Palmer Earns Jack Moore Award at Team Banquet

James Palmer Jr. was selected by a vote of his teammates as the Jack Moore Award winner for the 2017-18 season at the Huskers’ season-ending banquet.

The award, which is presented annually to the team’s Most Valuable Player, is named for late Husker guard Jack Moore, a 5-9 playmaker who set 17 school records in a career that ended in 1982. Moore was presented with the 1982 Francis Pomeroy-Naismith Award as the best collegiate player in the nation under six feet tall. A consensus All-Big Eight performer in 1982, Moore was killed in a plane crash in March of 1984.

Palmer earned the honor after putting together a strong campaign in his first season as a Husker. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound guard was a first-team All-Big Ten pick by the conference coaches and a first-team all-district honoree by the NABC and USBWA. Palmer led Nebraska in scoring at 17.2 points per game, while also adding 4.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steal per game. The junior from Upper Marlboro, Md., reached double figures in 31 of 33 games during the 2017-18 campaign, including eight 20-point efforts. Palmer scored a career-high 34 points against No. 13 Ohio State and had 28 points at Wisconsin and against Iowa.

Sophomore Isaiah Roby was chosen as the team’s Most Improved Player for his strides during the season. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 8.7 points per game while pacing the Huskers in rebounding (6.3 rpg) and blocked shots (2.0 bpg). Roby played some of his best basketball down the stretch, averaging 13.0 points on 63 percent shooting along with 8.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game in NU’s final eight contests.

Evan Taylor was chosen as the team's top defender for the second straight year, as he tied for second on the team with 32 steals and usually guarded the opponent's top backcourt scorer. Taylor also earned the GATA Award for his hustle during the season and was recognized for his efforts as team co-captain, along with Anton Gill.

Justin Costello was honored as the Husker Power Lifter of the Year award for his work in the weight room with Strength Coach Tim Wilson. Costello scored over 1,600 points in the Performance Index, while setting school record in the 10-meter shuttle and the pro-agility drill.

2017-18 Husker Basketball Team Awards
Jack Moore Award:          James Palmer Jr.
Captains Award:              Evan Taylor and Anton Gill
Most Improved:                Isaiah Roby
GATA Award:                   Evan Taylor
Defensive POY:               Evan Taylor
Lifter of the Year:             Justin Costello

McVeigh Signs Pro Contract
Former Husker basketball player Jack McVeigh signed his first professional contract with the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League in his native Australia. McVeigh, who signed a three-year contract, has enjoyed a decorated career in Australia as an amateur, serving as the captain of Australia’s Under-19 National Team. He represented Australia at the 2015 FIBA Under-19 World Championship and the 2017 World University Games.