UNLV’s Bennett, Marshall, Birch get Mountain West conference honors

In June, Anthony Bennett has a realistic shot to be one of the first five players called in the NBA Draft. At the moment, he’s satisfied to be selected one of the five best players in the Mountain West.

The 6-foot-8-inch freshman forward was the only UNLV player named to the all-conference first team, which was announced Monday after voting by the league’s nine coaches and a media panel.

“It means a lot, with people noticing my hard work. It’s a great thing,” said Bennett, a former Findlay Prep star. “To be honest, this is what I worked for. Before the season, I wrote down some goals, and this was one of them.”

Anthony Marshall had the same goal, and the Rebels’ senior point guard was not thrilled to learn he landed on the second team for the second consecutive year.

“I’m kind of disappointed, and it kind of puts a chip on my shoulder,” said Marshall, a Mojave High School product. “I felt like I put in the work, on the offensive end and on the defensive end. But at the same time, I’m more focused on our team winning games and winning the conference title this week.”

Third-seeded UNLV (23-8, 10-6) faces No. 6 Air Force (17-12, 8-8) in the conference tournament quarterfinals at noon Wednesday at the Thomas & Mack Center. Falcons senior guard Michael Lyons earned first-team honors with Bennett, the freshman of the year.

New Mexico junior guard Kendall Williams, San Diego State junior guard Jamaal Franklin and Colorado State senior center Colton Iverson also were voted to the first team, and Williams was tabbed player of the year.

Steve Alford, who guided New Mexico to a 26-5 record and the league title by a two-game margin, collected coach of the year honors.

Marshall and sophomore center Khem Birch were voted to the all-defensive team, and Birch was named defensive player of the year, an award no UNLV player had won since Joel Anthony in 2007.

The 6-9 Birch, a transfer from Pittsburgh who became eligible in mid-December, blocked a league-high 48 shots in 16 games.

Marshall led the Mountain West in assists and ranked 19th in scoring, averaging 11.3 points in league play.

“I certainly think that he deserved consideration to be first team,” Rebels coach Dave Rice said of Marshall. “Again, there’s only five spots, and it’s just great for him to be honored for all the good things he did this year.”

Marshall was joined on the second team by sophomore center Alex Kirk of New Mexico, senior guard Dorian Green of Colorado State, and sophomore guards Anthony Drmic and Derrick Marks of Boise State.

UNR junior point guard Deonte Burton was named to the third team, and senior guard Malik Story got honorable mention.

A year after being voted to the all-conference second team, UNLV junior forward Mike Moser was left out. But that was no surprise, as Moser started only seven league games while recovering from a dislocated right elbow.

Bennett’s production tailed off in the final month of the season, partly because of a sore left shoulder.

He started 13 of 16 conference games, ranking 14th in scoring (12.1 points per game), and sixth in rebounding (7.2) and blocked shots (1.1).

After Monday’s practice at the Mendenhall Center, he said his shoulder was feeling better, and Rice said Bennett will return to the starting lineup against Air Force.

Bennett began gaining recognition as one of the most exciting players in college basketball in December, and he went into the Mountain West season averaging 19.9 points.

Defenses were designed to control him, and an injury slowed him, dropping his scoring average to 15.9 going into this week’s tournament.

But he accomplished enough to realize his goal of making the first team.

“I’ve still got a couple more goals that I wrote down,” he said, “and hopefully I can get them.”

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyoumans247.