March 1, 2010
SAN BRUNO, Calif. - For just the 10th time since LMU joined the West Coast Conference in 1955-56, the Lions have earned at least three postseason honors as voted on by the conference coaches, as the WCC announced today, Monday, March 1, that Drew Viney and Vernon Teel have earned first-team All-WCC honors while Ashley Hamilton has earned WCC All-Freshman honors.
Viney and Teel become just the 11th LMU duo to take home first-team All-WCC honors, while Hamilton is the fourth Lion to earn freshman honors. Jarred DuBois was an WCC All-Freshman selection a year ago, while the Lions had a trio of players earn All-WCC first-team honors in 2005-06.
It was a record setting season for both Viney and Teel, who enter the WCC tournament ranked fourth and seventh in scoring, respectively. Both had five double-doubles on the season and combined to lead the Lions in scoring in 19 of LMU's 30 games.
In his first season with the Lions, Viney became an instant deep threat. Viney has 57 three-pointers on the season, ranking 15th all-time at LMU. In addition, his 42.2 shooting percentage from three this season is ranked eighth and his 33 blocks is ranked 10th.
He has a pair of 30-point games this season, going for a career-best 35 last Thursday in the win over San Diego. He ranks fifth in the WCC in rebounds (7.4 rpg), 15th in field goal percentage (44.7%), 14th in assists (2.0 apg), fourth in free throw percentage (83.9%), eighth in three-point percentage (42.2%), tied for fourth in three-pointers made (2.0 pg), fourth in blocked shots (1.2 bpg), tied for third in defensive rebounds (5.6 drpg) and fifth in minutes played (34.1 mpg).
Teel had a breakout season in his second year with the Lions, earning WCC Player of the Week three times (Feb. 22, Dec. 21, Dec. 14), WCC Player of the Month (December), and 2009 Grizzly Classic All-Tournament team honors.
For most of the season he has been in the top-10 nationally and tops in the WCC in assists, and his 175 on the year are the most by a Lion since Tony Walker had 218 in 1991-92. Overall, it ranks ninth, passing Enoch Simmons (1988-89) who had 169. In addition, his 56 steals also rank him tied for 13th with Terrell Lowery (1991-92), while his 135 free throws made and 203 attempted are ranked tied for 13th and tied for 11th, respectively, all-time at LMU in a single season.
Teel has been a stat-stuffer all season. In addition to his scoring and assists, he is 13th in rebounds (5.3 rpg), 10th in field goal percentage (48.5%), second in steals (1.87 spg), sixth in assist/turnover margin (1.6), 10th in blocked shots (0.7 bpg), 13th in offensive rebounds (1.8 orpg), and 4th in minutes played (34.7 mpg).
As for Hamilton, he shook off early injuries and came up big for the Lions in WCC play. On the season, he is averaging 7.6 points, 0.9 blocks, and 4.6 rebounds. In WCC play he is averaging 8.2 points and 5.2 rebounds, including a double-double against Santa Clara, 17 points, six rebounds in the win over Gonzaga and 12 points, five rebounds in the win over Portland.
The Lions will open the Zappos.com WCC Championships on Friday, March 5 when they take on rival Pepperdine at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., at 6 p.m.
- GO LIONS -
