Mike YoderThe Kansas University men’s basketball team’s 8-0 run while representing Team USA in South Korea earlier this month earned Frank Mason III, Wayne Selden Jr. and Perry Ellis spots on the All-World University Games teams from Eurobasket.com.
Junior point guard Mason’s 18-point performance in the gold-medal, double-overtime victory against Germany secured his Finals MVP award. Junior guard Selden, meanwhile, took the honor of the World University Games’ best player after averaging 19.3 points for the U.S.
Both KU guards secured first-team spots, while senior forward Ellis landed on the second team. Eurobasket.com also named Selden (listed at small forward) the best forward of the Games, and Mason the best guard.
German guard Maodo Lo, Lithania forward Rokas Giedraitis and Australian post Mangok Mathiang joined Selden and Mason on the first team.
Mason’s late-game heroics versus the Germans helped KU return home with gold medals. The point guard hit two free throws in the final 30 seconds of the fourth quarter against Germany, as well as a layup in the final seconds of the first overtime that kept the U.S. alive. In the second OT, Mason found Selden for a three-pointer that pushed Team USA ahead for good in an 84-77 marathon.
Mike YoderSelden scored 154 points at the World University Games, tying him for third-most in U.S. history at the event, with Maryland’s Juan Dixon (2001). He led KU in scoring in four of the eight games, including his 22-point showing in the final, and hit 18 three-pointers. Selden also tied Ellis for the team lead in rebounds a game, at 6.5.
Ellis finished 10th in scoring at the Games, averaging 13.3 points, and posted a double-double (19 points and 10 rebounds) against Germany.
The Jayhawks helped the USA win gold at the World University games for the first time since 2005 and the 14th time overall.
