IRVING, Texas – All-Conference USA first-team selection JaCorey Williams of Middle Tennessee, along with representatives from Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion and UAB received the 2016-17 Conference USA men’s basketball specialty awards. Williams was named the C-USA Newcomer of the Year, while Louisiana Tech guard DaQuan Bracey earned Freshman of the Year honors. UAB junior William Lee claimed C-USA Defensive Player of the Year laurels for the second year in a row and Old Dominion sophomore Zoran Talley was tabbed the Sixth Player of the Year. All awards were voted on by the conference’s head coaches and select media.

Complete Release [PDF]
 
Williams adds C-USA Newcomer of the Year to his awards as he has already been named to the All-Conference USA first team. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, he made an immediate impact in his first season on the floor for the regular-season champion Blue Raiders after transferring from Arkansas. Williams is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 17.2 points per game, and rebounder (7.6 per game). He scored a career-high 31 points against Toledo and has recorded 11 double-doubles on the season to date.
 
Bracey was named the C-USA Freshman of the Year after winning three weekly honors this season. He ranks sixth nationally with a 3.56 assist-to-turnover ratio and is the second-best freshman performer in that category over the past 10 years (only Iowa State’s Monte Morris was better). With 185 assists, Bracey shattered the school’s single-season freshman record previously held by former C-USA Player of the Year Kenneth “Speedy” Smith. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Bracey’s 109 helpers against C-USA foes also set the league’s freshman record, and he is four assists away from breaking Derrick Rose’s rookie conference mark. He is joined on the All-Freshman squad by teammate Jalen Harris, Middle Tennessee point guard Tyrik Dixon, and a pair of other three-time C-USA Freshman of the Week selections in A.J. Lawson of North Texas and UTSA guard Byron Frohnen.
 
Lee was named the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year for the second year in a row as he enters the conference tournament with 75 blocks and leads the league and ranks 20th in the NCAA with 2.4 per game. Lee also leads UAB in scoring (13.0 ppg) and rebounding (6.6 rpg). He tallied five games of at least 10 boards, including a career-high 17 in a Blazer victory over Marshall.  A 2017 All-Conference USA second-team selection, Lee is currently second all-time at UAB with 219 career blocks and is on track to become the school’s all-time leader. In addition, Lee is just five blocks shy of moving into 10th place all-time in Conference USA history.
 
Lee was the only repeat selection on the All-Defensive Team. This year’s squad features seniors Ryan Taylor of Marshall, Reggie Upshaw Jr. of Middle Tennessee and Denzell Taylor of Old Dominion. Louisiana Tech junior Jacobi Boykins, an all-conference third team selection who led the team in steals, rounds out the squad.
 
Talley came off the bench for Old Dominion in 19 of 25 contests played this season, ranking second on the team in scoring with 11.5 points per game. The sophomore forward from Merrillville, Indiana, is shooting for 44.9 percent (123-274) on the season and has also added 84 rebounds, 45 assists, 10 steals and four blocks.
 
The 2017 Conference USA Men’s Basketball Championship presented by MetroPCS tips off Wednesday, March 8, at the Legacy Arena at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham, Alabama. Saturday’s title game begins at 8:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. CST and will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network. Tickets are available through TicketMaster or by visiting the Legacy Arena box office.
 
2016-17 CONFERENCE USA ALL-FRESHMAN Team
DaQuan Bracey, Louisiana Tech, G, 5-10, 170, Baltimore, Maryland
Jalen Harris, Louisiana Tech, G, 6-4, 190, Duncanville, Texas
Tyrik Dixon, Middle Tennessee, G, 6-1, 183, Bentonville, Arkansas
A.J. Lawson, North Texas, G, 6-5, 190, Bryan, Texas
Byron Frohnen, UTSA, G, 6-5, 205, Las Vegas, Nevada
 
2016-17 CONFERENCE USA FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
DaQuan Bracey, Louisiana Tech, G, 5-10, 170, Baltimore, Maryland
 
2016-17 CONFERENCE USA ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM (*repeat selection)
Jacobi Boykins, Louisiana Tech, Jr., G, 6-6, 175, St. Petersburg, Florida
Ryan Taylor, Marshall, Sr., F, 6-5, 249, Indianapolis, Indiana
Reggie Upshaw Jr., Middle Tennessee, Sr., F, 6-8, 228, Chattanooga, Tennessee
Denzell Taylor, Old Dominion, F, 6-7, 220, Brampton, Ontario
*William Lee, UAB, Jr., F, 6-9, 210, Plantersville, Alabama
 
2016-17 CONFERENCE USA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
William Lee, UAB, Jr., F, 6-9, 210, Plantersville, Alabama
 
2016-17 CONFERENCE USA NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
JaCorey Williams, Middle Tennessee, Sr., F, 6-8, 220, Birmingham, Alabama
 
2015-16 CONFERENCE USA SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
Zoran Talley, Old Dominion, So., F, 6-7, 200, Merrillville, Indiana


FOLLOW US, LIKE US
Fans can follow C-USA online on Twitter @Conference_USA or @CUSAMBK, with the hashtag #CUSAMBK or #AllDayCUSA, on Facebook and Instagram.


More information on your favorite team can also be found on the school web sites: