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USC Celebrates The 2018-19 Men's Basketball Season At Awards Banquet
April 16, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Features
Bennie Boatwright was named team MVP and a total of six players were honored with at least one award at the 2018-19 USC Men's Basketball Awards Banquet held at the Town & Gown on campus tonight (April 17).
The senior co-captain Boatwright was the Sam Barry Award recipient as the team's MVP. He averaged a team-leading18.2 points, while grabbing 6.6 rebounds per game. His scoring average ranked third among Pac-12 players and his rebounding average 11th en route to being named to the All-Pac-12 First Team and the NABC District 20 Second Team. Boatwright's 18.2 scoring average was the highest by a Trojan since O.J. Mayo scored 20.7 per game in 2008. His 564 points scored ranked 11th on USC's single-season scoring list and the most by a Trojan since Nikola Vucevic scored 582 in 2011. Boatwright made 42.9 percent of his three-pointers to rank fourth in the Pac-12 and 19th in the nation. His 90 made three-pointers were second among Pac-12 players and the third-most ever in a single season by a Trojan. Boatwright finished his USC career sixth all-time in scoring with 1,542 points and second in three-pointers made with 243. His 14.5 career scoring average ranks 16th on USC's all-time list. The three-year captain tied a Pac-12 single-game record when he made 10 three-point baskets at California on Feb. 16.
Junior Nick Rakocevic was a two-time winner, being given the Bob Boyd Award as the team's top rebounder and the Harold Jones Award for being the most improved player. Rakocevic averaged 14.7 points and 9.3 rebounds while playing in all 33 games, making 30 starts. He ranked among the Pac-12's top 10 in six categories: scoring average (10th), rebounds (3rd, 308), field goal percentage (8th, 54.8 percent), blocked shots (5th, 47), offensive rebounds (1st, 109) and defensive rebounds (3rd, 199). He was named All-Pac-12 honorable mention. His 308 rebounds rank ninth on USC's single-season list. He posted 15 double-doubles, second in the conference and tied for 23rd nationally. His rebound average also ranked 33rd among all NCAA players.
Junior co-captain Jonah Mathews was given the Forrest F. Twogood Award as the team's top defensive player. Mathews averaged 12.6 points and was one of two Trojans to start all 33 games. He led USC with 41 steals which ranked 15th among Pac-12 players. He was second on the team with 78 three-point baskets made, which tied him for the seventh-most in a single season by a Trojan. His 178 career three-pointers made ranks eighth on USC's all-time list. He made at least one three-point basket in 32 of 33 games (not Feb. 9 vs. Colorado, snapping a 28-game streak) and has made at least one in 37 of his last 38 games. Mathews led USC in minutes played with 1,096. He was 20th in scoring average and 10th in three-point percentage (39.2) among Pac-12 players.
Redshirt senior Shaqquan Aaron was given the John Rudometkin Award for 110 percent effort. Aaron was one of two Trojans to start all 33 games, averaging 8.3 points and 4.3 rebounds. He scored in double figures nine times, scoring a season-best 20 points in the opener vs. Robert Morris on Nov. 6. He played in 104 games as a Trojan and averaged 6.7 points per game.
Freshman Elijah Weaver was given the Bill Sharman Award for the Trojan with the best free throw percentage. Weaver led the Trojans with a 76.2 shooting percentage from the charity stripe (16-for-21). Weaver averaged 5.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He played in 28 games, making five starts, including the last four of the season. Weaver injured his left ankle on Aug. 23 and had surgery to repair the Peroneal Retinaculum on Aug. 30 and wasn't eligible until making his collegiate debut vs. Stetson on Nov. 14. He scored 9 points, with 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 23 minutes off the bench in that game. Weaver started and scored a season-best 17 points and added 5 assists at Utah on March 7. He made a best of two three-point baskets six times and his 22 makes from beyond the arc were fifth on the team.
Junior McKay Anderson was also a two-time winner, earning the Dr. James Zumberge Award with the top grade-point average and the Ryan Francis Scholarship Award as the best example of being a Trojan. Anderson appeared in five games and played a total of seven minutes. He became eligible for game action on Dec. 21 and played that night against Southern Utah, his first collegiate team. Anderson made his only shot and played four minutes against Southern Utah. He also played at Oregon on Jan. 13, vs. UCLA on Jan. 19, vs. Arizona on Jan. 24 and at California on Feb. 16.
