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Oct. 5, 2009

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Western Washington University men's basketball point guard Morris Anderson received honorable mention recognition on The Sporting News 2009-10 Preseason NCAA Division II All-America Team.

A 6-foot-3 senior from Federal Way (graduate of Federal Way High School), Anderson returns from last year's 21-6 squad that won the school's first outright Great Northwest Athletic Conference title and reached the West Regional of the NCAA Division II National Tournament.

Anderson was spectacular at times last season, averaging 12.6 points, 6.1 assists and 5.4 rebounds while earning GNAC Newcomer of the Year and first-team all-star honors.

"He's certainly an outstanding player, a multi-faceted, very complete player," Western coach Brad Jackson said of Anderson. "He makes people around him play better."

In 2008-09, Anderson ranked ninth nationally in steals and No.12 in assists. He led the GNAC in steals (2.7 avg.) and was second in assists with the third highest average in school history.

Anderson scored a team season-best 30 points in an 83-68 win at Northwest Nazarene. He had 13 assists versus Northwest, the most by a Viking player since 1989.

Anderson nearly had triple-doubles in two of Western's final three regular-season games. He had 15 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists in an 85-68 win over Central Washington; and 11 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds in a 76-68 victory at Montana State Billings.

Prior to arriving at Western, Anderson sat out the 2007-08 season after earning first-team Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges Western Division all-star honors as a sophomore at Highline CC. He helped the Thunderbirds to a 21-9 record, the region co-championship and quarterfinals at the NWAACC tournament, losing to eventual champion Clackamas CC in double overtime, 85-84. As a freshman at HCC, Anderson played on a 23-7 squad that won the NWAACC championship.

The Sporting News NCAA Division II Preview

Top 10

1. Bellarmine
2. BYU-Hawaii
3. Central Missouri
4. Valdosta State
5. Bentley
6. Indiana (Pa.)
7. Grand Valley State
8. Humboldt State
9. Cal Poly Pomona
10. St. Cloud State

Possible Breakthroughs:

Adelphia, Arkansas Tech, Augusta State, Barton, Bridgeport, Cal State-San Bernardino, Central Oklahoma, Central Washington, Christian Brothers, Dallas Baptist, Findlay, Florida Southern, Johnson C. Smith, Kutztown, LeMoyne, Massachusetts-Lowell, Merrimack, Metropolitan State, Minnesota State-Mankato, Northern Kentucky, Philadelphia, Saint Anselm, Seattle Pacific, Southern Indiana, Southwest Baptist, Southwest Minnesota State, Tarleton State, Tusculum, Virginia Union, West Liberty State, Western Washington and Winona State.

All-America Team

First

Lucas Alves, BYU-Hawaii
Tyrone Curnell, Valdosta State
Darren Duncan, Merrimack
Matt Rogers, Southwest Baptist
Jason Westrol, Bentley

Second

Brandon Brown, Cal State-San Bernardino
Kendrick Easley, Mount Olive
Laurence Ekperigin, LeMoyne
Aaron Hill, Rockhurst
Ben Madgen, Augusta State

Honorable Mention

Morris Anderson, Western Washington
Daniel Bailey, Queens
Chris Banchero, Seattle Pacific
Thomas Baudinet, Saint Anselm
Gerald Brooks, Indiana (Pa.)
Brandon Byerson, Virginia Union
Richard Byrd, Adelphi
Pierce Caldwell, Incarnate Word
Rashad Callaway, Tampa
Duke Crews, Bowie State
Stephen Dennis, Kutztown
L.J. Dunn, Barton
Russell Frederick, Philadelphia
Chris Hall, Lynn
Braydon Hobbs, Bellarmine
Malcolm Ingram, Philadelphia
David Johnson, Winona State
Justin Keenan, Ferris State
Dustin Maguire, Northern Kentucky
Darin Mency, Merrimack
Kyle Moore, Tusculum
Travis Nelson, Minnesota State-Mankato
Marcus Parker, Findlay
Matt Schneck, St. Cloud State
Jamar Smith, Southern Indiana
John Thompson, Florida Southern
Zac Tiedeman, Humboldt State
Sanjay Watts, Central Missouri
Darryl Webb, Indiana (Pa.)
Marques Whippy, BYU-Hawaii
Taylor Witt, St. Cloud State
Nick Wolf, Rollins