March 6, 2008

Irving, Texas - University of Missouri junior guard Matt Lawrence (St. Louis, Mo. / Lafayette) was named to the 2008 Academic All-Big 12's Second Team the league office announced on Thursday.

Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the men's basketball academic all-league team consisted of 10 first team members combined with 10 on the second team. First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, and the second team are those who have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.

To qualify student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of his team's scheduled contests. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence.

A junior guard from St. Louis, Lawrence is third on this year's Missouri club with 8.7 points and 3.0 rebounds per game and leads the squad with 65 three-point field goals. No. 8 all-time at Mizzou with 155 career three-pointers, Lawrence has enjoyed a pair of 20-point games this season, initially a career high 28-point outing at Mississippi State Dec. 30, before scoring 20 at Kansas State on Feb. 16.

Lawrence and the Tigers return to action this Saturday at Oklahoma. Game time is slated for 2:30 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on ABC, with Terry Gannon and Fran Fraschilla calling the action.

For more information on the University of Missouri Men's Basketball program, please visit our website, mutigers.com.