CCSU Third, Horton Named All-Conference
Reigning NEC Player of the Year Ken Horton named to preseason All-Conference squad
Reigning Northeast Conference Player of the Year Ken Horton was chosen to the Preseason Northeast Conference Men's Basketball Team, and the Central Connecticut Blue Devils were chosen to finish in third place in a poll of the league's head coaches released on Wednesday.
NEC PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM VIDEO
PRESEASON TELECONFERENCE AUDIO
FULL NEC RELEASE AND POLL
Central was chosen third, behind defending champion Long Island, and Robert Morris.
Horton, a 6-6 forward from Ossining, NY, was the heart and soul of the Blue Devils last season, leading CCSU to a 19-12 record and a spot in the NEC semifinals. Horton was the fifth Player of the Year in CCSU's 14-year history in the Conference.
A five-time Choice Hotels NEC Player of the Week, he seemed to be at or near the top of every statistical category, a true testament to his versatility. As if posting 14 games of 20+ points and leading the league in scoring (19.5 ppg) wasn't enough, he also ranked first in blocked shots (1.6 bpg) and double-doubles (12). For a player who excels down on the block, Horton also led the Blue Devils with 59 three-pointers. Throw in top-10 NEC finishes in rebounding (8.9, third), free throw percentage (.869, third), steals (1.4, eighth) and field goal percentage (.492, ninth), and Horton put together one of the best seasons in league history.
Horton, a two-time All-Conference honoree, is the NEC's leading active scorer with 1,435 points. Just recently, he was recognized by SI.com as one of the nation's "Most Valuable Players."
Northeast Conference
2011-12 Men's Basketball
Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Long Island (10)
2. Robert Morris (2)
3. CCSU
4. Wagner
5. Quinnipiac
6. Mount St. Mary's
7. Bryant
8. Sacred Heart
9. Saint Francis (PA)
10. Monmouth
11. St. Francis (NY)
12. Fairleigh Dickinson