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Hamlet Named C-USA Player Of The Year
3/11/2020 10:01:00 AM | Men's Basketball
DALLAS — For the first time in 31 years a North Texas men's basketball player has been voted conference player of the year.
The Mean Green's Javion Hamlet led his team to its first conference regular season championship since 1989 by leading the league in assists, assists per game, assist/turnover ratio, free throw percentage and was fourth in scoring and 11th in field goal percentage.
The point guard who averaged 17.9 points per game in conference became UNT's (20-11, 14-4 C-USA) closer as the team put the ball in his hands to seal victories late in games.
"I want to thank my teammates and coaches," Hamlet said. "I couldn't do anything without them. We have a special and talented team, which has been why we've won. This has been a fun season and we're not done yet."
Hamlet is the first UNT player to earn this honor since Deon Hunter led the Mean Green to a 10-4 league record and a Southland Conference championship in 1989 by averaging 17.9 points per game for the year.
Hamlet guided this year's team to a program-best 14-4 league record and their first regular season title since Hunter wore the green and white.
Late in games, Hamlet was relied upon heavily to hold on to wins and make comebacks. Using his signature mid-range floater, Hamlet averaged nearly eight points after the final media timeout of regulation in the team's 14 conference wins. Furthermore, North Texas as a team clamped down on defense late in games. UNT held its opponents to just 27 percent shooting after the final media timeout in the 14 conference games won.
Like a Shakespeare play, Hamlet's season came with two acts.
In the Mean Green's first seven games of the year, Hamlet struggled mightily. He averaged just 8.1 points per game, shot below 36 percent from the field and had 15 assists to 24 turnovers.
But around the New Year, he settled in and became one of the nation's top point guards.
In the final 24 games of the year, Hamlet averaged 16.5 points per game, 5.5 assists per game, shot above 52 percent from the field and had 132 assists to just 48 turnovers.
In North Texas' first seven games they went 2-5 but in the 24 games after they went 18-6.
Along with leading C-USA in a majority of stats, Hamlet was an analytical stat king. His 3.9 win share was the highest in league play in C-USA in over 10 years and was in the top 10 in the nation. Win share estimates the number of wins you're responsible for.
Hamlet became one of the most efficient players in the nation. His 29.8 player efficiency rating in conference play was the second-highest in C-USA history. PER became an official stat in 2010. It also ranked near the top in the nation for this season.
Late in games, Hamlet wasn't just scoring with mid-range jumpers but at the free throw line. He became one of the best in the nation at drawing fouls and combined with his nearly 90 percent free throw percentage, Hamlet was unstoppable. He drew over five fouls per game and with less than five minutes to go in a game he shot 90 percent at the line.
Every player of the year winner has their signature moments and for Hamlet during the regular season it was his buzzer-beating game-winner at Louisiana Tech on Jan. 18. The 51-50 win at LA Tech was during the middle of the team's eight-game winning streak. Furthermore, it marked the first time North Texas had won at LA Tech since 1952, ending a 17-game road losing streak to the Bulldogs.
The win propelled the Mean Green to a first-place tie, which they'd never let go of.
The 2020 C-USA Basketball Championships are March 11-14 at the Star in Frisco. Ticket packages can be purchased here. The Mean Green women's basketball team plays its first round game on Wednesday at 2 p.m. CT. The UNT men's team has a first round bye and won't play until Thursday at 6 p.m. CT.
All sales benefit UNT Athletics. For more information, contact the UNT Athletics Ticket Office 940-565-2527.
The Mean Green's Javion Hamlet led his team to its first conference regular season championship since 1989 by leading the league in assists, assists per game, assist/turnover ratio, free throw percentage and was fourth in scoring and 11th in field goal percentage.
The point guard who averaged 17.9 points per game in conference became UNT's (20-11, 14-4 C-USA) closer as the team put the ball in his hands to seal victories late in games.
"I want to thank my teammates and coaches," Hamlet said. "I couldn't do anything without them. We have a special and talented team, which has been why we've won. This has been a fun season and we're not done yet."
Hamlet is the first UNT player to earn this honor since Deon Hunter led the Mean Green to a 10-4 league record and a Southland Conference championship in 1989 by averaging 17.9 points per game for the year.
Hamlet guided this year's team to a program-best 14-4 league record and their first regular season title since Hunter wore the green and white.
Late in games, Hamlet was relied upon heavily to hold on to wins and make comebacks. Using his signature mid-range floater, Hamlet averaged nearly eight points after the final media timeout of regulation in the team's 14 conference wins. Furthermore, North Texas as a team clamped down on defense late in games. UNT held its opponents to just 27 percent shooting after the final media timeout in the 14 conference games won.
Like a Shakespeare play, Hamlet's season came with two acts.
In the Mean Green's first seven games of the year, Hamlet struggled mightily. He averaged just 8.1 points per game, shot below 36 percent from the field and had 15 assists to 24 turnovers.
But around the New Year, he settled in and became one of the nation's top point guards.
In the final 24 games of the year, Hamlet averaged 16.5 points per game, 5.5 assists per game, shot above 52 percent from the field and had 132 assists to just 48 turnovers.
In North Texas' first seven games they went 2-5 but in the 24 games after they went 18-6.
Along with leading C-USA in a majority of stats, Hamlet was an analytical stat king. His 3.9 win share was the highest in league play in C-USA in over 10 years and was in the top 10 in the nation. Win share estimates the number of wins you're responsible for.
Hamlet became one of the most efficient players in the nation. His 29.8 player efficiency rating in conference play was the second-highest in C-USA history. PER became an official stat in 2010. It also ranked near the top in the nation for this season.
Late in games, Hamlet wasn't just scoring with mid-range jumpers but at the free throw line. He became one of the best in the nation at drawing fouls and combined with his nearly 90 percent free throw percentage, Hamlet was unstoppable. He drew over five fouls per game and with less than five minutes to go in a game he shot 90 percent at the line.
Every player of the year winner has their signature moments and for Hamlet during the regular season it was his buzzer-beating game-winner at Louisiana Tech on Jan. 18. The 51-50 win at LA Tech was during the middle of the team's eight-game winning streak. Furthermore, it marked the first time North Texas had won at LA Tech since 1952, ending a 17-game road losing streak to the Bulldogs.
The win propelled the Mean Green to a first-place tie, which they'd never let go of.
The 2020 C-USA Basketball Championships are March 11-14 at the Star in Frisco. Ticket packages can be purchased here. The Mean Green women's basketball team plays its first round game on Wednesday at 2 p.m. CT. The UNT men's team has a first round bye and won't play until Thursday at 6 p.m. CT.
All sales benefit UNT Athletics. For more information, contact the UNT Athletics Ticket Office 940-565-2527.
Players Mentioned
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