Central Michigan University Athletics
Reggie Bass Named MAC Freshman of the Year
3/8/2023 9:55:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Bass becomes CMU Men's Basketball's first MAC Freshman of the Year award winner since 1999; Bass also is named to the All-MAC Freshman squad.
CLEVELAND, Ohio—Central Michigan freshman guard Reggie Bass was named the Mid-American Conference Men's Basketball Freshman of the Year the league office announced Wednesday morning. Bass also was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team.
Bass becomes the first Central Michigan men's basketball player to earn MAC Freshman of the Year honors since Mike Manciel garnered the same award in 1999. He is the 19th player in school history to be named to the MAC All-Freshman Team.
"In his first collegiate season, Reggie had an outstanding year," Central Michigan Head Coach Tony Barbee said. "Because of the multiple injuries that we sustained, Reggie was forced into playing the point guard role and he performed well. What I enjoyed the most about Reggie was his willingness to work and improve as the season progressed."
A 6-foot-4-inch, 185-pound lefthanded guard from Muncie, Ind., Bass averaged 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists per game, and 30.9 minutes per game. He also converted 82.0 percent (114-139) of his free throw attempts, hit 32.8 percent of his field goals (102-311), and led the Chippewas in both 3-pointers (54) and steals (33). Bass ranked among league statistical leaders in free throw percentage (No. 7, 82.0), assists (No. 11, 3.3 apg.), assist:turnover ratio (No. 14, 1.0), 3-point field goals per game (No. 15, 1.8), minutes played (No. 19, 30.9), and steals (No. 20, 1.1). Bass finished the year with six 20-point scoring games, 18 double figure scoring games and led the team in points five times and assists 16 times.
On January 2, 2023, Bass was named the MAC Player of the Week following Central Michigan's 63-61 non-conference win over Michigan. Trailing 61-60, Bass converted a game-winning 3-pointer to give the Chippewas a 63-61 lead with 11.6 seconds to play.
Bass closed out the 2022-23 season by averaging 26.0 points over the last five games. He scored a career-high 40 points and set a school-record for most free throws made in a game (21-24) vs. Northern Illinois on Feb. 25. During that five-game stretch, he scored over 20 points four times, including 40, 27, 25, and 22-point performances.
Bass was also named the Hoops HD Mid-American Conference Rookie of the Year.
Here is a look at All-MAC men's basketball teams:
2022-23 MAC MEN'S BASKETBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
Coach of the Year: Tod Kowalczyk, Toledo
Player of the Year: RayJ Dennis, Jr., G, Toledo *unanimous selection*
Freshman of the Year: Reggie Bass, G, Central Michigan
Defensive Player of the Year: Malique Jacobs, R-Sr., G, Kent State
Sixth Man of the Year: Jalen Sullinger, So., G, Kent State
All-MAC First Team
Xavier Castaneda, Sr., G, Akron
Enrique Freeman, Jr., F, Akron
Sincere Carry, R-Sr., G, Kent State
RayJ Dennis, Jr., G, Toledo
JT Shumate, Sr., F, Toledo
All-MAC Second Team
Payton Sparks, So., C, Ball State
Jarron Coleman, R-Jr., G, Ball State
Malique Jacobs, R-Sr., G, Kent State
Setric Millner Jr., Sr., F, Toledo
Dwight Wilson III, Grad., F, Ohio
All-MAC Third Team
Jaylin Sellers, So., G, Ball State
Curtis Jones, So., G, Buffalo
Emoni Bates, So., F, Eastern Michigan
Mekhi Lairy, 5th, G, Miami
David Coit, So., G, Northern Illinois
Honorable Mention
Leon Ayers III, Sr., G, Bowling Green
Anderson Mirambeaux, Sr., F, Miami
Kaleb Thornton, Sr., G, Northern Illinois
Jaylin Hunter, Jr., G, Ohio
Lamar Norman Jr., Sr., G, Western Michigan
All-Freshman Team
Reggie Bass, G, Central Michigan
Ryan Mabrey, G, Miami
AJ Brown, G, Ohio
Elmore James G, Ohio
Seth Hubbard G, Western Michigan
All-Defensive Team
Enrique Freeman, Jr., F, Akron
Greg Tribble, Jr., G, Akron
Damarius Jacobs, Sr., G, Ball State
Malique Jacobs, R-Sr., G, Kent State
Sincere Carry, R-Sr., G, Kent State
Bass becomes the first Central Michigan men's basketball player to earn MAC Freshman of the Year honors since Mike Manciel garnered the same award in 1999. He is the 19th player in school history to be named to the MAC All-Freshman Team.
