Six Jayhawks Garner Big 12 Postseason Honors as the League's Coaches' Awards Are Announced
March 4, 2007
<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>IRVING, Texas – Six members of Kansas’ 2007 Big 12 Championship men’s basketball team were recognized by the league coaches as the Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Awards were announced Sunday. Sophomores Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush, and Julian Wright, junior Russell Robinson and freshmen Darrell Arthur and Sherron Collins were each recognized by the Big 12 coaches.
Rush and Wright were each named to the All-Big 12 First Team. Chalmers garnered co-defensive player of the year accolades with Marcus Dove of OklahomaState and was also selected third team all-conference. Arthur and Collins were honorable mention all-league selections and members of the all-rookie squad. Chalmers and Robinson were on the Big 12’s All-Defensive team.
“I think it’s great that the coaches saw how balanced we are and recognized so many (Jayhawks) on the all-conference team,” Kansas head coach Bill Self said. “This just shows we have a team full of good players.”
Freshman standout Kevin Durant (Texas) has been named Big 12 Player and Freshman of the Year, while Missouri’s Stefhon Hannah is the Newcomer of the Year. Cartier Martin (KansasState) captures the inaugural Sixth Man Award, with Billy Gillispie (Texas A&M) earning Coach of the Year honors.
The official All-Big 12 awards are selected by the league’s head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.
Durant, a unanimous All-Big 12 First Team choice, set numerous conference records in his inaugural campaign. He is the first freshman in league history to earn player of the year honors after becoming the first player in the Big 12 to score 400 points or grab 200 rebounds in conference play. Durant had a Big 12-record nine 30-point games. He also set a record for scoring average in league competition (28.9) and is on pace to establish the overall mark with his 25.1-point average. His combined point and rebound average overall is 36.5, which would set a Big 12 record and be the fifth highest by any player in NCAA history.
Chalmers shares defensive honors after leading the league in steals for the second consecutive season. He is first in the Big 12 with 79 overall. He has 168 thefts in his first two seasons and currently ranks 12th nationally in steals per game. Dove is known as one of the Big 12’s best defenders, frequently drawing the task of stopping the opponents top scorer. He leads the Cowboys with 31 blocks this year to go along with 36 steals.
Hannah is the first Missouri player to garner newcomer recognition. The junior guard has scored in double-digits in 25 of 29 games this season, including 20 points or more seven times. He is second in the Big 12 with 71 steals, while his 2.45 average ranks 17th in the nation. Hannah is the second Mizzou player to earn a major Big 12 award following Kareem Rush (Co-Rookie of the Year) in 1999-2000.
Martin is the first KansasState player to win a major Big 12 award. The senior has scored in double-figures in 16 of the 18 games he has not started for the Wildcats. He has been particularly strong in the last month, averaging 22.4 points in his last seven contests. Martin has 12 outings with 20 points or more en route to helping the Wildcats to their best finish in Big 12 history.
Gillispie wins his second Big 12 coaching honor in the last three years. He guided the Aggies to their best finish in league history with a 13-3 mark and needs just one win to match the school record for overall victories in a season. The Aggies have been ranked in the top 10 nationally for much of the year, including each of the last eight weeks.
The All-Big 12 First, Second, Third and Honorable Mention teams were also announced, while conference coaches also selected All-Defensive and All-Rookie Teams.
2006-07 PHILLIPS 66 ALL-BIG 12 MEN’S BASKETBALL AWARDS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Kevin Durant, Texas, F/G, Fr., 6-9, 225, Suitland, Md./Montrose Christian
DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR – Mario Chalmers, KANSAS, G, So., 6-1, 195, Anchorage, Alaska/Bartlett AND Marcus Dove, Oklahoma State, G/F, Jr., 6-9, 215, Long Beach, Calif./Millikan
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR – **Stefhon Hannah, Missouri, G, Jr., 6-0, 175, Chicago, Ill./Chipola CC/Hyde Park
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR – **Kevin Durant, Texas, F/G, Fr., 6-9, 225, Suitland, Md./Montrose Christian
SIXTH MAN AWARD – Cartier Martin, KansasState, G/F, Sr., 6-7, 220, Houston, Texas/Nimitz
COACH OF THE YEAR – Billy Gillispie, Texas A&M (Career: 98-56 – 5th season; At A&M: 68-24 – 3rd season)
All-Big 12 First Team
Brandon Rush, KANSAS – G, 6-6, 210, So., Kansas City, Mo./Mt.ZionAcademy (N.C.)
