University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Radebaugh Named Defensive Player of the Year, Davis All-Big Sky
3/6/2017 11:55:00 AM | Men's Basketball
RENO, Nev. – The Big Sky Conference released its 2016-17 season All-Big Sky teams and individual award winners. Northern Colorado came away with one All-Conference honor and a Defensive Player of the Year nod.
Sophomore guard, Jordan Davis was recognized as Third Team All-Big Sky, while redshirt freshman guard, Jonah Radebaugh was tabbed as the league's Defensive Player of the Year.
Jonah Radebaugh - Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year
Radebaugh becomes just the second player in UNC's Division I history to be awarded Defensive Player of the Year, the first being Yahosh Bonner in the 2009-10 season.
The redshirt freshman started all 29 games for the Bears as a walk-on and led the team in minutes, averaging 33.8 per game. Radebaugh was tasked to guard each team's best guard throughout the season.
"The conference this year had a lot of talented guards and Jonah did a tremendous job of limiting their effectiveness," said head coach, Jeff Linder. "His ability to understand the scouting report and having one of the best motors I have ever been around in coaching allows him to defend at a high level. He not only showed the ability to defend opponents in our league, but also against some of the best players in the country during our non-conference schedule. As a program, we know that defense is the key to winning championships and Jonah winning this award is a step in the right direction for our entire program."
The lockdown guard held three of the First Team All-Big Sky selections, Tyler Hall, Jeremy Senglin and Quinton Hooker well below their season averages in scoring.
Radebaugh kept Hall to just 13 points, 10 points below his season average on his home court in Bozeman, and limited Senglin to just six points at Weber State.
When Northern Colorado hosted North Dakota in February, Radebaugh once again did his job and held Hooker to 13 points on 4-of-14 shooting, almost six points below his season average.
It wasn't just Big Sky games that Radebaugh was a force on the defensive end, but during the Bears' non-conference season as well.
Two of his best games came against top players in their respected leagues.
In the game versus Sacred Heart, Radebaugh kept Quincy McKnight to 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting. McKnight currently leads SHU in scoring averaging 18.9 ppg, and in 2015-16 was named to the Northeast Conference All-Rookie Team, along with five-time NEC Rookie of the Week honors.
On the road at Denver, he limited the Pioneers' Joe Rosga, who is currently averaging 15.4 ppg, to just four points in 37 minutes. Rosga finished the game 1-of-8 from the field. In 2015-16 Rosga was named was named to the
Summit League All-Newcomer Team and earned honorable mention honors in '16-17.
Radebaugh also led the team in rebounding this season, averaging 5.5 boards a game, despite standing at just 6-2. His average ranked him in the Top 20 in the conference.
Jordan Davis - Third Team All-Big Sky
Davis was a jack-of-all trades for Northern Colorado this season in his first season at the point guard position.
Davis, started all 29 games for the Bears and led the team in points (19.3 ppg) and assists (5.6 apg) on the year, along with averaging 33.7 minutes of court time.
"To be honest with you I didn't see ten players in this league who did more for their team than Jordan," Linder added. "He was one of the highest usage players in the country on one of the youngest teams in the country and he put us in position to win a lot of games that people weren't quite expecting this season. There are a lot of good players in this league, but I will take Jordan over any of them. I know from being around him every day that he has the character and work ethic that will only allow him to keep getting better and proving people wrong."
The sophomore led the Big Sky in assists on the year, finished seventh in scoring, 15th in defensive rebounds, 15th in blocked shots and 15th in field goal percentage.
He was also ranked nationally across the board. Davis ended his year 25th in the NCAA in assists, 36th in total field goals made, 53rd in points per game and 54th in free throw attempts.
Davis notched 14, 20-point games for UNC and broke multiple single season records, including field goals made in a season (210), assists in a season (156) and consecutive games in double figures (30)
His 560 points scored are the second-most in Northern Colorado's Division I era, behind only Devon Beitzel, the 2010-11 Big Sky Player of the Year.
This is Davis' first All-Big Sky honor.
Sophomore guard, Jordan Davis was recognized as Third Team All-Big Sky, while redshirt freshman guard, Jonah Radebaugh was tabbed as the league's Defensive Player of the Year.
Jonah Radebaugh - Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year
Radebaugh becomes just the second player in UNC's Division I history to be awarded Defensive Player of the Year, the first being Yahosh Bonner in the 2009-10 season.
The redshirt freshman started all 29 games for the Bears as a walk-on and led the team in minutes, averaging 33.8 per game. Radebaugh was tasked to guard each team's best guard throughout the season.
"The conference this year had a lot of talented guards and Jonah did a tremendous job of limiting their effectiveness," said head coach, Jeff Linder. "His ability to understand the scouting report and having one of the best motors I have ever been around in coaching allows him to defend at a high level. He not only showed the ability to defend opponents in our league, but also against some of the best players in the country during our non-conference schedule. As a program, we know that defense is the key to winning championships and Jonah winning this award is a step in the right direction for our entire program."
The lockdown guard held three of the First Team All-Big Sky selections, Tyler Hall, Jeremy Senglin and Quinton Hooker well below their season averages in scoring.
Radebaugh kept Hall to just 13 points, 10 points below his season average on his home court in Bozeman, and limited Senglin to just six points at Weber State.
When Northern Colorado hosted North Dakota in February, Radebaugh once again did his job and held Hooker to 13 points on 4-of-14 shooting, almost six points below his season average.
It wasn't just Big Sky games that Radebaugh was a force on the defensive end, but during the Bears' non-conference season as well.
Two of his best games came against top players in their respected leagues.
In the game versus Sacred Heart, Radebaugh kept Quincy McKnight to 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting. McKnight currently leads SHU in scoring averaging 18.9 ppg, and in 2015-16 was named to the Northeast Conference All-Rookie Team, along with five-time NEC Rookie of the Week honors.
On the road at Denver, he limited the Pioneers' Joe Rosga, who is currently averaging 15.4 ppg, to just four points in 37 minutes. Rosga finished the game 1-of-8 from the field. In 2015-16 Rosga was named was named to the
Summit League All-Newcomer Team and earned honorable mention honors in '16-17.
Radebaugh also led the team in rebounding this season, averaging 5.5 boards a game, despite standing at just 6-2. His average ranked him in the Top 20 in the conference.
Jordan Davis - Third Team All-Big Sky
Davis was a jack-of-all trades for Northern Colorado this season in his first season at the point guard position.
Davis, started all 29 games for the Bears and led the team in points (19.3 ppg) and assists (5.6 apg) on the year, along with averaging 33.7 minutes of court time.
"To be honest with you I didn't see ten players in this league who did more for their team than Jordan," Linder added. "He was one of the highest usage players in the country on one of the youngest teams in the country and he put us in position to win a lot of games that people weren't quite expecting this season. There are a lot of good players in this league, but I will take Jordan over any of them. I know from being around him every day that he has the character and work ethic that will only allow him to keep getting better and proving people wrong."
The sophomore led the Big Sky in assists on the year, finished seventh in scoring, 15th in defensive rebounds, 15th in blocked shots and 15th in field goal percentage.
He was also ranked nationally across the board. Davis ended his year 25th in the NCAA in assists, 36th in total field goals made, 53rd in points per game and 54th in free throw attempts.
Davis notched 14, 20-point games for UNC and broke multiple single season records, including field goals made in a season (210), assists in a season (156) and consecutive games in double figures (30)
His 560 points scored are the second-most in Northern Colorado's Division I era, behind only Devon Beitzel, the 2010-11 Big Sky Player of the Year.
This is Davis' first All-Big Sky honor.
Players Mentioned
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