NCCU’S BRISCOE NAMED DIVISION I INDEPENDENT NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR Kyle Serba 03/18/09 Rookie Also Selected to All-Independent Team, Worah-Ozimo Garners Honorable Mention OREM, Utah – North Carolina Central University freshman guard Jamar Briscoe has been named the 2008-09 Division I Men’s Basketball Newcomer of the Year, as voted upon by Division I independent head coaches and sports information directors. Briscoe was also selected to the Division I All-Independent Team as a member of the second team, while NCCU junior center Stevy Worah-Ozimo earned All-Independent Team Honorable Mention recognition. Briscoe, a 5-10 native of Baltimore, Md., is the second-leading scoring freshman in the nation, trailing only Seth Curry of Liberty, and became the first freshman in school history to score more than 500 points.  As a starter in 30 of the team’s 31 games as a true freshman, missing one game due to injury, Briscoe led the Eagles in scoring (535 points / 17.8 avg.), assists (79 / 2.6 avg.) and steals (53 / 1.8 avg.). He also ranks fourth among Division I Independent scorers. Briscoe scored more than 20 points in a game 11 times, including five games with 30 or more. Here are a few of his top performances: 37 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals vs. Longwood (Feb. 28); 28 points, 4 assists, 4 steals at North Carolina State (Feb. 3); 34 points, 3 assists at Duquesne (Dec. 22); 24 points, 3 assists, 2 steals at Arkansas (Dec. 10); 34 points at Longwood (Feb. 25); 32 points vs. Chicago State (Jan. 10); 31 points vs. Chowan (Jan. 17); 19 points at South Carolina (Dec. 16); 18 points at No. 21 Wake Forest (Nov. 14); 18 points at Kansas State (Feb. 17); 28 points vs. Savannah State (Jan. 31); 26 points vs. High Point (Dec. 3). Worah-Ozimo, a 6-9 junior center from Gabon, West Africa, started in 20 of 21 games played before suffering a season-ending injury. He ranks third among Division I Independents in rebounding (8.2 avg.) and fifth in blocked shots (1.1 avg.).  The transfer grabbed double-digit rebounds seven times. Here are a few of his top performances: season-high 18 rebounds, 7 points at #23/24 Michigan (Dec. 29); 13 points, 12 rebounds vs. UNC-Wilmington (Nov. 28); 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks at Duquesne (Dec. 22); 14 points, 7 rebounds vs. Texas-Pan American (Dec. 7); 13 points, 7 rebounds at Florida Gulf Coast (Nov. 20); 10 points, 11 rebounds at South Carolina (Dec. 16); 12 rebounds, 8 points, 2 blocks at Miami (Jan. 3); 13 rebounds, 8 points vs. Jackson State (Nov. 29). The Eagles finished their second year of Division I competition with an overall record of 4-27, including a season-ending victory over rival Winston-Salem State in the MEAC Tournament “Bonus Game” on March 14.