Middle Tennessee, Sr., F, 6-8, 228, Chattanooga, Tennessee
William Lee, UAB, Jr., F, 6-9, 210, Plantersville, Alabama
Dominic Artis, UTEP, Sr., G, 6-3, 190, San Francisco, California
Justin Johnson, WKU, Jr., F, 6-6, 240, Hazard, Kentucky
2016-17 ALL-CONFERENCE USA THIRD TEAM
Jacobi Boykins, Louisiana Tech, Jr., G, 6-6, 175, St. Petersburg, Florida
Ryan Taylor, Marshall, Sr., F, 6-5, 249, Indianapolis, Indiana
Giddy Potts, Middle Tennessee, Jr., G, 6-2, 217, Athens, Alabama
Ahmad Caver, Old Dominion, So., G, 6-2, 170, Atlanta, Georgia
Omega Harris, UTEP, Jr., G, 6-3, 165, Bethany, Oklahoma
Players Mentioned
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