March 31, 2011
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (SMU) - SMU senior forward Papa Dia was selected to the 2011 CollegeInsider.com (CIT) All-Tournament team. Dia averaged 15.5 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots while hitting 56.8 percent from the field in four games as SMU won three games and advanced to the semifinal. Dia highlighted the tournament run with a pair of free throws at 0.1 seconds in the 63-62 second round win over Jacksonville and a CIT record 21 rebounds in the 57-50 quarterfinal win at Northern Iowa.
Dia adds to his accolades as he was already named the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division I All-District First Team, All-Conference USA First Team, C-USA All-Defensive Team and Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year. Dia helped lead SMU (20-15) to its first postseason and first 20-win season since 1999-2000. The Mustangs also recorded their most wins (8) in Conference USA and best seed (No. 7) in the C-USA Championship.
Dia finished the season averaging 18.3 points (4th C-USA), 9.6 rebounds (2nd C-USA) and 2.2 blocks (1st C-USA) while shooting 57.7 percent (1st C-USA, 18th NCAA) from the field and 75.3 percent at the free throw line (15th C-USA). He also has 16 double-doubles, which was second in the league.
His season ranks among the best in SMU history, totaling 639 points (3rd), 335 rebounds (6th) and 78 blocks (4th) while hitting 57.7 percent from the floor (7th). Dia concluded his career 12th at SMU in career points (1437), fourth in rebounds (911), fifth in blocked shots (143) and 10th in field goal percentage (51.8).
Next week, Dia will be one of just 64 college seniors to participate in the 59th annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (P.I.T.) from April 6-9 in Portsmouth, Va. Fifty-seven former P.I.T. players are on NBA rosters with many others in the top leagues in Europe.
The SMU men's basketball banquet to honor the 2010-11 Mustangs will be held at the Doubletree Campbell Center on North Central Expressway in Dallas on Thursday, April 14, at 7 p.m. Mustang fans can sponsor a table of eight seats for $225, or individual tickets are available for $35 each. To register or get more information, contact Liliana Hemme-Cassar in the men's basketball office at 214-768-3501 or lhemme@smu.edu.
Papa Dia in the CIT
March 16 vs. Oral Roberts (W, 64-57 ot): 17 points, 15 rebounds, 5 blocks
March 19 vs. Jacksonville (W, 63-62): 24 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, 10-13 FG, hit 2 FTs at 0.1 seconds to win the game
March 21 at Northern Iowa (W, 57-50): 17 points, 21 rebounds (CIT record), 2 blocks
March 25 vs. Santa Clara (L, 72-55): 4 points, 5 rebounds, 11 minutes (ankle injury)
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM:
Papa Dia (SMU)
Mike Glover (Iona)
Kevin Foster (Santa Clara) - MVP
Scott Machado (Iona)
Troy Payne (Santa Clara)
Mike Smith (East Tennessee State)
Marc Trasolini (Santa Clara)
