Papa Dia Named C-USA Defensive Player Of The Year
IRVING, Texas (SMU/C-USA) – SMU senior forward Papa Dia was selected the 2011 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and a member of the C-USA All-Defensive Team as voted by the C-USA head coaches and media. Dia, a finalist for C-USA Player of the Year, was named All-Conference USA First-Team on Monday. Dia has helped lead SMU to its highest win total (17) since 2002-03 as well as its most wins (8) in Conference USA and best seed (No. 7) in the C-USA Championship.
Dia leads Conference USA in blocked shots (2.2) on the season and in C-USA games (2.9). He has had multiple blocked shots 21 times this season, including in 13 of 16 C-USA contests. He also ranks fifth in C-USA for defensive rebounds (6.2). Dia’s seven blocked shots against Houston on Jan. 15 are the most in a league game this season while his six blocks at Tulsa on Jan. 26 are tied for second. Dia anchors a Mustang squad that leads the league in scoring defense (61.6).
Dia was a preseason All-Conference USA selection and has been named Player of the Week three times. Dia is also averaging 18.5 points (4th C-USA) and 9.0 rebounds (3rd C-USA) while shooting 58.2 percent (1st C-USA, 18th NCAA) from the field and 78.7 percent at the free throw line (10th C-USA). He has 13 double-doubles, which is second in the league. In Conference USA games, Dia finished second in the league in scoring (20.0), second in rebounds (9.6), first in blocked shots (2.9) and first in field goal percentage (.559). He has scored at least 20 points 14 times this season and had at least 8 rebounds 24 times. Dia is 14th at SMU in career points (1353), fifth in rebounds (847), fifth in blocked shots (132) and 10th in field goal percentage (51.7).
Dia is the second Mustang ever to earn the league defensive player of the year honor. Jon Koncak garnered the award in the Southwest Conference for the 1984-85 season.
The Mustangs have three C-USA honorees so far this season. Robert Nyakundi was seslected All-Conference USA Third-Team and Collin Mangrum was named to the Conference USA All-Academic Team.