"In his first collegiate season, Reggie had an outstanding year," Central Michigan Head Coach Tony Barbee said. "Because of the multiple injuries that we sustained, Reggie was forced into playing the point guard role and he performed well. What I enjoyed the most about Reggie was his willingness to work and improve as the season progressed."
A 6-foot-4-inch, 185-pound lefthanded guard from Muncie, Ind., Bass averaged 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists per game, and 30.9 minutes per game. He also converted 82.0 percent (114-139) of his free throw attempts, hit 32.8 percent of his field goals (102-311), and led the Chippewas in both 3-pointers (54) and steals (33). Bass ranked among league statistical leaders in free throw percentage (No. 7, 82.0), assists (No. 11, 3.3 apg.), assist:turnover ratio (No. 14, 1.0), 3-point field goals per game (No. 15, 1.8), minutes played (No. 19, 30.9), and steals (No. 20, 1.1). Bass finished the year with six 20-point scoring games, 18 double figure scoring games and led the team in points five times and assists 16 times.
🏆 @CMUMensBBall's Reggie Bass is the @MACSports Freshman of the Year!
— CMU Men's Basketball (@CMUMensBBall) March 8, 2023
✔️ 12.4 points pg
✔️ 3.6 rebounds pg
✔️3.3 assists pg
✔️ 30.9 minutes pg
✔️ 82.0 percent (114-139) FT pct.
📰 https://t.co/Emj2o79XjX#FireUpChips🔥⬆️🏀 pic.twitter.com/ZrOoYaFhs0
On January 2, 2023, Bass was named the MAC Player of the Week following Central Michigan's 63-61 non-conference win over Michigan. Trailing 61-60, Bass converted a game-winning 3-pointer to give the Chippewas a 63-61 lead with 11.6 seconds to play.
Bass closed out the 2022-23 season by averaging 26.0 points over the last five games. He scored a career-high 40 points and set a school-record for most free throws made in a game (21-24) vs. Northern Illinois on Feb. 25. During that five-game stretch, he scored over 20 points four times, including 40, 27, 25, and 22-point performances.
Bass was also named the Hoops HD Mid-American Conference Rookie of the Year.
🏀 FOTY: Reggie Bass 🏀@CMUMensBBall | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/CppV71gyVF
— #MACtion (@MACSports) March 8, 2023
Here is a look at All-MAC men's basketball teams:
2022-23 MAC MEN'S BASKETBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
Coach of the Year: Tod Kowalczyk, Toledo
Player of the Year: RayJ Dennis, Jr., G, Toledo *unanimous selection*
Freshman of the Year: Reggie Bass, G, Central Michigan
Defensive Player of the Year: Malique Jacobs, R-Sr., G, Kent State
Sixth Man of the Year: Jalen Sullinger, So., G, Kent State
All-MAC First Team
Xavier Castaneda, Sr., G, Akron
Enrique Freeman, Jr., F, Akron
Sincere Carry, R-Sr., G, Kent State
RayJ Dennis, Jr., G, Toledo
JT Shumate, Sr., F, Toledo
All-MAC Second Team
Payton Sparks, So., C, Ball State
Jarron Coleman, R-Jr., G, Ball State
Malique Jacobs, R-Sr., G, Kent State
Setric Millner Jr., Sr., F, Toledo
Dwight Wilson III, Grad., F, Ohio
All-MAC Third Team
Jaylin Sellers, So., G, Ball State
Curtis Jones, So., G, Buffalo
Emoni Bates, So., F, Eastern Michigan
Mekhi Lairy, 5th, G, Miami
David Coit, So., G, Northern Illinois
Honorable Mention
Leon Ayers III, Sr., G, Bowling Green
Anderson Mirambeaux, Sr., F, Miami
Kaleb Thornton, Sr., G, Northern Illinois
Jaylin Hunter, Jr., G, Ohio
Lamar Norman Jr., Sr., G, Western Michigan
All-Freshman Team
Reggie Bass, G, Central Michigan
Ryan Mabrey, G, Miami
AJ Brown, G, Ohio
Elmore James G, Ohio
Seth Hubbard G, Western Michigan
All-Defensive Team
Enrique Freeman, Jr., F, Akron
Greg Tribble, Jr., G, Akron
Damarius Jacobs, Sr., G, Ball State
Malique Jacobs, R-Sr., G, Kent State
Sincere Carry, R-Sr., G, Kent State
—CMU—
Players Mentioned
G
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