Chet Mason Named MAC Defensive Player of the Year
3/7/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 7, 2005
CLEVELAND -- For just the second time in the nine years of the award, a Miami University men's basketball player has been named the Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year as voted by the league's coaches. Senior guard Chet Mason (Cleveland, Ohio/South) joins former Miami standout Rob Mestas as the only two RedHawks to be MAC Defensive Player of the Year. Mestas won the award in 2000.
Mason anchored a Miami team that led the Mid-American Conference in scoring defense (60.9 points per game allowed) and ranked second in field goal percentage defense (.408) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (.328) in league games. One of the MAC's most ferocious rebounders, Mason's 7.9 rebounds per game and 5.1 defensive rebounds per game in MAC play bolstered a Miami team that led the MAC in rebounding defense (29.2), defensive rebounds (25.06) and rebounding margin (+7.8). Mason tied for fourth among MAC statistical leaders in rebounding and was fifth in defensive rebounds. He ranks fourth nationally among guards in rebounding and ranks seventh among Miami's career rebounding leaders with 786. Mason, a 6-foot-4 guard, is the MAC's active career rebounding leader.
In addition to his defensive prowess, Mason became the 29th player in Miami history to record 1,000 career points and ranks among Miami's career top 10 in five statistical categories. He joined Ron Harper as the only two players in program history to notch 1,000 points, 700 rebounds, 300 assists and 150 steals in a career.
Mason has been a stalwart in the Miami lineup since day one and has played in every game during his Miami career (115), making 114 career starts. His 109 consecutive starts rank fifth among active Division I players.
Miami won the regular-season Mid-American Conference Championship, the program's league-leading 21st overall and the first since the 1998-99 season. The No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament, Miami faces the winner of the No. 9 Ball State at No. 8 Bowling Green matchup in the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 9 at Cleveland's Gund Arena.