Francis named to USBWA & NABC All-District Teams, Starks joins in NABC honors

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – At the conclusion of a record-setting 2013-14 season and a historic four-year career, Bryant University senior forward Alex Francis (Harlem, N.Y.) has been named to both the USBWA and NABC All-District Teams, as announced by the organizations Tuesday and Wednesday.

An All-District I selection as chosen by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) and District 18 First Team pick by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), Francis was joined on the latter by junior guard Dyami Starks (Duluth, Minn.), who earned an NABC All-District Second Team nod.

Francis saw his best season yet as a senior in 2013-14, finishing the year with 595 points and 262 rebounds while shooting a career-high 57.7 percent from the field (225-390). The all-conference first teamer also posted a career high on the block (26) and career low in turnovers (97) en route to becoming just the third player in Bryant history and sixth player in the Northeast Conference record books to surpass the 2,000-point threshold. Francis also became the first player in the NEC annals to finish not just in the top-10, but inside the top-5 on both the all-time scoring and rebounding lists, ending his career ranked fifth in career points (2,085) and fourth in career rebounds (990).The numbers are also good for third all-time in the Bulldog record books and stand atop of the school's Division I marks.

In total, Francis finished his career with 37 double-doubles and 108 double-digit scoring games, including 11 and 27, respectively, as a senior. He amassed 41 career 20-point outings (16 in 2013-14) with 38 double-figure rebounding games (12 as a senior). The New York native led his team in scoring 61 times and in rebounding on 92 occasions while finishing the 2013-14 season first on the team on the glass (8.2) and second in points per game (18.6).

Francis finishes his four-year career with a lifetime 54.3 shooting percentage, averaging 17.0 points per game and 8.0 rebounds per outing across 123 career games and 108 career starts.

Starks paced the Bulldog offense on the 2013-14 season, scoring 18.9 points per game while shooting a team-best 36.8 percent from 3-point land as a junior (88-239). The two-time All-NEC Second Team selection went 86 percent from the charity stripe (82-107) while dishing out 60 assists and grabbing 32 steals with 101 rebounds (3.4 per game). Starks, who shot 41.5 percent from the field on the year, scored his 1,000th career point on January 23 and recorded four of the team's top five single-game scoring performances on the 2013-14 season, including three 35-point contests. Starks led the team in scoring 13 times this season, including a 19-point outing against Saint Francis U. in the NEC Quarterfinals.

The Bulldogs finished the season 18-14 overall, finishing third on the NEC ladder with a 10-6 league mark. Francis was one of just two NEC players named to a USBWA All-District Team.