Bryant Markson Makes All-Mountain West Conference Team

March 6, 2006

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Mountain West Conference announced its 2005-06 men's basketball awards today. Ute senior forward Bryant Markson earned third team all-Mountain West honors for the second consecutive year. Sophomore guard Johnnie Bryant and freshman center Luke Nevill both earned honorable mention.

The league's nine men's head coaches along with selected media picked the all-conference teams, as well as the coach, player, freshman and defensive awards.

BYU head coach Dave Rose captured Coach of the Year honors, while Brandon Heath of San Diego State was selected as the Player of the Year. Freshman of the Year honors went to Trent Plaisted of BYU, while Wyoming's Justin Williams was named Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year.

Regular-season champion San Diego State led the league with three all-conference selections, including unanimous first-team honorees Brandon Heath and Marcus Slaughter. Air Force, BYU, New Mexico and Wyoming also had multiple players chosen with two apiece, while Colorado State, TCU, UNLV and Utah each had one. All institutions were represented on the all-conference teams for the fourth straight season.

Six players were repeat all-conference selections. First-team honorees Heath and Slaughter of San Diego State and Antoine Hood of Air Force were second-team selections last season, while Utah's Markson and Wyoming's Justin Williams were third-team selections for the second straight year. New Mexico's David Chiotti was a second-team member this year after earning third-team honors in 2004-05.

Markson scored in double figures in 10 conference games for the Utes. The Monrovia, Calif., native ranked 14th in the Mountain West in scoring (12.5 ppg), 13th in rebounding (5.2 rpg), sixth in field goal percentage (52.5) and sixth in free throw percentage (78.3) during the conference season.

Bryant, who was the Utes' leading scorer in conference play, scored in double figures in 14 of the 16 Mountain West games. In conference games, the first-year transfer from San Francisco City College ranked seventh in the MWC in scoring (15.4 ppg), 10th in field goal percentage (50.3), 17th in steals (1.12 spg), first in three-point percentage (49.0) and second in three-pointers per game (2.94).

Nevill blossomed during the conference season, becoming a starter the final 10 games. He ranked 16th in the Mountain West in scoring (12.1 ppg), sixth in rebounding (6.4 rpg), second in field goal percentage (54.8), 15th in free throw percentage (67.1) and ninth in blocked shots (1.06 bpg) in the league season. He also had 11 double-figure scoring games and two double-doubles.

First-year head coach Dave Rose led BYU to a 20-win season after the Cougars were picked to finish last in the preseason media poll. Rose served as associate head coach for BYU from 2001-05 before assuming head coaching duties prior to the season. Overall, Rose has been with the Cougar basketball program since 1997.

2005-06 All-Mountain West Conference Men's Basketball Team

(Selected by media and head coaches)
First-Team All-Mountain WestBrandon Heath, Jr., G, San Diego St.Marcus Slaughter, Jr., F, San Diego St.Antoine Hood, Sr., G, Air ForceMark Walters, Sr., G, New MexicoJason Smith, So., F, Colorado State
Second-Team All-Mountain WestLouis Amundson, Sr., F, UNLVTrent Plaisted, Fr., F, BYUJacob Burtschi, Jr., F, Air ForceMohamed Abukar, Jr., F, San Diego St.David Chiotti, Sr., F, New Mexico
Third-Team All-Mountain WestNile Murry, Sr., G, TCUJustin Williams, Sr., F/C, WyomingBrandon Ewing, Fr., G, WyomingBryant Markson, Sr., F, UtahKeena Young, Jr., F, BYU
Honorable MentionAir Force: Dan Nwaelele (Jr., G)BYU: Brock Reichner (Sr., G), Rashaun Broadus (Jr., G)Colorado State: Michael Harrison (Jr., F)UNLV: Jo'Van Adams (Fr., G)Utah: Luke Nevill (Fr., C), Johnnie Bryant (So., G)
Player of the Year: Brandon Heath, San Diego StateDefensive Player of the Year: Justin Williams, WyomingFreshman of the Year: Trent Plaisted, BYUCoach of the Year: Dave Rose, BYU

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