April 3, 2003
Notre Dame, Ind. –
Senior guard Matt Carroll (Horsham, Pa.) and sophomore guard Chris Thomas (Indianapolis, Ind.) have been named to the Associated Press Honorable Mention All-America team. Both led the Irish to the West Regional semifinals and a final 24-10 mark in 2002-03, marking Notre Dame’s first appearance in the Sweet 16 since the 1987 campaign.
Carroll, a first-team all-BIG EAST selection, led the Irish in scoring as he averaged a career-best 19.5 points overall. In addition, he averaged a personal best 21.9 points in 16 league contests. A starter in all 34 games, he also averaged 5.0 rebounds. Carroll scored in double figures in all but one game during the season, while netting 30-plus points on three occasions and topping the 20-point mark 14 times. He set the single-season three-point field goal mark with 99.
Carroll is the owner of four career records at Notre Dame – games played (133), games started (125), three-point field goals made (301) and three-point field goals attempted (762). He also finished as the school’s sixth all-time leading scorer with 1,850 career points and scored in double figures in 96 contests. Carroll concluded his career with a 13.9 scoring average.
Thomas was Notre Dame second leading scorer as he averaged 18.7. For the second straight year, he led the Irish in assists with a 6.9 average and is the only player in school history to dish off 200-plus assists in two consecutive seasons. He became the 42nd player in Notre Dame history to score 1,000 and is just the seventh player in school history to reach the mark in second season.
A second-team all-BIG EAST honoree, he was a finalists for the John R. Wooden, Naismith and USBWA/Oscar Robertson player-of-the-year awards. He scored 20-plus points 15 times and registered four double doubles during the season. Thomas’ 488 career assists ranks fifth all-time and he owns career marks in assist average (7.3) and free throw percentage (.879).
Carroll and Thomas also were recently named to the Basketball Times All-Midwest Team.