FAIRFAX, Va. – George Mason University men's basketball senior Marquise Moore has been named the Atlantic 10's Chris Daniels Most Improved Player, the league office announced Tuesday.
 
Moore joins an impressive list of past Chris Daniels Award winners that includes Delonte West (Saint Joseph's), Dionte Christmas (Temple), Pops Mensah-Bonsu (George Washington) and JR Bremer (Saint Bonaventure).
 
Moore has posted 17.4 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 49.4 percent this season. He averaged 11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and shot 39.8 percent in 2015-16.
 
"This honor is a great tribute to Marquise and the outstanding senior season he has had," head coach Dave Paulsen said. "Marquise worked extremely hard to upgrade every aspect of his play. He brought great energy and focus to each day of practice which led to his great performances. His ability to score, get to the free throw line and his energy on defense helped define our team this season. His record-breaking efforts on the glass have truly redefined the guard position in college basketball."
 
In addition to the A-10 Most Improved honor, Moore also garnered All-Atlantic 10 second team accolades, becoming the second Mason student-athlete to make an all-conference team in the program's four years in the league. Moore's second team honor is the highest in the program's A-10 history.
 
Moore has put together one of the best all-around seasons by a guard in NCAA history. He is one of just four Div. I players over the past 25 years to average more than 17 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in a season. In addition, his 18 double-doubles are tied for the third most by a guard since the stat has been kept (2009-10).
 
Moore has led all Div. I guards in rebounding during the 2016-17, and his 8.8 defensive rebounds per game are the most by any player at that position since 1993-94. His 10.4 rebounds per game are the most ever by a player 6-foot-2 or under and rank the Queens, N.Y., product 13th in the country in the category.
 
In addition to leading the conference in overall and defensive rebounding, Moore ranks eighth in the A-10 in scoring (17.4 ppg), seventh in minutes played (34.9), 11th in field goal percentage (.494) and 11th in assists (3.5 apg). He has led the Patriots in rebounding in 25 games, assists in 17 games and scoring in 15 contests.
 
Behind Moore's efforts, the Patriots have put together a turnaround season in 2016-17. Mason has set a new program record for Atlantic 10 victories (9) and its 19 overall wins are the most by the program since 2012-13. After winning 11 games total and five A-10 contests in 2015-16, Mason is ranked as of the nation's 15 most improved teams this season (19-12, 9-9).
 
The Patriots open the 2017 Atlantic 10 Championship Thursday at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa. Mason enters the tournament at the No. 7 position, marking the program's highest ever seed in the event. Mason will battle 10th-seeded Fordham in its second round matchup Thursday.
 
2016-17 Atlantic-10 Postseason Awards
Player of the Year: T.J. Cline, Richmond
Defensive Player of the Year: Hassan Martin, Rhode Island
Rookie of the Year: De'Monte Buckingham, Richmond
Chris Daniels Most Improved Player: Marquise Moore, George Mason
Sixth Man of the Year: Kyle Davis, Dayton
Coach of the Year: Archie Miller, Dayton
 
All- Conference First Team
Jack Gibbs, Davidson
Scoochie Smith, Dayton
T.J. Cline, Richmond
Jaylen Adams, St. Bonaventure
JeQuan Lewis, VCU
 
All- Conference Second Team
Peyton Aldridge, Davidson
Charles Cooke, Dayton
Marquise Moore, George Mason
Tyler Cavanaugh, George Washington
Hassan Martin, Rhode Island
 
All- Conference Third Team
Kendall Pollard, Dayton
ShawnDre' Jones, Richmond
E.C. Matthews, Rhode Island
Matt Mobley, St. Bonaventure
Justin Tillman, VCU
 
All-Academic Team
Joseph Chartouny, Fordham
Christian Sengfelder, Fordham
Tyler Cavanaugh, George Washington
Patrick Steeves, George Washington
Mike Crawford, Saint Louis
 
All-Defensive Team
Charles Cooke, Dayton
Kyle Davis, Dayton
Yuta Watanabe, George Washington
Hassan Martin, Rhode Island
Mo Alie-Cox, VCU
 
All-Rookie Team
Mike Lewis II, Duquesne
Isiaha Mike, Duquesne
Jeff Dowtin, Rhode Island
De'Monte Buckingham, Richmond
Charlie Brown, Saint Joseph's