April 2, 2009

COLUMBIA, S.C. – University of South Carolina junior point guard Devan Downey has earned Associated Press Honorable Mention All-America honors, as announced by the organization this week. Downey becomes the first Gamecock to receive any level of All-America honor since BJ McKie was named a Basketball Weekly Third-Team All-American at the conclusion of the 1998 campaign. Downey is the first AP All-America selection since Kevin Joyce earned second-team AP honors in 1973.

Downey secured another impressive season in the statistical categories in 2008-09. He led Carolina with 19.8 points per game, scoring a total of 614 points – the most by a Gamecock in a single season since Zam Fredrick Sr. posted 781 points during his school record-setting season in 1980-81. Downey’s 614 points rank sixth in the Gamecock record book. Downey continued his strong effort on the defense end as well, swiping 89 steals (2.9 per game). His 192 career steals at Carolina rank fourth in the school record book, while his 3.0 career steals per game average currently ranks atop the Gamecock record book. Downey scored double figures in 30 of South Carolina’s 31 games in 2008-09, including 15 20-point and two 30-point efforts. He collected his 1,000th career point (including one-year total from Cincinnati) and also tallied his 1,000th point in the Garnet and Black during the season.

Oklahoma standout Blake Griffin was the only unanimous selection to the 2009 AP All-American First Team. North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough, Pittsburgh’s DeJuan Blair, Arizona State’s James Harden and Davidson’s Stephen Curry join Griffin on the first team.