CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- Brian Lillis, a senior for the University at Albany, is this season's selection as the 2008 America East Men's Basketball Fans' Choice Player of the Year as determined in a fan vote conducted through the conference website. Lillis has also been named the 2008 America East Player of the Year of the Game. Both honors were announced on Thursday, March 6.
Lillis, a 6-foot-5 guard/forward elevated is game in his senior season to lead the Great Danes to a 10-6 mark in league play and the No. 3 seed for the conference championship. He is leads Albany and ranks among the Top 5 America East leaders in scoring (15.9 ppg), rebounding (6.1 rpg), assists (3.5 apg), steals (1.7 spg) and blocks (0.7 bpg). Lillis, who was the 2007 Defensive Player of the Year, is one of only 10 players in the nation to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists per game.
Voting for the Fans' Choice Player of the Year began on Wednesday, Feb. 28. Eleven players were named on the preliminary ballot. Voting closed on Friday and Lillis, UMBC's Jay Green and Vermont's Marqus Blakely were named finalists. Final voting kicked on on Saturday, March 1 and ran through Monday, March 3. Vermont's Mike Trimboli received the award last season, the only other year that award has been given out.
The Player of the Game award was determined by tabulating award winners from the regular season. At the conclusion of each home game, a player was named the Player of the Games. Just one player was tabbed in non-conference games, while a player from each team was recognized during conference games. Lillis earned the award a dozen times for the Great Danes. Boston University's Corey Lowe, Maine's Mark Socoby and Vermont's Marqus Blakely were the other top recipients.