Alabama’s Collin Sexton Earns 2018 Associated Press All-America Honors
Alabama men’s basketball freshman guard Collin Sexton was named as a 2018 Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American, it was announced Tuesday.
Sexton is the 19th different player in program history, and first since 2008 (Richard Hendrix), to earn All-America accolades. Additionally, he is the first UA rookie to earn a spot on an AP All-America team (first, second, third or honorable mention) in program history.
During the 2017-18 season, Sexton helped lead the Crimson Tide men’s basketball team to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012 and its first win in the tournament since 2006. His 632 points on the year not only ranked as the third-most in program history, but set the freshman single-season scoring record.
The Mableton, Ga., native finished the year ranked second in the Southeastern Conference with 19.2 points per game, while adding 3.8 rebounds and a team-leading 3.6 assists per contest. He topped Alabama in field goals made (196) and attempted (438) and free throws made (196) and attempted (252). In addition to his freshman scoring record, Sexton set a new school record for free throws made in a season and ranked fourth in program history in free throws attempted.
Sexton became the second player in Alabama history to be named SEC Freshman of the Year, joining former standout Mo Williams who earned the honor in 2002. He was also tabbed as a second-team All-SEC performer and earned a spot in the league’s all-freshman team.
He finished the season with 29 double-digit scoring games, 16 games of scoring 20 or more and three games of 30 or more points. On Nov. 25 against then-No. 14 Minnesota, Sexton set an Alabama freshman record when he scored 40 points, including 31 in the second half. He became the first Crimson Tide player to score 40 points in a game since Reggie King had 43 on March, 12, 1979 against Virginia. He also became the first Alabama freshman in the modern era to record three-straight games of more than 20 points in his first three contests.
In the classroom, Sexton, a business major, earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average during the fall semester, earning a spot on the President’s List.