The following is a list of all of tonight's award winners:
The senior co-captain Boatwright was the Sam Barry Award recipient as the team's MVP. He averaged a team-leading18.2 points, while grabbing 6.6 rebounds per game. His scoring average ranked third among Pac-12 players and his rebounding average 11th en route to being named to the All-Pac-12 First Team and the NABC District 20 Second Team. Boatwright's 18.2 scoring average was the highest by a Trojan since O.J. Mayo scored 20.7 per game in 2008. His 564 points scored ranked 11th on USC's single-season scoring list and the most by a Trojan since Nikola Vucevic scored 582 in 2011. Boatwright made 42.9 percent of his three-pointers to rank fourth in the Pac-12 and 19th in the nation. His 90 made three-pointers were second among Pac-12 players and the third-most ever in a single season by a Trojan. Boatwright finished his USC career sixth all-time in scoring with 1,542 points and second in three-pointers made with 243. His 14.5 career scoring average ranks 16th on USC's all-time list. The three-year captain tied a Pac-12 single-game record when he made 10 three-point baskets at California on Feb. 16.
Junior Nick Rakocevic was a two-time winner, being given the Bob Boyd Award as the team's top rebounder and the Harold Jones Award for being the most improved player. Rakocevic averaged 14.7 points and 9.3 rebounds while playing in all 33 games, making 30 starts. He ranked among the Pac-12's top 10 in six categories: scoring average (10th), rebounds (3rd, 308), field goal percentage (8th, 54.8 percent), blocked shots (5th, 47), offensive rebounds (1st, 109) and defensive rebounds (3rd, 199). He was named All-Pac-12 honorable mention. His 308 rebounds rank ninth on USC's single-season list. He posted 15 double-doubles, second in the conference and tied for 23rd nationally. His rebound average also ranked 33rd among all NCAA players.
Junior co-captain Jonah Mathews was given the Forrest F. Twogood Award as the team's top defensive player. Mathews averaged 12.6 points and was one of two Trojans to start all 33 games. He led USC with 41 steals which ranked 15th among Pac-12 players. He was second on the team with 78 three-point baskets made, which tied him for the seventh-most in a single season by a Trojan. His 178 career three-pointers made ranks eighth on USC's all-time list. He made at least one three-point basket in 32 of 33 games (not Feb. 9 vs. Colorado, snapping a 28-game streak) and has made at least one in 37 of his last 38 games. Mathews led USC in minutes played with 1,096. He was 20th in scoring average and 10th in three-point percentage (39.2) among Pac-12 players.
Redshirt senior Shaqquan Aaron was given the John Rudometkin Award for 110 percent effort. Aaron was one of two Trojans to start all 33 games, averaging 8.3 points and 4.3 rebounds. He scored in double figures nine times, scoring a season-best 20 points in the opener vs. Robert Morris on Nov. 6. He played in 104 games as a Trojan and averaged 6.7 points per game.
Freshman Elijah Weaver was given the Bill Sharman Award for the Trojan with the best free throw percentage. Weaver led the Trojans with a 76.2 shooting percentage from the charity stripe (16-for-21). Weaver averaged 5.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He played in 28 games, making five starts, including the last four of the season. Weaver injured his left ankle on Aug. 23 and had surgery to repair the Peroneal Retinaculum on Aug. 30 and wasn't eligible until making his collegiate debut vs. Stetson on Nov. 14. He scored 9 points, with 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 23 minutes off the bench in that game. Weaver started and scored a season-best 17 points and added 5 assists at Utah on March 7. He made a best of two three-point baskets six times and his 22 makes from beyond the arc were fifth on the team.
Junior McKay Anderson was also a two-time winner, earning the Dr. James Zumberge Award with the top grade-point average and the Ryan Francis Scholarship Award as the best example of being a Trojan. Anderson appeared in five games and played a total of seven minutes. He became eligible for game action on Dec. 21 and played that night against Southern Utah, his first collegiate team. Anderson made his only shot and played four minutes against Southern Utah. He also played at Oregon on Jan. 13, vs. UCLA on Jan. 19, vs. Arizona on Jan. 24 and at California on Feb. 16.
The following is a list of all of tonight's award winners:
| Sam Barry Award | Most Valuable Player | Bennie Boatwright |
| The Harold Jones Award | Most Improved | Nick Rakocevic |
| Bob Boyd Award | Top Rebounder | Nick Rakocevic |
| Ryan Francis Scholarship Award | Example of Being a Trojan | McKay Anderson |
| Bill Sharman Award | Top FT Percentage | Elijah Weaver |
| Forrest F. Twogood Award | Best Defensive Player | Jonah Mathews |
| Dr. James Zumberge Award | Top GPA | McKay Anderson |
| John Rudometkin Award | 110% Effort | Shaqquan Aaron |
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