Varner Leads WAC into Finals of Online 3x3U Tournament
RIO GRANDE VALLEY – All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) First Team selection Lesley Varner II of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men’s basketball team led the WAC to victory over the Big Ten in the semifinals of the online 3x3U National Championship on Saturday and Sunday.
The WAC earned 54.1 percent of the 1,123 votes cast in the matchup, winning 608-515.
The WAC advances to the championship round against the MAC starting Sunday night. The MAC defeated the Summit League in the semifinals by earning 53.9 percent of the 2,285 votes cast. Fans can vote at Twitter.com/3X3UHoops.
Through three rounds, the WAC has earned a total of 1,586 votes. The MAC has earned 2,788 votes.
Overall this past season, Varner averaged 15.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 43.5 percent from the field, 40.6 percent from behind the arc and 87.1 percent from the foul line. Heranked 29th in the NCAA and second in the WAC in free throw percentage (87.1), 124th in the NCAA and second in the WAC in free throws made (122), 141st in the NCAA and fifth in the WAC in steals per game (1.53), 161st in the NCAA and third in the WAC in total steals (46), 197th in the NCAA and third in the WAC in points per game (15.6), 198th in the NCAA and fourth in the WAC in field goal percentage (43.5), 216th in the NCAA and third in the WAC in total points (469), and 220th in the NCAA and second in the WAC in free throw attempts (140). He led UTRGV in scoring 13 times, rebounding 15 times and assists three times. Varner reached double-figures in scoring 21 times, including 12 games of 20+ points, two of which were 30+ point performances. He also reached double-figures in rebounding three times while recording two double-doubles.
For his career, Varner finished with 1,182 points, the 16th-highest total in program history.
The only player to start all 16 WAC contests for UTRGV, Varner averaged 17.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.6 steals while shooting 44.3 percent from the field, 44.6 percent from behind the arc and 89.0 percent from the foul line in conference play. He ranked third in the WAC in scoring, second in free throw shooting, third in three-point shooting, fourth in steals, fifth in defensive rebounding (4.9), seventh in rebounding, tied for ninth in three-pointers made (25), and 14thin field goal percentage.
Varner is joined on the WAC team by Grand Canyon’s Carlos Johnson, New Mexico State’s Trevelin Queen and California Baptist’s De’jon Davis.
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