Chris Barnes

Chris Barnes (left) is the first UT Dallas team member ever to be named East Division Player of the Year.

 

(Photos by Doug Fejer)

Junior Named Division Player of the Year

Comets Knocked Out of NCAA Playoffs in Match with Mary Hardin Baylor

Junior forward Chris Barnes became the first UT Dallas player to ever be named East Division Player of the Year when the American Southwest Conference released its men’s basketball all-conference teams last week.

In addition, Coach Terry Butterfield was named conference Coach of the Year.

Terry Butterfield

Coach Terry Butterfield was named Coach of the Year.

The UT Dallas men’s basketball team ended the season with a trip to the NCAA Division III National Tournament but was eliminated in the first round after an 86-77  loss to Mary Hardin-Baylor on Thursday night.  It was the Comets’ third consecutive appearance in the NCAA playoffs.

Barnes, who led the division in scoring, and teammate Curtis Davis were also named as part of the prestigious ASC All-Conference team. It marked the first time that UT Dallas had had two players named to the squad after Scott Rodgers became the Comets’ first All-Conference selection in 2010.

Barnes, a native of San Antonio, led the Comets with 17.6 points per game as he led the ASC East in scoring. He added a team-best 6.9 rebounds per game while shooting 53.4 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from three-point range. Barnes ranks third the ASC overall in scoring, 10th in the ASC in rebounding, sixth in field goal percentage and third in three-point percentage. He was a two time ASC East Player of the Week this season.

Butterfield was also named the ASC East Coach of the Year in 2004, 2009 and 2010. This was  his 11th season at the helm of the Comets.

For complete Comet Sports coverage, see the UT Dallas Intercollegiate Athletics website.