Colorado University Athletics
McKinley Wright IV
Photo by: Joel Broida
Basketball Celebrates Season At Annual Awards Banquet
April 04, 2018 | Men's Basketball
McKinley Wright IV named Chauncey Billups Team MVP
BOULDER – The University of Colorado men's basketball team celebrated the 2017-18 season at its annual Awards Banquet Wednesday evening at the George Boedecker, Jr., Practice Gym at the Coors Events Center.
McKinley Wright IV received the Chauncey Billups Award as the team's Most Valuable Player. The Chauncey Billups MVP Award is one of five voted on by Colorado men's basketball student-athletes. Dallas Walton won the Most Improved Player Award, Tyler Bey the team's Best Defender, Josh Repine was voted Most Inspirational and George King and Evan Battey were co-winners of the inaugural Tebo Family P.A.S.S. Award.
In addition, two statistical champion awards were handed out. King won the Stephane Pelle Rebounding Award while Wright earned the Jay Humphries Assist Award.
Wright led Colorado by averaging 14.2 points, 5.5 assists and 1.0 steal per game while shooting 45 percent from the field and 77 percent from the foul line. The freshman point guard also paced the team in field goals made and attempted while ranking third in rebounding and fourth in blocked shots.
Wright was named to the Pac-12 Conference All-Freshman Team while earning honorable mention to both the overall All-Conference and All-Defensive teams. He topped all Pac-12 freshmen in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.9) and ranked third in scoring.
Wright won the Jay Humphries Award, named after the Buffaloes' all-time leader in assists (562 from 1980-84). His 175 assists are the most by a freshman in team history and ranks second overall on Colorado's single-season list.
Walton was honored for his continued growth and improvement. He took full advantage of his redshirt year in 2016-17, to get ready for his initial collegiate season. Walton began the season coming off the bench, but when senior Tory Miller-Stewart went down with a season-ending injury just six games in, the freshman forward was called on to step up. He responded by leading the team in blocked shots (34) while also averaging 5.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.
Repine was voted as the team's Most Inspirational Player to honor his overall work ethic and leadership. A four-year letterwinner, he was a vocal leader for the program. During the preseason, he coined the phrase "we can be elite in our effort and elite in our concentration" a mantra the Buffaloes carried throughout the year.
Bey took home the Best Defender Award after ranking second on the team in rebounding (5.1 rpg), blocked shots (22) and steals (20). Bey proved to be a versatile defender for the Buffaloes, tasked with guarding multiple positions on the floor, from 7-footers down low to quick athletic guards on the perimeter. During conference play, he ranked 13th in the Pac-12 in blocks (1.0 bpg) and 19th in rebounding (5.3 rpg).
The Tebo Family P.A.S.S. Award was given out for the first time and shared by King and Battey. The P.A.S.S. Award, named in honor of Stephen Tebo, a long-time supporter of the Colorado basketball program, was created to recognize the player, or players, that best exemplified the virtues of Perseverance, Attitude, Selflessness and Success.
King won the Stephane Pelle Rebounding Award, named after Colorado's all-time rebound leader (1,054 from 1999-2003), for the second-straight year. He led the Buffaloes and ranked fifth in the Pac-12 at 7.8 rebounds per game. King was especially effective on the defensive end; his 6.1 per game average was third best in the Pac-12.
King finished his career ranking 14th on Colorado's all-time list for rebounds with 681. His 251 in 2017-18, ranks 26th on CU's single-season list.
Head coach Tad Boyle took time to recognize Colorado's senior class of King, Repine, Miller-Stewart and Dominique Collier. The Buffaloes' four seniors have been part of a program that won 97 games over the last five seasons, advancing to two NCAA Tournaments during that span.
Colorado finished the 2017-18 season at 17-15 overall, tying for eighth place in the Pac-12 at 8-10.
McKinley Wright IV received the Chauncey Billups Award as the team's Most Valuable Player. The Chauncey Billups MVP Award is one of five voted on by Colorado men's basketball student-athletes. Dallas Walton won the Most Improved Player Award, Tyler Bey the team's Best Defender, Josh Repine was voted Most Inspirational and George King and Evan Battey were co-winners of the inaugural Tebo Family P.A.S.S. Award.
In addition, two statistical champion awards were handed out. King won the Stephane Pelle Rebounding Award while Wright earned the Jay Humphries Assist Award.
Wright led Colorado by averaging 14.2 points, 5.5 assists and 1.0 steal per game while shooting 45 percent from the field and 77 percent from the foul line. The freshman point guard also paced the team in field goals made and attempted while ranking third in rebounding and fourth in blocked shots.
Wright was named to the Pac-12 Conference All-Freshman Team while earning honorable mention to both the overall All-Conference and All-Defensive teams. He topped all Pac-12 freshmen in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.9) and ranked third in scoring.
Wright won the Jay Humphries Award, named after the Buffaloes' all-time leader in assists (562 from 1980-84). His 175 assists are the most by a freshman in team history and ranks second overall on Colorado's single-season list.
Walton was honored for his continued growth and improvement. He took full advantage of his redshirt year in 2016-17, to get ready for his initial collegiate season. Walton began the season coming off the bench, but when senior Tory Miller-Stewart went down with a season-ending injury just six games in, the freshman forward was called on to step up. He responded by leading the team in blocked shots (34) while also averaging 5.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.
Repine was voted as the team's Most Inspirational Player to honor his overall work ethic and leadership. A four-year letterwinner, he was a vocal leader for the program. During the preseason, he coined the phrase "we can be elite in our effort and elite in our concentration" a mantra the Buffaloes carried throughout the year.
Bey took home the Best Defender Award after ranking second on the team in rebounding (5.1 rpg), blocked shots (22) and steals (20). Bey proved to be a versatile defender for the Buffaloes, tasked with guarding multiple positions on the floor, from 7-footers down low to quick athletic guards on the perimeter. During conference play, he ranked 13th in the Pac-12 in blocks (1.0 bpg) and 19th in rebounding (5.3 rpg).
The Tebo Family P.A.S.S. Award was given out for the first time and shared by King and Battey. The P.A.S.S. Award, named in honor of Stephen Tebo, a long-time supporter of the Colorado basketball program, was created to recognize the player, or players, that best exemplified the virtues of Perseverance, Attitude, Selflessness and Success.
King won the Stephane Pelle Rebounding Award, named after Colorado's all-time rebound leader (1,054 from 1999-2003), for the second-straight year. He led the Buffaloes and ranked fifth in the Pac-12 at 7.8 rebounds per game. King was especially effective on the defensive end; his 6.1 per game average was third best in the Pac-12.
King finished his career ranking 14th on Colorado's all-time list for rebounds with 681. His 251 in 2017-18, ranks 26th on CU's single-season list.
Head coach Tad Boyle took time to recognize Colorado's senior class of King, Repine, Miller-Stewart and Dominique Collier. The Buffaloes' four seniors have been part of a program that won 97 games over the last five seasons, advancing to two NCAA Tournaments during that span.
Colorado finished the 2017-18 season at 17-15 overall, tying for eighth place in the Pac-12 at 8-10.
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/ Men's BasketballTuesday, June 23
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Thursday, May 21
Monday, April 27