March 11, 2008

New York, N.Y. - Georgetown University senior men's basketball player Patrick Ewing, Jr. (Marietta, Ga./National Christian Academy [Md.]] was named the inaugural recipient of the BIG EAST Conference's Sixth Man of the Year Award, announced tonight before a banquet kicking off the league championship tournament.

Ewing, Jr. was one of several individual honors at a press conference prior to the banquet.

Notre Dame sophomore Luke Harangody was named the Player of the Year, while Mike Brey was named the league's Coach of the Year. Pittsburgh's DeJuan Blair and Syracuse's Johnny Flynn were tabbed as the BIG EAST's Rookie of the Year, while Connecticut center Hasheem Thabett was named the Defensive Player of the Year and Sam Young from Pittsburgh was recognized as the Most Improved Player.

Ewing, Jr., who has appeared in all 29 games, is averaging 6.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per contest. He started the first 10 games of the season, but moved into the Sixth Man role in January. In 17 games coming off the bench, Ewing, Jr. averaged 5.7 points and 4.4 rebounds while handing out 25 assists and blocking 12 shots.

He scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds in 23 minutes during a 72-69 win over Connecticut on January 12 and scored 16 points, grabbed six rebounds and had three assists in a win over Seton Hall on February 2.

A major contributor to Georgetown's success this season, Ewing, Jr. provided a spark whenver the Hoyas needed it. During BIG EAST play, he had 11 games with at least five points, 14 games with at least three rebounds, six games with at least two assists, three games with at least two blocked shots and four games with at least two steals.

Georgetown won the BIG EAST Regular Season Championship for the second-straight season and enters the BIG EAST Tournament as the No. 1 seed. The Hoyas, 25-4 overall and 15-3 in league play, play the winner of a game between Villanova and Syracuse on Thursday, March 13 at noon at Madison Square Garden.