BOSTON, Mass. – Two members of the UMass Lowell men's basketball have received America East All-Conference honors, as announced by the league office on Thursday.
Redshirt-senior
Jahad Thomas (Williamsport, Pa.) was named to the All-Conference First Team, while freshman
Obadiah Noel (Frederick, Md.) garnered All-Rookie Team accolades.
This is the second consecutive First Team selection for Thomas. A three-time 2017-18 Player of the Week honoree, he is currently leading the league with 21.2 points per game and 36.3 minutes per game. He paces the River Hawks with 8.1 rebounds per game, 103 assists and 46 steals, in addition to shooting a team-high 52.1 percent (207-397) from the field. He closed out his final regular season with a personal-best 40 points at New Hampshire on February 27, not only setting a new single-game individual high for the America East this season, but marking the most points scored by a UMass Lowell player since 1981. Nine of Thomas' 24 career double-doubles have come in his senior campaign and he totals 16, 20-point scoring performances in 2017-18, including a current seven-game streak with at least 20 points which ranks second in the nation. The guard/forward sits second among the America East's active leaders for career points (1846), assists (370) and steals (162). His 731 career field goals rank tied for fifth in the nation, as well. This year, he became just the fourth player ever at the school to achieve more than 1,500 points and 800 rebounds. He now totals the seventh most points in school history and is fourth all-time with 846 rebounds.
Noel earned a place on the All-Rookie team after being named America East Rookie of the Week on five occasions this season. This marks the most Rookie of the Week nods for a River Hawk since Thomas received five back in 2014-15. Noel has averaged 6.6 points and 2.5 rebounds this year with 32 assists and 18 steals. The guard boasts nine double-digit scoring performances, including a personal-best 19 points against Central Connecticut State on December 23. In that contest, he knocked down four, three-pointers with seven total field goals. Noel set a team high with 11 free throws made at Wagner on Dec. 5. He dished out a season-high five assists at UAlbany on January 18, in addition to tallying three steals against UMBC on Jan. 13. Most recently, he pulled down a season-high 11 rebounds at New Hampshire on Feb. 27.
The River Hawks will take part in their first ever America East Championship beginning on Saturday, March 3 at UMBC.
2017-18 America East Men's Basketball Awards
First-Team All-Conference
Trae Bell-Haynes, Sr., G, Vermont
Joe Cremo, Jr., G, Albany
Tanner Leissner, Sr., F, New Hampshire
Jairus Lyles, Sr., G, UMBC
Jahad Thomas, Sr., F, UMass Lowell
Second-Team All-Conference
John Carroll, Jr., F, Hartford
Travis Charles, Sr., F, Albany
Ernie Duncan, Jr., G, Vermont
Drew Urquhart, Sr., F, Vermont
Akwasi Yeboah, So., F, Stony Brook
Third-Team All-Conference
Aaron Calixte, Jr., G, Maine
Jason Dunne, Jr., G, Hartford
Payton Henson, Sr., F, Vermont
J.R. Lynch, Jr., G, Hartford
K.J. Maura, Sr., G, UMBC
All-Defensive Team
Hassan Attia, Sr., C, Hartford
Thomas Bruce, Jr., F, Binghamton
*Devonte Campbell, Jr., F, Albany
Ernie Duncan, Jr., G, Vermont
*K.J. Maura, Sr., G, UMBC
All-Rookie Team
Daniel Akin, Fr., F, UMBC
Josh Hopkins, Fr., G, New Hampshire
Obadiah Noel, Fr., G, UMass Lowell
Elijah Olaniyi, Fr., F, Stony Brook
Stef Smith, Fr., G, Vermont
All-Academic Team
Joe Cremo, Jr., 3.36 GPA, Communications, Albany
Tanner Leissner, Sr., 3.35 GPA, Kinesiology, New Hampshire
David Nichols, Jr., 3.91 GPA, Communications, Albany
Joe Sherburne, Jr., 4.0 GPA, Financial Economic, UMBC
J.C. Show, Jr., 3.88 GPA, Human Development, Binghamton
