Moore Honored By Conference
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Former Warsaw star and current SMU senior Nic Moore was named a unanimous selection to the American Athletic Conference first-team today
Moore, the reigning American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, is on the All-AAC First Team for the third straight season.
Moore led No. 25 SMU to a 25-5 overall record and a 13-5 conference mark, finishing second in the league. SMU’s 18-0 start was the best in program history as the Mustangs were the last unbeaten team in Division I men’s basketball this season.
Moore is on the Naismith Trophy Watch List and was on the Bob Cousy Award final 10, the Wooden Award Late Season 20, the Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List and was a Senior CLASS Award Candidate. He led SMU in scoring (16.1 points, 2nd AAC), assists (5.2, 1st AAC) and steals (1.3, 5th AAC) while shooting 41.3 percent from 3-point range (6th AAC) and posting a 2.3 assist-to-turnover ratio (3rd AAC). He also led SMU in 3-pointers per game (2.6, 1st AAC) and free throw percentage (80.0 percent, T-2nd AAC).
Moore is the fifth Mustang to earn first-team all-conference honors three times. In those three years, he led SMU to a 79-22 record including 50-4 at home and 40-14 in American Athletic Conference action. The Mustangs won the 2014-15 regular season and tournament titles en route to the NCAA Tournament. In 2013-14, SMU finished tied for third in the league and eventually reached the NIT title game. In 2015-16, Moore was the MVP of the Las Vegas Classic as SMU claimed the title. This adds to Moore’s career accolades. In 2014-15, he was named Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention and NABC All-District first-team.
Moore, a 5-9 point guard, played his freshman season at Illinois State before transferring to SMU. He led coach Doug Ogle’s Tigers to a Class 4-A state runner-up finish as a junior in 2010 and was an Indiana All-Star and runner-up for Mr. Basketball honors following his senior season in 2011. His 1,891 career points at WCHS ranks second in program history, trailing only Kevin Ault.
SMU can not participate in their conference tournament or the NCAA Tournament this season due to a ban by the NCAA for multiple infractions by the program under coach Larry Brown. The 75-year old Brown, who has been the head coach of 13 different teams in the pros and college including at UCLA and Kansas, was suspended for the first nine games this season by the NCAA for the violations. Brown has coached the Mustangs for the past four seasons and SMU played in the NCAA Tournament last year for the first time in 22 years.