Four members of the NCAA Tournament-bound Emory University men's basketball squad have been selected to the All-University Athletic Association Team. The all-league picks were chosen by the conference coaches. The Eagles had one player tabbed to the first team, and three to the second team.
Junior Matt Schner (Boca Raton, FL) highlighted the Eagle honorees with his second straight first-team nod as well as his selection as the UAA Co-Player of the Year with Washington University's Jack Nolan. The 6-foot-4 Schner is one of the league's most versatile players, ranking among the league's top-10 in 12 categories. No. 2 on the squad and fourth in the UAA in scoring, Schner, who has 21 double-figure scoring contests to his credit, is connecting on 53.3 percent (129-of-243) of his field goal attempts, good for second on the team and sixth on the league list. Schner has converted 50 percent or better of his floor attempts on 19 occasions this season. Schner's play on the glass can't be overlooked as he has either led or tied for team honors in 13 games. Second on the club with an average of 7.6 caroms per outing, he has snatched 61 offensive rebounds and his average of 2.4 offensive rebounds per game is third among UAA cagers. He has shown the ability to distribute the ball with his average of 3.1 assists per game second on the team and sixth on the UAA leader board. His 36 steals pace Emory while his 1.4 thefts-per-game average ranks fourth in the conference.
Junior Lawrence Rowley (Ann Arbor, MI) was recognized as the UAA Defensive Player of the Year while garnering his second consecutive second-team berth. The 6-foot-5 Rowley has put together an outstanding campaign, scoring in double figures 20 times while snatching 10 or more rebounds on seven occasions. He is averaging 13.9 points per game, fourth on the squad and 11th among conference performers, while his 8.4 board per contest tops the team and stands third on the league ladder. Rowley has paced the Eagles in rebounding in 12 games. He stands as the squad's most accurate shooter at 56.3 percent (124-of-221) from the field, with that mark good for the No. 3 spot on the UAA ladder and seventh on the school's seasonal chart. He has been successful on 50 percent or better from the floor in 20 games.
Junior Nick Stuck (Lithia, FL) captured his first All-UAA award, playing his way to second-team acclaim. Directing the Emory attack from his point guard post, Stuck has been vital to the Eagles averaging a conference-best 87.6 points per game, good for 16th place in the Division III ranks. Stuck has dished out 135 assists and his 5.4 per-game average in that category is second in the league and 29th nationally. He has chalked up six or more assists on 12 occasions this year including a career-high 12 against Maryville (Dec. 1). He has an assist/turnover ratio of 2.11, third in the league and 63rd in D-III. Career-wise Stuck is ninth all-time at Emory with 279 assists.
Junior Romin Williams (Harvey, LA) rounds out the trio of second-team picks, with his 16.1 points per game average leading the squad and placing second in the conference. A starter in all 25 games, Williams has totaled 20 double-digit scoring contests including nine with 20 or more points. Emory's leading scorer on 11 occasions, he is second on the team with 60 three-point field goals and fourth on the UAA leader board with an average of 2.4 treys per game. Earlier in the season, he cracked the 1,000 career-point plateau and heads into the postseason No. 8 on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,261 points.
No. 10-ranked Emory hosts Methodist on Friday (Mar. 6) in a NCAA Tournament opening-round game. The Eagles and Monarchs are scheduled to tip at 7:30 p.m., and will follow the Centre College vs. Pomona-Pitzer contest which will start at 5:00 pm.