Myles Powell Named the 2020 BIG EAST Player of the Year
3/11/2020 4:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
A finalist or semifinalist for all the major national player of the year honors, Powell becomes just the third Pirate ever to claim the conference's top honor, joining Terry Dehere (1993) and Dan Callandrillo (1982). In addition to being recognized as BIG EAST Player of the Year, this week Powell has been named first-team All-America by Sporting News, USBWA District II Player of the Year and All-BIG EAST first team.
Powell has had a dynamite senior season, leading Seton Hall to a wire-to-wire first-place finish in the BIG EAST, earning a share of the program's first regular season championship since 1993. While receiving the most attention on the defensive end from opponents, he is averaging 21.0 points per game, second-most in the BIG EAST, and 18th best in the country. In conference play, Powell was also second in the league in scoring at 20.9 points per game as well as tied for 10th in assists (3.4) and tied for eighth in steals (1.4).
MYLES POWELL...FROM TRENTON...Your 2020 BIG EAST Player of the Year! #HALLin pic.twitter.com/xOS1ZilXVv
— Seton Hall Basketball (@SetonHallMBB) March 11, 2020
Powell did his best work in hostile environments as he averaged 25.8 points in Seton Hall's nine BIG EAST road games, leading the Pirates to a 7-2 mark in those contests, the most conference road wins in program history. His top-three road efforts included a 34-point outburst in a win at Georgetown on Feb. 5, a 29-point effort in a comeback win at then-No. 5 Butler on Jan. 15 and a 28-point, five-assist game at Marquette on Feb. 29.
Although his non-conference season was cut short due to injury, Powell performed in some of the biggest games of the early year. He scored 37 points against then-No. 3 Michigan State, which helped cement his status as of the nation's best players. Then he set the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament record for most points scored with 74, including 32 against then-No. 11 Oregon. He averaged 25.8 points in the eight non-conference games he was able to finish without leaving due to injury.
Proud of you, ＭＰ 🌠🏆#HALLin pic.twitter.com/aU2StP82zy
— Seton Hall Basketball (@SetonHallMBB) March 11, 2020
Thanks in large part to Powell's play and his ability to elevate his teammates' play, Seton Hall was ranked in the Associated Press top 25 for 15 weeks this season, second-most times in program history, and the Pirates reached as high as No. 8, the first time the program made the top 10 since 2000.
Powell has made a huge imprint on Seton Hall's record book. He is 21 points away from becoming the program's second all-time leading scorer after becoming just the fifth Pirate to ever reach 2,000 points. He is the program's all-time leader in three-pointers made with 348, and he also is fifth in field goals made (736), 12th in free throws made (432), 17th in assists (303) and 13th in steals (166).
We meant to post Chapter 2️⃣1️⃣ of The Voyage yesterday before playing a game...and then yesterday happened. Nonetheless, it deserves to be seen. #HALLin pic.twitter.com/fzs96i3c22
— Seton Hall Basketball (@SetonHallMBB) March 13, 2020
Powell and the Pirates are 21-9 overall and finished 13-5 in the BIG EAST and will face Marquette in the BIG EAST Tournament quarterfinals Thursday at Madison Square Garden at 9:30 p.m.
