Memphis star Kendric Davis named third-team All-american by TSN
Memphis basketball star Kendric Davis was named a third-team All-american by The Sporting News on Tuesday.
Davis, in his first season as Memphis' point guard after three standout years at SMU, is the first Tiger since Will Barton to earn All-america honors. Barton was a third-team selection by Cbssports.com in 2012. It is the first All-american nod of Davis' career.
The American Athletic Conference's all-time leading scorer and assist man is tops in the league this season with 21.5 points (11th in the country) and 5.6 assists per game (tied for 17th in the nation). He is also tied for second in the AAC with 2.1 steals per game. Davis has led Memphis to a 23-8 overall record this season and a second-place finish in the conference standings − its best finish since joining the AAC in 2013.
The Sporting News named former Tiger standout Tyreke Evans a freshman Allamerican
in 2009. Chris Douglas-roberts (in 2008) was the last Memphis upper classman honored by The Sporting News.
Davis has made his only season in a Memphis uniform special. He is on pace to become just the second Tiger in history to total 700 points, 185 points and 70 steals or more in a single season. Memphis coach Penny Hardaway accomplished the feat in 1992-93.
Last season, Davis took home the AAC Player of the Year award. The AAC is expected to announce its all-conference team and postseason superlatives on Wednesday.
The Sporting News' first-team All-americans are Zach Edey (Purdue), Trayce Jackson-davis (Indiana), Jalen Wilson (Kansas), Brandon Miller (Alabama) and Drew Timme (Gonzaga). Making up the second team are Jaime Jaquez (UCLA), Azoulas Tubelis (Arizona), Marcus Sasser (Houston), Jalen Pickett (Penn State) and Tyler Kolek (Marquette). Joining Davis on the third team are Kris Murray (Iowa), Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky), Markquis Nowell (Kansas State) and Armando Bacot (North Carolina).
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason .munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.