Lancers Grab Top Honors on All-WAC Team
3/10/2020 10:02:00 AM | Men's Basketball
RIVERSIDE --- The Western Athletic Conference announced its league honors following a vote of the WAC's nine head coaches on Tuesday. California Baptist University grabbed the top honors, as Milan Acquaah was named the WAC Player of the Year, Brandon Boyd was named as the WAC Newcomer of the Year, and De'jon Davis earned a spot on the All-Defensive Team.
Acquaah was also named First Team All-WAC for the second straight season, while Davis was named Second Team All-WAC to go along with the All-Defensive Team nod. Boyd joins Acquaah on the list of Lancers to earn the WAC Newcomer of the Year, as CBU has won the award for the second-straight season.
It was a sensational season for head coach Rick Croy, as the Lancers shattered the NCAA record for most wins in the first two seasons of the transition period into NCAA Division I men's basketball. The Lancers finished the regular season with a program-best 21-10 overall record and have combined to win 37 games in their first two years. The next closest program on that list is Grand Canyon, with 32.
Acquaah continues to add to his trophy case, as the junior guard from Bakersfield, Calif., becomes the first Lancer to earn the WAC Player of the Year award. Last season, he made his presence known after being recognized as the WAC Newcomer of the Year.
He finished the regular season averaging 18.1 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game. With those averages, he ranked second in points, second in assists, and 16th in rebounds among WAC players. Acquaah has scored 20 or more points in 12 games this season, including a 27-point performance in overtime against Seattle U on Feb. 29.
MILAN ACQUAAH CALLED GAME!#LanceUp⚔ | #WAChoops pic.twitter.com/lqdzecej6W
— CBU Men's Basketball (@CBUmbb) March 1, 2020
Acquaah garnered national attention all season long after being named on the Lou Henson preseason watch list and mid-season watch list. On Dec. 9, Acquaah was named the Lou Henson Award National Player of the Week, averaging 25 points and 7.0 rebounds per game during the Lancers' two wins over UC Riverside and UC Irvine.
The Lou Henson Award National Player of the Week. https://t.co/bVPBCeGDCc pic.twitter.com/rC7yorEye8
— Angela Lento (@collegeinsider) December 9, 2019
The Lou Henson Award is presented annually to the nation's top Division I mid-major player.
FILM STUDY
— Angela Lento (@collegeinsider) January 21, 2020
So what do you do to follow up a season to remember? Milan Acquaah and the Lancers are in the midst of another special season. #HeCanPlay @WACsports @CBUmbb pic.twitter.com/lt1ZPCis2m
He inked his name into the CBU record books on Feb. 8, when his 30-point performance against Grand Canyon secured his 1,000th point in his two-year career as a Lancer.
1⃣,0⃣0⃣0⃣ POINTS!
— CBU Men's Basketball (@CBUmbb) February 9, 2020
Congrats to Milan Acquaah on hitting the 1,000-point mark at CBU!#LanceUp | #WAChoops | #BeatGCU pic.twitter.com/dpfZMbrqHg
Davis, a forward from Oakland, Calif., finished the regular season accomplishing something only a handful of WAC players have done throughout the conference's history. Davis led the WAC in rebounding in back-to-back seasons in both overall statistics and conference statistics.
This season, he averaged a WAC-best 9.9 rebounds in conference games and 9.7 rebounds on the season. Last season, he held an average of 9.3 rebounds in conference play, and 9.2 rebounds on the season. NBA Champion and former NM State Aggie, Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors, was the last WAC player to accomplish that feat (2014-16).
Davis was a monster on the glass all season for the Lancers, recording 14 double-digit games in rebounds. He also recorded five games with 15 or more rebounds with a career-high 19 rebounds twice. He also was named as the TicketSmarter WAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week.
🏀🏀🏀@CBUmbb's De'jon Davis was named this week's TicketSmarter @WACsports Men's Basketball Player of the Week!
— CBU Lancers (@CBULancers) February 3, 2020
👉 https://t.co/WA1Q89aPAx#LanceUp⚔️ | #WAChoops
His 214 defensive rebounds were 68 more than the next closest conference player, and his 14 blocks on the season ranked 16th in the WAC. His biggest block of the season came against CSU Bakersfield on Feb. 6 during a 74-69 Lancer win.
FINAL | @CBUmbb 74 CSU Bakersfield 69
— The Western Athletic Conference (@WACsports) February 7, 2020
WAC Player Of The Week, De'jon Davis, showing why he deserves the honor with this huge BLOCK! pic.twitter.com/tmXcAsd7SO
On Feb. 26, Davis scored his 1,000th point in his four-year career as a Lancer against Utah Valley. He finished the game with 21 points and 16 rebounds.
Here's the moment De'jon Davis scored his 1,000th career point at CBU!#LanceUp⚔ | #WAChoops pic.twitter.com/PBhj6eJrmd
— CBU Men's Basketball (@CBUmbb) February 27, 2020
Boyd, a redshirt senior transfer from Idaho State, made an immediate impact for the Lancers on the floor all season. He averaged 11.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. This marks the second straight season the Lancers have produced the WAC Newcomer of the Year.
One of Boyd's biggest moments came on the road against Grand Canyon on Jan. 11. With less than 30 seconds left in regulation, Boyd drove down the right side and made the layup to give the Lancers a 61-57 road win over the Lopes.
BIG BUCKET BOYD!!!!#LanceUp⚔ | #WAChoops pic.twitter.com/I1IZsg8ql5
— CBU Men's Basketball (@CBUmbb) January 12, 2020
In a home game against Grand Canyon on Feb. 8, Boyd hit a corner three to eclipse the 1,500 point mark in his collegiate career.
With this three, Brandon Boyd has now scored more than 1,500 points in his collegiate career! #LanceUp⚔ | #WAChoops | #BeatGCU pic.twitter.com/VTYeMDPU3y
— CBU Men's Basketball (@CBUmbb) February 9, 2020
