March 9, 2015
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – For the second consecutive day, University of Notre Dame seniors Jerian Grant (Bowie, Md.) and Pat Connaughton (Arlington, Mass.) were recognized as two of the best players in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Grant earned first-team all-ACC honors and Connaughton garnered third-team honors as selected by the league’s 15 head coaches.
Grant and Connaughton, who have helped their squad to a 26-5 record and 14-4 mark in ACC play heading into this week 2015 New York Life ACC Tournament, were selected for similar honors yesterday by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA). In addition to earning first-team all-ACC honors, Grant earned a spot on the all-ACC Defensive Team.
Grant and Connaughton have led the Irish to the most regular-season wins since the 1908-09 squad won 33 en route to a 33-7 record. The 14-4 record also matches the top conference record for a Notre Dame team. While a member of the BIG EAST Conference, the Irish finished with a 14-4 mark during both the 2007-08 and 2010-11 campaigns. Grant was joined on the first-team by Duke’s Jahlil Okafor, the ACC Player of the Year, Syracuse forward Rakeem Christmas, Virginia guard Malcolm Brogdon and Boston College guard Olivier Hanlan.
Grant leads the ACC in assists (6.7 per game) and in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.23:1) and ranks fifth in scoring at 16.8 points per game. The 6-5, 203-pound guard earned ACC player-of-the week accolades twice during the 2014-15 campaign. He scored in double figures in 28 contests, netted 20-plus points on 10 occasions, dished off 10-plus assists four times and registered four double-doubles.
Grant averaged 16.4 points and 6.9 assists in Notre Dame’s 18 conference outings. He scored in double figures on 15 occasions, dished off eight or more assists eight times and recorded four double-doubles. His finest outing of the season came in Notre Dame’s 77-73 victory over Duke as he scored 23 points and dished off a career-best 12 assists. Grant has dished off eight or more assists in each of the last five games. He also had Connaughton leads the Irish in rebounding at 7.8 rebounds per game and ranks second in scoring at 12.6 points per game. In 18 conference games this season, he averaged 11.4 points and 7.5 rebounds. Connaughton reached double figures in 12 ACC conference outings. He netted 10-plus points in 23 games overall, grabbed 10-plus rebounds nine times and registered a team-leading eight double-doubles. In a five-point loss to Syracuse (65-60), he finished with 13 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.
The all-ACC second team was comprised of junior Montrezl Harrell (Louisville), senior Quinn Cook (Duke), sophomore Terry Rozier (Louisville), junior Marcus Paige (North Carolina State) and junior Justin Anderson (Virginia).
Joining Connaughton on the third team were freshman Tyus Jones (Duke), junior Brice Johnson (North Carolina), junior Trevor Lacey (North Carolina State) and sophomore Jamel Artis (Pittsburgh).
In addition to Grant, the all-ACC defensive team featured junior Tonye Jekiri (Miami), sophomore Beejay Anya (North Carolina State), senior Rakeem Christmas (Syracuse), junior Malcolm Brogdon (Virginia) and junior Anthony Gill (Virginia).
First Team All-ACC
Olivier Hanlan, Jr., Boston College
Jahlil Okafor, Fr., Duke
Jerian Grant, Sr., Notre Dame
Rakeem Christmas, Gr. Syracuse
Malcolm Brogdon, Jr., Virginia
Second Team All-ACC
Quinn Cook, Sr., Duke
Montrezl Harrell, Jr., Louisville
Terry Rozier, So., Louisville
Marcus Paige, Jr., North Carolina
Justin Anderson, Jr., Virginia
Third Team All-ACC
Tyus Jones, Fr., Duke
Brice Johnson, Jr., North Carolina
Trevor Lacey, Jr., NC State
Pat Connaughton, Sr., Notre Dame
Jamel Artis, So., Pitt
All-ACC Defensive Team
Tonye Jekiri, Jr., Miami
Beejay Anya, So., North Carolina State
Jerian Grant, Sr., Notre Dame
Rakeem Christmas, Gr., Syracuse
Malcolm Brogdon, Jr., Virgnia
Anthony Gill, Jr., Virginia
All-ACC Freshman Team
Jahlil Okafor, Duke
Tyus Jones, Duke
Justise Winslow, Duke
Xavier Rathan-Mayes, Florida State
Justin Anderson, North Carolina
ACC Player of the Year
Jahlil Okafor, Duke
ACC Freshman of the Year
Jahlil Okafor, Duke
ACC Coach of the Year
Tony Bennett, Virginia
Co-ACC Defensive Players of the Year
Malcolm Brogdon, Jr., Virginia
Rakeem Christmas, Sr., Syracuse
ACC Most Improved Player
Rakeem Christmas, Gr., Syracuse