Zip's standout senior center Zeke Marshall led four University of Akron players making the Mid-American Conference all-conference teams announced today.
Marshall, leading the league in blocked shots and with a 13 points-per-game scoring averge, made the First Team. Junior forward Demetrius "Tree" Treadwell is on the second team while Alex Abreu and Jake Kretzer were honorable mention and all-freshman respectively.
Abreu continues to serve out a suspension pending his case on drug trafficking charges filed last week. The Zips are the top seed in the MAC Tournament opening this week at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland; they play Friday night.
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(University of Akron athletics) Senior center Zeke Marshall and junior forward Demetrius "Tree" Treadwell headlined four Akron Zips on this year's Mid-American Conference all-conference teams, the league office announced on Monday.
Marshall earned First-Team All-MAC honors while Treadwell was named Second-Team All-MAC. Joining Marshall and Treadwell were Alex Abreu (Honorable Mention All-MAC) and Jake Kretzer (All-Freshman). The four selectees join the 2009 and 2010 seasons as the most players named All-MAC in program history.
"Each of these players had great years and helped this team win a lot of games," ninth-year head coach Keith Dambrot said. "Having four players earn All-MAC honors is a tribute to the balance of this team and I am glad they were recognized for their hard work and sacrifices for that balance."
Marshall led the league in blocked shots (3.6 bpg) and finished in the top-15 in field goal percentage (1st, .659), rebounds (7th, 6.9 rpg), offensive rebounding (7th, 2.5 rpg), defensive rebounding (8th, 4.4 rpg) and scoring (11th, 13.0 ppg). Marshall was a second-team All-MAC selection in 2012.
Treadwell earned his first All-MAC selection after averaging 11.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. The junior from Euclid, Ohio, is shooting .506 from the field and is tied for fourth in the MAC with seven double-doubles this season.
Abreu, a Second-Team All-MAC selection last season, averaged 10.3 points and 6.0 assists in the regular season while finishing top-five in the league in assists (3rd, 6.0 apg), assist-to-turnover ratio (3rd, 2.0) and free throw shooting percentage (5th, .810).
Kretzer is the eighth Zip to earn a spot on the MAC All-Freshman team and the first since Marshall made it in 2010. He finished in the top-10 among MAC freshmen in 3-pointer percentage (4th, .346), rebounding (9th, 3.2 rpg) and points (10th, 6.0 ppg). He made four starts and appeared in all 30 games.
The league will announce the Freshman and Defensive Players of the Year, as well as the Sixth Man Award, on Tuesday. Coach and Player of the Year will be announced on Wednesday.
The Zips will open the MAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed and will play in the semifinals on Friday, March 15, at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. ET and the contest will air live on SportsTime Ohio.
All-MAC First Team
Zeke Marshall, C, Akron
Javon McCrea, F, Buffalo
Chris Evans, W/F, Kent State
Rian Pearson, G, Toledo
D.J. Cooper, G, Ohio
All-MAC Second Team
Demetrius "Tree" Treadwell, F, Akron
Jauwan Scaife, G, Ball State
A'uston Calhoun, F, Bowling Green
Kyle Randall, G, Central Michigan
Shayne Whittington, F/C, Western Michigan
All-MAC Third Team
Majok Majok, F, Ball State
Randal Holt, G, Kent State
Walter Offutt, G, Ohio
Reggie Keely, F, Ohio
Julius "Juice" Brown, G, Toledo
Honorable Mention
Alex Abreu, G, Akron
Jordon Crawford, G, Bowling Green
Glenn Bryant, F, Eastern Michigan
Will Felder, F, Miami
Nate Hutcheson, F, Western Michigan
MAC All-Freshman Team
Jake Kretzer, G/F, Akron
Jarryn Skeete, G, Buffalo
Chris Fowler, G, Central Michigan
Nathan Boothe, C, Toledo
Darius Paul, F, Western Michigan
