Hail WV
Fansided

WVU Basketball: Three Mountaineers Land Big 12 Honors

By Phil Poling

Feb 18, 2017; Morgantown, WV, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers forward Nathan Adrian (11) and West Virginia Mountaineers guard Jevon Carter (2) celebrate late in the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 18, 2017; Morgantown, WV, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers forward Nathan Adrian (11) and West Virginia Mountaineers guard Jevon Carter (2) celebrate late in the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The WVU basketball team finished the regular season 24-7, good enough for 3rd in the Big 12. With awards season here, Nathan Adrian, Jevon Carter and Tarik Phillip were recognized on Sunday for their stellar contributions.

Senior Nathan Adrian started in every game for the Mountaineers and was selected to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team. He was third on the Mountaineers in steals with 42 and blocked 10 shots. He scored 10.3 points per game and pulled down 6.1 rebounds per game (84 offensive). Not everything Adrian brings to the table is visible in the box score, though.

He heads Bob Huggins’ press and can match-up with almost every position on the court, deflecting passes off switches and frustrating opponents. The Morgantown-native also made the All-Big 12 Third Team.

Junior Jevon Carter joins Adrian on the All-Defensive Team, but also grabbed the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award; he led the Big 12 with 85 steals.

Carter’s been a staple for Huggins’ press the past three seasons. He’s led the Mountaineers in steals twice, this season and his freshman year. For a smaller guard (only 6’2″), Carter grabs more than his share of rebounds as well. He totaled 154 rebounds, or five a game. To add to his accolades, Carter made the All-Big 12 Second Team.

Feb 25, 2017; Fort Worth, TX, USA; TCU Horned Frogs guard Alex Robinson (25) is defended by West Virginia Mountaineers guard Tarik Phillip (12) and guard Jevon Carter (2) during the second half at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2017; Fort Worth, TX, USA; TCU Horned Frogs guard Alex Robinson (25) is defended by West Virginia Mountaineers guard Tarik Phillip (12) and guard Jevon Carter (2) during the second half at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

Tarik Phillip is the second-consecutive Mountaineer to win the Big 12’s Sixth Man of the Year award; Jaysean Paige won last season. Phillip was a key contributor off the bench, but also started 14 of his 31 appearances. He played the third most minutes behind Carter and Adrian, and was fourth on the team in points, averaging 9.3 per game.

Having earned the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 tournament, the ‘Eers won;t play until Thursday. They’ll find out their opponent Wednesday night when Texas Tech and Texas square off. The Mountaineer game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. tip-off, broadcasting on ESPNU.

Home/WVU Basketball