VIDEO: Malik Abraham Interview
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Carson-Newman senior men's basketball guard Malik Abraham (Snellville, Ga.) has been lauded by the league's coaches with a preseason all-conference honor.
Abraham earns honors from the South Atlantic Conference on the first team.
"I'm thankful that people have recognized some hard work," Abraham said. "I'm blessed, because this has been a goal of mine. But I also would prefer that it happen at the end of the season."
His selection gives Carson-Newman a preseason first teamer in four straight seasons.
Carson-Newman's third leading scoring for 2017-18, Abraham tallied 11.7 points per game. A three-point marksman, Abraham shot 41.5 percent from beyond the arc and made 88-of-212 threes. The 88 triples go down as the second highest single-season total in school history.
Abraham also has the fourth highest mark with 83 made in his sophomore year. Abraham shot 42.8 percent from the field in general and 58 percent from the foul line. He also added in 2.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.
"He can shoot it," head men's basketball coach Benson said. "If there's a better shooter in our conference, I don't know who it is. I'm glad he's on our team. I'm confident that he'll pick up where he left off as a guy who can make shots. I think he's evolved in his time here, and isn't a one-trick pony. He's added some more depth offensively, and he has a more serious tone about things defensively. I'm excited for him."
Abraham topped double figures 17 times and had a quartet of 20 point games. Carson-Newman was unbeaten when he scored at least 20 points and went 13-4 when he had at least 10. Abraham had 15 games where he knocked down at least three three-pointers. His top outing came against Lenoir-Rhyne (12/16). He scored 23 points against the Bears on 7-12 shooting, including a 6-of-10 ledger from long range.
The Snellville, Ga.-native comes into his final go around at Mossy Creek with 778 career points and 171 made threes in his career. He is looking to become the 27th, 1,000-point scorer in Carson-Newman history.
Abraham currently stands sixth all-time in C-N lore for career threes made with 171. If he fires away at a similar pace to his sophomore and junior years, he could finish second all-time in C-N history for made threes.
Abraham and the rest of the Eagles open the season Nov. 9 at Southern Wesleyan. The game will be broadcast on the Eagle Sports Network starting 15 minutes prior to tipoff.