West Coast Convo’s WCC All-Freshman Team

Jan 18, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Loyola Marymount Lions guard

(1) attempts to steal the ball from Gonzaga Bulldogs guard

(11) in the first half at Gersten Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Fielding-USA TODAY Sports

Evan Payne – Guard – LMU

By Cam Newton

LMU’s Evan Payne is already one of the WCC’s standout players-and he’s only a freshman.  All season long, Payne fought hard to provide for the team something that was missing in seasons past:  a quality scorer to help ease the burden on Anthony Ireland.  This year, the pressure that was always on Ireland’s shoulders to score and seemingly do everything for the Lions was alleviated once Payne stepped into the picture.

Due to injuries and an overall good skill level, Payne was able to rack up 30 minutes of playing time per game, something that’s rare in a mid-major conference like the WCC.  Averaging 15.5 points per game, Payne was second in scoring for the Lions, three points less than the older member of the backcourt tandem that was Payne and Ireland.

As his career progresses, I fully expect to see Payne blossom into an even more talented player who will be a floor leader for the Lions and a player who can run up the score with relative ease.