ATLANTA, GA – Iona College senior point guard Scott Machado has been named to the Naismith Men’s Basketball Player of the Year Award presented by AT&T Midseason 30 Watch List. Machado has now been named as a candidate for two of the NCAA’s six nationally recognized players of the year award.
Machado continues a historic senior campaign for the Gaels, leading the nation in assists and assists per game. With 302 assists in 30 games played, he averages 10.1 per game. Machado is looking to become the first player in 16 seasons to average double-digit dimes. He is also the first player in the NCAA since 1993 to record more than 300 assists in a single-season.
The senior point guard averages 13.1 points per game and shattered his career-highs in field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage this season. He ranks No. 19 all-time in the NCAA and No. 1 in the MAAC and school history in career assists (855). With 1,556 career points scored, he is No. 10 all-time at Iona.
Earlier this season, Machado was named a John R. Wooden Award finalist. The Naismith and Wooden Awards are joined by the Adolph Rupp and Oscar Robertson Trophies and the NABC and Associated Press Players of the Year award as the top honors in NCAA college basketball.
Machado is also a candidate for three additional postseason awards: The Bob Cousy Award -given to the nation’s top point guard – as one of 11 finalists on a list that will be cut to five before the week’s end; The Lou Henson Award – given to the Mid-Major Player of the Year; and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Year as one of six All-MAAC First Team performers.
For the conference honor, Machado is up against teammate Mike Glover – among five other conference rivals – to become the sixth MAAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year in school history. The award will be announced Thursday at 6:30 pm at the league’s annual Postseason Awards Banquet at the National Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA. Fans can watch the banquet live on www.MAAC.tv.
Earning a seventh regular season championship last week, the top-seeded Gaels await their quarterfinal round foe. Iona faces the Friday night’s winner between No. 8 Marist and No. 9 Saint Peter’s on Saturday (Mar. 3) at 4:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased through Iona at IonaConnection.com or through the official tournament website, MAACachusetts.com.
Naismith Award Watch List
Harrison Barnes, North Carolina
Will Barton, Memphis
Kenny Boynton, Florida
Isaiah Canaan, Murray State
Anthony Davis, Kentucky
Matthew Dellavedova, St. Mary’s
Marcus Denmon, Missouri
Draymond Green, Michigan State
John Henson, North Carolina
John Jenkins, Vanderbilt
Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette
Kevin Jones, West Virginia
Perry Jones III, Baylor
Kris Joseph, Syracuse
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky
Damian Lillard, Weber State
Scott Machado, Iona
Doug McDermott, Creighton
Dominique Morrison, Oral Roberts
Mike Moser, UNLV
Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State
Phil Pressey, Missouri
Thomas Robinson, Kansas
Mike Scott, Virginia
Jared Sullinger, Ohio State
Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin
Dion Waiters, Syracuse
Royce White, Iowa State
Tony Wroten, Washington
Cody Zeller, Indiana
Naismith Awards Home: http://www.naismithawards.com/
Wooden Award Home: http://www.woodenaward.com/
Lou Henson Award Home: http://www.collegeinsider.com/henson/