HIGGINBOTHAM, PATTERSON NAMED ALL-AMERICAN
March 21, 2007

FORT WORTH, TX:  The NAIA released it’s men’s basketball All-American teams on Tuesday, and Texas Wesleyan University’s CJ Higginbotham and Evan Patterson were among those honored.  Higginbotham and Patterson were both named Honorable Mention All-American.

Higginbotham also earned NAIA All-American Scholar Athlete honors for the second straight year.  The senior from Little Elm, TX, had a phenomenal season.  Last season he was a major contributor to the Rams’ national championship squad, and over the summer he worked himself into starting form.  He surprised everyone by not only starting, but leading the Rams in scoring (15.7/g) and leading the nation in three-point shooting at 53% (89-168).  He was named conference Player of the Week three times.  One game after hitting seven threes against Jarvis Christian, he went for a career-high 34 points on a school record 7-7 from long range against Bacone.  His 53% three-point shooting this season as well as his 52% from long range in his career are also school records.

One season after being named the MVP of the NAIA National Tournament Patterson, a guard from Cedar Hill, TX, had a tremendous all around senior season.  He ranked second on the team with 15.5 points per game and third in the conference with 7.5 rebounds per game.  He scored in double-figures in 24-of-27 games and poured in 20 or more five times.  He recorded seven double-doubles.  He put up a season-high 31 points and brought down nine rebounds in a win over Westmont.  He also went for 26 points and 12 rebounds in a 75-74 loss at Oklahoma City who took home the 2007 national title.

Texas Wesleyan was ranked as high as 4th in the nation this season.  The Rams finished at 19-10 overall and 12-6 in conference play.