Julian Wright, KANSAS – F, 6-8, 225, So., Chicago Heights, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor
Mario Boggan, OklahomaState – F/C, 6-7, 240, Sr., Durham, N.C./Hargrave Military Academy/Chipola CC
Kevin Durant, Texas** – F/G, 6-9, 225, Fr., Suitland, Md./Montrose Christian
Acie Law, Texas A&M** – G, 6-3, 195, Sr., Dallas, Texas/Kimball
Jarrius Jackson, Texas Tech – G, 6-2, 185, Sr., Monroe, La./Ouachita
All-Big 12 Second Team
David Hoskins, KansasState – G/F, 6-5, 225, Jr., Canton, Mich./Plymouth Salem/Schoolcraft
Cartier Martin, KansasState – G/F, 6-7, 220, Sr., Houston, Texas/Nimitz
Aleks Maric, Nebraska – C, 6-11, 270, Jr., Sydney, Australia/Australian Institute for Sport
D.J. Augustin, Texas – G, 5-11, 175, Fr., New Orleans, La./Brother Martin
Joseph Jones, Texas A&M – F, 6-9, 250, Jr., Normangee, Texas/Normangee
All-Big 12 Third Team
Mario Chalmers, KANSAS – G, 6-1, 195, So., Anchorage, Alaska/Bartlett
Stefhon Hannah, Missouri – G, 6-0, 175, Jr., Chicago, Ill./Chipola CC/Hyde Park
Nate Carter, Oklahoma – F, 6-6, 220, Sr., San Diego, Calif./UC Riverside
JamesOn Curry, OklahomaState – G, 6-3, 190, Jr., Pleasant Grove, N.C./Eastern Alamance
Martin Zeno, Texas Tech – G, 6-5, 208, Jr., Sulphur, La./Sulphur
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (Listed alphabetically by school)
Aaron Bruce (Baylor), Curtis Jerrells (Baylor), Richard Roby (Colorado), Mike Taylor (Iowa State), Darrell Arthur (KANSAS), Sherron Collins (KANSAS), A.J. Abrams (Texas), Josh Carter (Texas A&M), Antanas Kavaliauskas (Texas A&M)
Big 12 All-Defensive Team
Mario Chalmers, KANSAS – G, 6-1, 195, So., Anchorage, Alaska/Bartlett
Russell Robinson, KANSAS – G, 6-1, 200, Jr., New York, N.Y./Rice
Marcus Dove, Oklahoma State – G/F, 6-9, 215, Jr., Long Beach, Calif./Millikan
Kevin Durant, Texas – F/G, 6-9, 225, Fr., Suitland, Md./Montrose Christian
Dominique Kirk, Texas A&M – G, 6-3, 180, Jr., Dallas, Texas/Bryan Adams
Big 12 All-Rookie Team
Wesley Johnson, IowaState – F, 6-7, 195, Fr., Corsicana, Texas/Corsicana/Patterson School (N.C.)
Darrell Arthur, KANSAS – F, 6-9, 230, Fr., Dallas, Texas/South Oak Cliff
Sherron Collins, KANSAS** – G, 5-11, 200, Fr., Chicago, Ill./Crane
Stefhon Hannah, Missouri – G, 6-0, 175, Jr., Chicago, Ill./Chipola CC/Hyde Park
Kevin Durant, Texas** – F/G, 6-9, 225, Fr., Suitland, Md./Montrose Christian
D.J. Augustin, Texas** – G, 5-11, 175, Fr., New Orleans, La./Brother Martin
** – Unanimous Selection
Ties in the voting created additional spots for Defensive Player of the Year and on the first team and all-rookie team
2006-07 Kansas Men’s Basketball Accolades
Team
-Preseason Big 12 No. 1
-Preseason No. 1 by Sports Illustrated
-Las Vegas Invitational champions
-Big 12 Conference Regular-Season Champions
Darrell Arthur
-All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (Big 12)
-Big 12 All-Rookie Team (Big 12)
Mario Chalmers
-Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
-Las Vegas Invitational All-Tournament team
-Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year
-All-Big 12 Third Team (Big 12)
-All-Big 12 HM (AP)
-Big 12 All-Defensive Team (Big 12)
-Big 12 All-Defense Team (media)
Sherron Collins
-All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (Big 12/AP)
-Big 12 All-Rookie Team (Big 12)
-Big 12 All-Freshman Team (media)
Sasha Kaun
-Academic All-Big 12 First Team
Russell Robinson
-Las Vegas Invitational All-Tournament team
-Bob Cousy Award Finalist
-Big 12 All-Defensive Team (Big 12)
-Big 12 All-Defense Team (media)
Brandon Rush
-Preseason Associated Press All-American team
-Preseason All-Big 12 Player of the Year
-Preseason All-Big 12
-Preseason candidate for John R. Wooden Award
-Preseason top 50 for Naismith Award
-Midseason Wooden Award All-American Team
-Nasmith Award Finalist
-NABC District 12 First Team
-All-Big 12 First Team (Big 12)
-All-Big 12 Second Team (AP)
-USBWA District VI
Julian Wright
-Preseason All-Big 12 Player of the Year
-Preseason All-Big 12
-Preseason candidate for John R. Wooden Award
-Preseason top 50 for Naismith Award
-Las Vegas Invitational Most Valuable Player
-Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week (Nov. 27)
-ESPN.com National Player of the Week (Nov. 27)
-NABC District 12 First Team
-All-Big 12 First Team (Big 12/AP)
-Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week (March 5)
-USBWA District VI
