NEW YORK – Gophers guards Nate Mason and Amir Coffey are part of the 10-member Big Ten All-Preseason team, announced at Big Ten Media Day Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
Mason, a 6-foot-2 senior captain, helped Minnesota to a school-record 16-game turnaround leading the team in scoring (15.2), assists (5.0), steals (1.4), free-throw percentage (80.8) and minutes played (34.5). He was the first player in team history to surpass 500 points and 100 assists in the same season. The Georgia native was also the program's first All-Big Ten first-team selection since Vincent Grier in 2005.
The 6-8 Coffey was an all-conference freshman team performer last season, while averaging 12.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He also played the most minutes of any player in conference play last season ( The Hopkins native had the highest scoring game (30 points against St. John's) and scoring average for a U freshman since Kris Humphries in 2003-04.
Michigan State's Miles Bridges was named Big Ten preseason conference player of the year. Below is the full conference all-preseason team:
Justin Jackson, F, Maryland
Moritz Wagner, F, Michigan
Miles Bridges, G/F, Michigan State
Nick Ward, F, Michigan State
Amir Coffey, G, Minnesota
Nate Mason, G, Minnesota
Scottie Lindsey, G/F, Northwestern
Bryant McIntosh, G, Northwestern
Vincent Edwards, F, Purdue
Ethan Happ, F, Wisconsin
