Pearson
The members of the squad, which were voted on by NABC coaches, are eligible for the NABC Coaches’ Division I All-America teams to be announced Tuesday, March 20.
Pearson, who finished third in Mid-American Conference Player of the Year voting and was a second-team All-MAC honoree, is tied for second in the league in scoring (16.4 points per game), third in rebounding (8.5 rebounds per game) and eighth in steals (1.6 steals per game). He is the only player in the conference to rank in the league’s Top 10 in points, rebounds and steals, and is second in the conference with 10 double-doubles.
In his first season in a Rocket uniform, Pearson has led UT in scoring on a team-high 15 occasions and in rebounding 28 times (including 17 of the last 18 contests).
A native of Raytown, Mo., Pearson has scored 20 or more points on 12 occasions, including a career-high 29-point, 12-rebound, four-steal performance at MAC regular-season champion Akron Feb. 1. He also is tied for third nationally in rebounding among guards.
Joining Pearson as first-team members of the all-district squad are Miami senior forward Julian Mavunga, Kent State senior forward Justin Greene, Buffalo sophomore forward Javon McCrea and Ball State senior forward Jarrod Jones.
Comprising the second team are Ohio junior guard D.J. Cooper, Buffalo senior forward Mitchell Watt, Akron junior center Zeke Marshall, Bowling Green junior forward A’uston Calhoun and Central Michigan sophomore guard Trey Zeigler.
Pearson and the Rockets posted a 76-63 victory over McNeese State last night in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament and will face an opponent to be determined in the second round this weekend.
