Massey collects Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors
Mar 10, 2004 | Men's Basketball
MANHATTAN, Kan. Kansas State junior forward Jeremiah Massey was selected the Associated Press’ Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Year on Wednesday in an announcement by the organization.
Massey, a member of the Coaches’ All-Big 12 third team, also received league Newcomer of the Year honors from the Dallas Morning News. He was named to the AP honorable mention all-conference team.
Massey becomes the 11th Wildcat to win conference Newcomer of the Year honors, but the first since joining the Big 12 Conference. Guard Anthony Beane was the last player to collect the honor when he was named the Big Eight Newcomer of the Year in 1993. The list of other Wildcat to earn the honor include Bob Zender (1970), Steve Mitchell (1971), Lon Kruger (1972), Mike Evans (1975), Curtis Redding (1977), Ed Nealy (1979), Randy Reed (1981), Norris Coleman (1986) and Jean Derouillere (1990).
A native of Detroit, Mich., Massey leads the team in nine categories for the Wildcats, including scoring (15.1 ppg.), rebounding (8.0 rpg.), 20-point scoring games (10), double-doubles (eight), steals (1.0 spg.) and blocks (0.6 bpg.). He is one of just six players in the Big 12 to rank among the top 11 in the league in both scoring and rebounding, but the only first-year player to place among this elite group. In fact, he leads all first-year players in rebounding and double-doubles, while he is second in scoring to Iowa State’s Curtis Stinson.
Massey ranks among the Big 12 leaders in several categories, including second in double-doubles (eight), third in 20-point games, sixth in rebounding, 11th in scoring, 13th in field goal percentage (49.5) and 15th in free throw percentage (74.4). He has now scored in double figures in 18 games with 20 or more points in seven of the last 12 contests.
Massey joined the Wildcats this season from Oxnard Community College in Oxnard, Calif., where he was named an All-American and one of three California Community College Players of the Year in 2003. He led the California Community College ranks in both scoring (23.8 ppg.) and rebounding (12.5 rpg.).
