Neemias Queta Named MW Defensive Player of the Year by MW Coaches

The Mountain West announced its all-conference teams and annual awards with the coaches of the league voting Utah State junior center Neemias Queta the MW Defensive Player of the Year. Queta was also named first-team all-MW and as a member of the MW Defensive Team.

Queta was joined on the MW Defensive Team by redshirt junior guard Marco Anthony, while senior forward Alphonso Anderson was named the MW Sixth Man of the Year. Junior forward Justin Bean rounded out the Aggies' individual honors after being named second-team all-Mountain West.

Queta led the Aggies to the second seed of the Mountain West Tournament for the third consecutive year and was the only player in the MW to average a double-double during league games, turning in 15.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, leading the MW on the glass. Queta also led the league in conference games in field goal percentage (.584) and blocks (3.5), ranked second in defensive rebounds per game (7.37), third in offensive rebounds per game (3.00), ninth in points per game (15.4), 11th in steals (1.2) and 12th in assists (2.8). Queta was at his best against the top teams in the league, averaging 26.5 points and 15.7 rebounds per game against San Diego State, Boise State, Colorado State and Nevada.

Over the last six games, Queta has recorded a double-double in each contest and is averaging 21.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game over that stretch. On the year, Queta's averages of 14.7 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 2.8 assists per game make him one of only two players in the NCAA since 1992-93 to average more than 14.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 2.5 assists per game. Queta is the only player in Mountain West history with that stat line. Queta is the only player in the nation this year with 65 or more assists and 65 or more blocks, totaling 70 dimes and 75 rejections on the year.

Queta has now earned a pair of MW Defensive Player of the Year awards in his career, also picking up the accolade as a freshman in 2018-19. It is also the third consecutive year that Queta has earned all-conference honors. Queta has been named to the MW Defensive Team every year at Utah State.

Anthony has proven to be one of the best defenders on the perimeter for the Aggies, showcasing his abilities recently against Nevada and Wyoming. In the two-game series against the Wolf Pack, Anthony held Grant Sherfield, the 2021 MW Newcomer of the Year, to just 8.5 points per game (well below his season average of 18.9 points per game), 28.7 percent (6-of-21) shooting from the floor and forced a combined 12 turnovers. In the head-to-head matchup against Wyoming and 2021 MW Freshman of the Year Marcus Williams, Anthony held Williams to four points (well below his average of 15.9 poing per game), 25.0 percent (2-of-8) shooting from the floor and forced four turnovers.

Anderson came off the bench for the Aggies over the first 15 games in conference play before being inserted into the starting lineup in each of the last four games. During league play,

Anderson has scored in double figures in seven games, including three of the last four. Anderson scored a season-high 14 points in the Aggies' 77-45 victory over New Mexico on Jan. 6, and pulled down a season-high seven rebounds in Utah State's 64-59 win over San Diego State on Jan. 16.

Anderson is the first Aggie since Nate Harris to earn Sixth Man of the Year, as Harris earned the award when Utah State was part of the Big West during the 2003-04 season.

Bean finished his MW campaign with four straight double-doubles, averaging 11.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in league play. Bean's rebounding numbers ranked fifth in the Mountain West, while he also ranked fourth in offensive rebounds per game (2.89), sixth in defensive rebounds per game (4.84) and seventh in steals (1.37).

Utah State opens its back-to-back MW Tournament title defense on Thursday, March 11, at 7 p.m. (MT), facing the winner of #7 UNLV and #10 Air Force in the quarterfinals. A victory would move the Aggies on to the semifinals on Friday, March 12, at 10 p.m. (MT). Both of those games can be seen on the CBS Sports Network (Xfinity Ch. 269/753 HD, Dish Ch. 158, DirevTV Ch. 221), while the MW Championship game will be on CBS on Saturday, March 13, at 4 p.m. (MT).

Utah State men's basketball news and information is available on Facebook (facebook.com/usumensbasketball), on Twitter (@usubasketball) and on Instagram (@usuaggiebasketball). Fans can also get USU men's basketball highlights on YouTube (youtube.com/utahstateathletics). Aggie fans can follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter (@usuathletics), on Facebook (facebook.com/usuathletics) or on Instagram (@usuathletics).

2020-21 All-Conference Awards (MW Coaches)

• All-MW First Team:Derrick Alston, Jr., Sr., G, Boise State David Roddy, So., F, Colorado State Grant Sherfield, So., G, Nevada Matt Mitchell, Sr., F, San Diego State Neemias Queta, Jr., C, Utah State
• All-MW Second Team: Abu Kigab, Sr., F, Boise State Isaiah Stevens, So., G, Colorado StateOrlando Robinson, So., F, Fresno State Jordan Schakel, Sr., G, San Diego State Bryce Hamilton, Jr., G, UNLV Justin Bean, Jr., F, Utah State
• All-MW Third Team: A.J. Walker, Jr., G, Air Force Desmond Cambridge Jr., Jr., G, Nevada Makuach Maluach, Sr., G, New MexicoDavid Jenkins, Jr., Jr., G, UNLV Marcus Williams, Fr., G, Wyoming
• All-MW Honorable Mention: Adam Thistlewood, Jr., F, Colorado State Nathan Mensah, Jr., F, San Diego StateRichard Washington, Sr., G, San José State Hunter Maldonado, Jr., G, Wyoming
• Defensive Team: Nathan Mensah, Jr., F, San Diego State Matt Mitchell, Sr., F, San Diego State Cheikh Mbacke Diong, Sr., F, UNLV Marco Anthony, Jr., G, Utah State Neemias Queta, Jr., C, Utah State
• PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Matt Mitchell, Sr., F, San Diego State
• COACH OF THE YEAR: Brian Dutcher, San Diego State
• DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Neemias Queta, Jr., C, Utah State
• NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Grant Sherfield, So., G, Nevada
• FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Marcus Williams, G, Wyoming
• SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Alphonso Anderson, Sr., F, Utah State