Hayes and Mavunga Earn All-MAC Recognition
3/10/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 10, 2010
 Kenny Hayes earned First-Team All-MAC honors.  | |
CLEVELAND-Two Miami University men's basketball players earned all-conference honors, the Mid-American Conference announced Wednesday morning. Senior guard Kenny Hayes (Dayton, Ohio/Northmont/Cincinnati State) garnered First-Team All-MAC distinction, while sophomore forward/center Julian Mavunga (Indianapolis, Ind./Brownsburg) was named Honorable Mention All-MAC.
Hayes' selection to the first team marks the seventh consecutive year Miami has had a first-team honoree, the longest active string of any MAC school. Over the last seven years, Miami has had seven players earn a combined eight first-team all-league honors. The RedHawks' stretch dates back to the 2003-04 season when Juby Johnson was a first-team selection. Chet Mason and Danny Horace both earned the honor in 2005, followed by William Hatcher (2006), Tim Pollitz (2007 and 2008) and Michael Bramos (2009). Hayes also becomes the 33rd player in program history to capture First-Team All-MAC plaudits.
The award is the product of his perseverance in a long road back for Hayes, who suffered a season-ending injury in early December 2008. After enduring a nearly eight-month recovery process and finally being able to begin shooting again in August, Hayes battled back to again be revered as one of the Mid-American Conference's top players with his selection to the five-member first team. This is the second all-conference award for Hayes, who was an honorable mention pick in 2007-08. This year he also was a Preseason MAC All-East Division selection and was tabbed the MAC East Division Co-Player of the Week on Feb. 8.
Hayes, Miami's leading scorer, ranks ninth among MAC statistical leaders in scoring (14.6) and finished MAC play ranking 10th in league-only games in scoring (15.1). Six times this season Hayes has reached or surpassed the 20-point scoring plateau and has done so 13 times in his career. A testament to his value on the court for the Miami program, Hayes leads the MAC in minutes played (35.60).
In addition to his scoring prowess, Hayes also ranks among MAC statistical leaders in free-throw percentage, assists and assist/turnover ratio. He has played and started in all 30 games this season and is currently 29 minutes and one start away from cracking Miami's single-season top-10s in the respective categories.
 Julian Mavunga earned Honorable Mention All-MAC recognition. | |
Mavunga boasts six of Miami's 12 double-doubles on the season. He recorded his first career double-double against Louisiana Tech (Nov. 20) and also recorded double-doubles against Nicholls State (Nov. 21), Evansville (Nov. 28), Xavier (Dec. 23), Bowling Green (Jan. 23) and Northern Illinois (Feb. 6).
Miami's leading rebounder at 6.4 rpg, Mavunga ties for ninth among MAC statistical leaders in the category and ties for third in defensive rebounds, averaging 5.0 per game on the season. Eight times this season, Mavunga has recorded double figures in rebounding. He has scored in double figures 15 times this season and averages 10.1 ppg.
Mavunga, who has played in all 30 games making 25 starts, also ranks among MAC leaders in blocked shots, field-goal percentage and minutes played and ranked 22nd in scoring in MAC-only games (10.8 ppg). A key component to Miami leading the MAC in blocked shots as a team in all games and in conference-only games, Mavunga has rejected 28 shots this season.
This is the first MAC postseason honor for Mavunga, who was named MAC East Division Player of the Week on Nov. 30.
In addition to boasting seven straight years with at least one first-team honoree, it also marks the seventh straight year Miami has placed at least two players on All-MAC teams.
The RedHawks (13-17), who earned a first-round bye in the MAC Tournament as the No. 4 seed, face No. 5 seed Buffalo in the quarterfinals at 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 11 in Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena. For tickets, call the Miami Ticket Office at 513-529-HAWK or 1-866-MUHAWKS.
All-MAC First Team
Jimmy Conyers, Akron
Rodney Pierce, Buffalo
Kenny Hayes, Miami
David Kool, Western Michigan
Chris Singletary, Kent State
All-MAC Second Team
Jordan Bitzer, Central Michigan
Robbie Harman, Central Michigan
Carlos Medlock, Eastern Michigan
Brandon Bowdry, Eastern Michigan
Justin Greene, Kent State
All-MAC Honorable Mention
Chris McKnight, Akron
Brett McKnight, Akron
Jarrod Jones, Ball State
Scott Thomas, Bowling Green
Calvin Betts, Buffalo
Justin Dobbins, Eastern Michigan
Julian Mavunga, Miami
Xavier Silas, Northern Illinois
D.J. Cooper, Ohio
Armon Bassett, Ohio
