Quinnipiac University
Marist
Zaid Hearst and Ousmane Drame Named to MAAC College Sports Madness First Team
3/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
ALBANY, N.Y. – Quinnipiac seniors Zaid Hearst (Bethesda, Md.) and Ousmane Drame (Boston, Mass.) were recognized again on Thursday, March 5, earning a selection to the College Sports Madness Men's Basketball All-MAAC Team, announced by the committee.
The staff at College Sports Madness picked the top men's basketball players from each conference. These players made significant contributions to their teams during this past season and deserve significant recognition. Hearst and Drame were both tabbed to the CSM First Team.
Hearst was responsible for the bulk of Quinnipiac's offense this year, averaging 18.4 points per game while shooting 43.5 percent from the field. He had 13 games with at least 20 points, had 30 once, and reached double figures in 26 of the team's 29 games. Highlighted by his 34 point effort against Yale, he scored 25 points in six games, including a stretch in January where he averaged 27 points per game over a three-game stint.
In addition to his offense prowess, Hearst was often dealt the task of defending the opponent's top player. Among his top defensive performances, holding Oregon State's Gary Peyton II scoreless over 40 minutes is his most impressive. Hearst added 6.2 rebounds per game, ranking among the league leaders in offensive and defensive rebounding.
Drame put together arguably the best second half of basketball by any player in the league. He was the only player to average a double-double, bringing in 14.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. He led the league in total, offensive and defensive rebounding, while blocking the most shots of any player as well. Those figures had him among the national leaders, ranking 10th in rebounding; sixth in defensive rebounding; eighth in blocked shots; and second in double-doubles.
Along the way, Drame broke several Quinnipiac records; on pace to complete one of the most decorated careers in program history. Drame is the Division I leader in career rebounds and blocked shots, while ranking ninth in scoring (D1). He is one double-double away from breaking Ike Azotam's record of 44 – and could challenge Quinnipiac's all-time leader rebounder if the season extends long enough.
College Sports Madness will be announcing men's basketball all-conference teams each day leading up to the announcement of All-America Teams on March 13.
The sixth-seeded Quinnipiac men's basketball team opens the 2015 MAAC Championships on Thursday, March 5 when the Bobcats take on 11th-seeded Marist College in the first round. The matchup is the final of three first round games on the night, scheduled to tip-off at 9 p.m. at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y.
The MAAC Men's Basketball Championships go from March 5-9 with the winner earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Tickets for the championships are available online at www.ticketmaster.com.
Student-athletes, parents and fans can download the QU Athletics schedules to your laptop and mobile devices for free by clicking in the iCalendar link at the bottom of each sport's homepage or the master schedule page. Please follow Quinnipiac Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@QUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates.
