April 3, 2007

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- It was announced on March 27 that Providence College senior forward/center Herbert Hill (Kinston, N.C.) was named the 2007 Collegehoops.net Most Improved Player. It marks the second Most Improved Player honor he earned this season as he was named BIG EAST Men's Basketball Most Improved Player on March 6.

Hill also joined Aaron Brooks (Oregon), Acie Law (Texas A&M), Drew Neitzel (Michigan State) and Dionte Christmas (Temple) on the Collegehoops.net All-Improved Team.

Hill, who also was named First Team All-BIG EAST, USBWA All-District 1, First Team NABC All-District 1 and Rhode Island Division I Player of the Year this season, had an impressive year for the Friars.

In overall action this season, he averaged 18.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. He also registered the third best single season field percentage (64.0 percent) in the history of Friar basketball. In league action, he finished the regular season as the BIG EAST scoring champion (19.9 ppg). Hill is just the third Friar ever to accomplish that feat. After 16 BIG EAST games, he finished second in rebounding (9.8 rpg), third in field goal percentage (.592) and third in blocked shots (3.25 bpg). Hill recorded 14 double-doubles this season, including a 20-point, 20-rebound effort in a win over George Washington on November 26. He became the first Friar to post a 20-20 game since Marvin Barnes accomplished the feat in 1974. On February 24, Hill recorded a career-high 29 points and registered 15 rebounds against Syracuse. He also has registered 20 or more points 12 times this season. Hill helped the Friars post an 18-13 mark this season. In league play, Providence finished 10th of 16 teams with an 8-8 record. The Friars advanced to the NIT where they were defeated by Bradley, 90-78, in overtime on March 14.

Hill's statistics this season are a dramatic improvement over his 2005-06 totals. Last season, he averaged 9.0 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per contest. Hill entered the 2006-07 season, averaging 5.9 points per game and 3.5 rebounds through his first three seasons at Providence. Hill, a 2003 graduate of Kinston High School, is the son of Iris Brown and Herbert Hill, Jr.