HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Juniors Jon Elmore, C.J. Burks and Ajdin Penava were all named to Conference USA’s All-Conference team, while Penava was also named to the All-Defensive team, the league announced Monday.
It is the second time three Marshall men’s basketball players have been named to all-conference team in the same year since Keith Veney, John Brannen and Sidney Coles accomplished that in 1997.
“Congratulations to all that have won the award,” head coach Dan D’Antoni said. “These three have been big for us all season and I hope we carry our momentum into the tournament.
“I said at the beginning of the season that these three would have to lead us on the court and in the locker room and that’s what they’ve done. They make me a good coach.”
Elmore, who was named first team all-conference, is the first Marshall player to earn consecutive first team selections from a league since John Taft did so in the Mid-American Conference from 1989-91.
Elmore is a three-time C-USA Player of the Week after winning it for the weeks of Nov. 13, Dec. 4 and Feb. 26. The junior is the lone player to average 22 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists since Penny Hardaway recorded those numbers during the 1992-93 season.
As it stands, Elmore leads the nation in triple-doubles (two), one of two players in the nation to be in the top 10 in both points (No. 8) and assists (No. 10) and is the first player in C-USA history to lead the conference in points and assists in consecutive years.
Burks, who was named to the league’s second team, is earning his first all-conference selection. Burks was named C-USA Player of the Week for the weeks of Jan. 22 and Feb. 19.
The junior’s 21.0 points per game is No. 29 in the nation and third in the league. This season, Burks has made 38.3 percent of his three-pointers and 87.5 percent of his free throws. Those numbers are good for 94th and 29th in the nation.
Penava, who was named third team all-conference, is also earning his first all-conference and all-defense selections.
Penava leads the nation in total blocked shots (124) and blocked shots per game (4.28) and has a defensive rating of 91.8 points per 100 possessions when he is on the court.
The 124 blocks are third all-time in a single season in C-USA history. Penava is 11th in the league points per game (15.4) and his 8.6 rebounds per game is fourth in the league.
The 194 defensive rebounds that Penava has pulled down places him second in C-USA in that category.
The Bosnian has 13 games with five or more blocked shots this season and three games with nine blocks.  Penava was named C-USA Player of the Week on Dec. 18.