Harris, Mitchell, Evans honored by ACC

Virginia junior guard Joe Harris (Chelan, Wash.) and junior forward Akil Mitchell (Charlotte, N.C.) were named to the 2012-13 All-ACC Basketball Team. Harris was a first-team selection and Mitchell was named to the third team. UVa senior guard Jontel Evans (Hampton, Va.) was named to the ACC’s All-Defensive Team.

Members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA) selected the teams that were announced on Monday (March 11).

It marks the first time since 2007 that Virginia has had two All-ACC selections. That year Sean Singletary was a first-team selection and J.R. Reynolds was a second-team selection.

Harris becomes the 12th Cavalier to earn first-team All-ACC honors, joining Buzzy Wilkinson (1954, 1955), Herb Busch (1958), Chip Conner (1964), Barry Parkhill (1972), Jeff Lamp (1979, 1981), Ralph Sampson (1981, 1982, 1983), Othell Wilson (1982), Richard Morgan (1989), Bryant Stith (1990, 1991, 1992), Sean Singletary (2006, 2007, 2008) and Mike Scott (2012).

Harris ranks fourth in the league in scoring at 17 ppg, including 18.4 ppg in ACC play (second in the league). Harris has nine 20-point games this season, including a career-high 36 points vs. Duke on Feb. 28, which is tied for the ACC single-game high this season. Harris is the only ACC player ranked in the top 10 in 3-point field goal percentage (1^st), free throw percentage (8^th) and field goal percentage (9^th).

Mitchell earned third-team All-ACC honors by averaging 13.1 ppg and ranking third in the ACC in rebounding at 8.9 rpg. Mitchell has 11 double-doubles and ranks fifth in the ACC in field goal accuracy at 54.1 percent.

Harris was joined on the first team by Mason Plumlee (Duke), Erick Green (Virginia Tech), Shane Larkin (Miami) and Richard Howell (NC State). Seth Curry (Duke), Kenny Kadji (Miami), Lorenzo Brown (NC State) and Reggie Bullock and James Michael McAdoo (North Carolina) were second-team selections. Michael Snaer (Florida State), C.J. Leslie (NC State), Ryan Anderson (Boston College), Quinn Cook (Duke) and Devin Booker (Clemson) joined Mitchell on the third team.

Evans was named to the ACC All-Defensive Team for the second consecutive year. He is the top perimeter defender on a Cavalier squad that allows a league-low 54.5 points-per-game. Evans joins Larkin, Daniel Miller (Georgia Tech), Durand Scott (Miami) and Alex Len (Maryland) on this year’s ACC All-Defensive Team.

The Cavaliers (21-10, 11-7 ACC) finished fourth in the conference and received a first round bye at this week’s ACC Tournament. Virginia opens the tournament on Friday against either No. 5 seed NC State or No. 12 seed Virginia Tech. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m. at the Greensboro Coliseum.