Hollins, Walker Earn All-B1G Honorable Mention

(GopherSports.com) -- University of Minnesota men’s basketball seniors Andre Hollins and Maurice Walker were recognized Monday with All-Big Ten honorable mentions, as voted upon by the conference’s coaches and media members.

Guard Andre Hollins was honored by both groups. Hollins leads the team with 14.3 points per game and has also averaged 4.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists this season. It is his third straight All-B1G honorable mention, in addition to the third team selection by the media voters in 2013. This season, Hollins’ has climbed the Gopher career charts to fourth with 1,752 career points, and became the only player in program history with at least 1,500 points and 300 assists.

The Memphis, Tenn., native has started every game and posted double-digit scoring 21 times, including eight games with 20 or more points. He notched his second career double-double on Jan. 20 with 21 points and a career-high 11 rebounds at Nebraska, and was named the Big Ten Player of the Week on Dec. 8.

Forward Maurice Walker was recognized by the media, his first career All-B1G honor. Walker leads the team with 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game and is second among the Gophers in scoring (12.0 ppg). The Scarborough, Ontario native posted career-best numbers this season in nearly every statistical category, and has recorded three double-doubles.

Walker has scored double figures in 19 of the Gophers’ 31 games, punctuated with a career-high 26 points on Sunday against Penn State. Walker has started all but two of the team’s contests this season, after earning just two starts in his freshman through junior campaigns.

Additionally, Hollins was recognized as the Gophers’ honoree for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.

The 11^th-seeded Gophers open play in the 2015 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament on Wednesday against 14^th-seeded Rutgers. Tip time from the United Center in Chicago is set for 6 p.m.