Javon Small, Sencire Harris Earn Big 12 Honors for WVU

Javon Small has been named first-team All-Big 12 in his one and only season with WVU, the conference announced Monday afternoon.

Small, who led the Mountaineers to a 19-12 record this season, tied for the Big 12 lead in scoring with 572 points (18.5 per game). He was also third in the league in assists (5.6 per game) and fourth in three-point shooting (35.3%).

“I just hope people really appreciate the season he had,” WVU coach Darian DeVries said after Saturday’s win over UCF. “I’ve been doing this a long time and there’s only two or three guys I can probably name that have had a season like this.”

The Indiana native transferred to WVU this offseason from Oklahoma State, where he earned All-Big 12 honorable mention honors last year. He led the Mountaineers in nearly every statistical category this season except for rebounding, where he finished third, and steals, where he was two behind the leader.

Small scored double-digit points in all but two games this season. He reached 20 points 13 times and had a season-high 31 points in the team’s upset win over Gonzaga in The Bahamas.

Small said his main goal in coming to WVU was to make the NCAA Tournament, which he has never done before. Saturday’s win over UCF seems to have locked up the Mountaineers’ spot in this year’s bracket.

Sophomore Sencire Harris also earned recognition Monday, being named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team.

Harris broke out a the Mountaineers’ premier defender this season, routinely guarding the opponents’ best player. He led WVU with 51 steals, good for 11th in the conference. Harris transferred to WVU this offseason from Illinois, where he redshirted last year.

Texas Tech’s JT Toppin was named the Big 12 Player and Newcomer of the Year, while Houston’s Kelvin Smapson was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year.

Javon Small and the Mountaineers turn their focus to the Big 12 Conference Tournament this week. WVU earned a first-round bye as the No. 8 seed and will play the winner of Colorado and TCU in Kansas City Wednesday at 3 p.m.