PC’s Kris Dunn Named Big East Co-Player of the Year

March 12, 2015 12:11 am

PC news release…

PROVIDENCE’S KRIS DUNN NAMED BIG EAST PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Dunn, who will share the award with Villanova’s Ryan Arcidiacono, becomes the first Friar ever to win the honor.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – It was announced on Wednesday, March 11 that Providence College sophomore guard Kris Dunn (New London, Conn.) was named BIG EAST Player of the Year. He will share the award with Villanova’s Ryan Arcidiacono.

Dunn, who is the first Friar ever to earn the honor, becomes the sixth player and the first guard in the history of the BIG EAST to capture Player of the Year and earn Defensive Player of the Year in the same season (Hasheem Thabeet – 2009; Emeka Okafor – 2004; Donyell Marshall – 1994; Alonzo Mourning – 1992; and Patrick Ewing – 1984 and 1985). The conference’s head coaches choose the league honors. The coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players.

Dunn leads the league in assists (7.4) and steals (2.8). He ranks fourth in nation in assists per game and fifth in country in steals per game. Dunn also led the league in both those categories in conference play and became the first player in the history of the BIG EAST to accomplish that in the same season. He also is averaging 15.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Dunn ranks sixth in the league in scoring and 12th in rebounding. He leads the Friars with six double-doubles.

On January 29, Dunn became the 14th player in BIG EAST history to register a triple-double in a league game with with 27 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists versus DePaul. Dunn was the first Friar to record a triple-double since Geoff McDermott accomplished the feat versus Harvard on Dec. 22, 2006 with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Dunn’s triple-double was the ninth in Friar history and the first for the Friars in BIG EAST play. The last triple-double in BIG EAST play was recorded by Hasheem Thabeet (UConn) versus Providence on Jan. 19, 2008 with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 blocks.

The Friars finished the regular season with a 21-10 mark overall and an 11-7 record in BIG EAST play. Providence earned the fourth seed in the BIG EAST Tournament and will play No. 5 seed St. John’s on Thursday, March 12 at 2:30 p.m. at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The game will be televised on Fox Sports 1.